The Forest Monster of Oz | Page 5

He's got her
stuck in his sticky web, and he is treating her like a slave and he's even making
her--ugh!--kiss him! How yucky can you get? You must save that poor little bug. She is a
good bug. Love is always good! Please help her. Please. I can't bear to think of her in that
predicament!"
"It's a stupid bug, for crying out loud!" said Tweaty. "Don't you think that we have more
important things to do than to go and save a stupid bug?"
"But this is Oz, where everyone is equal," Nibbles pointed out. "Even a cat like Fisher is
our friend. In this fantastic country, I'd think that even a tiny insect is not beneath our
concern. I think we should save her."
"Give me a break!" Tweaty said. "I'm not about to face that big ugly Monster again for
the sake of a cockroach!"
"She is not a cockroach," said the worm. "She is a kindly insect who helps people in need
to feel cared about. She has great powers to do that for people. But that spider is misusing
her powers and making her serve him in a most wicked capacity against her will. He is
abusing her and she is probably miserable. How can you let him treat such a sweet being
in such an awful manner?"
"I, for one, am willing to try to help save Lovebug," said Elephant.
"Me too," said Nibbles.
"I think..."
Before Tweaty could finish his sentence, a loud scream was heard. Hurrying toward the
sound, they found Louie the Lobo with a pale expression.
"What happened?" asked Elephant.
"Something took Tiger!" he said. "I didn't see who it was, but something took him away
while we were talking about the Tin Woodman. I don't know who would do such a foul
thing! Tiger is my best friend! I yelled at the kidnapper, but to no avail. I have lost my
best friend!" He began to cry like a kitten.
"It must have been that awful Forest Monster-Spider!" Nibbles swallowed hard. "I know
it was he who did this! He is so horrific! We must get word to the new Queen. We really

must!"
"I agree wholeheartedly," spoke Elephant. "We can not allow this sort of thing to happen.
Do you remember the last time enslavement was happening here in our Munchkin
country?"
"I do," said the mouse. "It was when that Wicked Witch had us all enslaved. Oh, she was
ever so much worse than I had ever realized! I'm glad that house fell down and made her
into mush."
"But we cannot count on any houses falling down on this spider man," said Tweaty with
certainty. "You are quite right when you say that we should do something about it. I was
being awfully selfish when I refused to do anything to help that little bug. But now my
eyes are opened. To think that not even a tiger is safe in that Monster's wake! This means
sure danger for birds and mice and elephants, too!"
"Then let's go and inform the new Queen straightaway!" trumpeted Elephant. "I am
willing to believe that she has the power to help us if anyone does."
"But we should have something to show her to prove that we are not insane," said
Nibbles. "After all, who would ever believe that such a beast could exist? It isn't natural.
And besides ..."
He cut his sentence short when his eye fell upon a large marking on the ground.
"Gads!" exclaimed Elephant. "That is one of the Monster's footprints! Goodness! Just
look how deep it is! That creature must weigh a million tons!"
"Yes," agreed Tweaty, flittering into the hole. "This footprint is almost as big around as a
horse! And look at the size of those claws! I'll bet it could rip Elephant in two without
even straining itself!"
"Let's not discuss that," shuddered the pachyderm. "But I think we should save this
footprint for the Queen. Because she is a mere child, she will be most impressed by its
mass. I think we should make a cast of it and carry it to the Emerald City to show her
what we are up against."
Nibbles and Tweaty hurriedly went to a nearby maple tree and gnawed at its trunk for a
time. With Elephant's help, they poured some maple syrupy sap into the footprint.
Elephant blew on this with his strong lungs until it hardened. Then, there before the trio,
was a perfect cast of the Forest Monster's footprint.
Eagerly Elephant snatched it up in his trunk and flung it onto his back.
"Let's get on our way," he said. The other two nestled upon his head and they were off to
the Emerald City of Oz.

CHAPTER 4
AN UNLIKELY