I do not love them. All during my wanderings I have brooded on how I
can be revenged on them. Now that I've met you I can see a way to
conquer the Land of Oz and be King there myself, which is better than
being King of the Nomes."

"How can you do that?" inquired Kiki Aru, wonderingly.

"Never mind how. In the first place, I'll make a bargain with you.
Tell me the secret of how to perform transformations and I will give
you a pocketful of jewels, the biggest and finest that I possess."

"No," said Kiki, who realized that to share his power with another
would be dangerous to himself.

"I'll give you TWO pocketsful of jewels," said the Nome.

"No," answered Kiki.

"I'll give you every jewel I possess."

"No, no, no!" said Kiki, who was beginning to be frightened.

"Then," said the Nome, with a wicked look at the boy, "I'll tell
the inn-keeper that you stole that gold piece and he will have you
put in prison."

Kiki laughed at the threat.

"Before he can do that," said he, "I will transform myself into a
lion and tear him to pieces, or into a bear and eat him up, or into a