Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction; Tarzan (Fictitious character) -- Fiction
"Of course," commented Elkomoelhago. "Now, let us see. I believe the
thing is simpler than you imagine. You say that to reduce the size of
this subject you struck him with a rock upon the base of the skull.
Therefore, to enlarge his size, the most natural and scientific thing
to do would be to strike him a similar blow upon the forehead. Fetch
the rock and we will prove the correctness of my theory."
For a moment Zoanthrohago was at a loss as to how best to circumvent
the stupid intention of the king without humiliating his pride and
arousing his resentment; but the courtiers of Elkomoelhago were
accustomed to think quickly in similar emergencies and Zoanthrohago
speedily found an avenue of escape from his dilemma.
"Your sagacity is the pride of your people, Thagosoto," he said, "and
your brilliant hyperbole the despair of your courtiers. In a clever
figure of speech you suggest the way to achievement. By reversing the
manner in which we reduced the stature of Zuanthrol we should be able
to increase it; but, alas, I have tried this and failed. But wait, let
us repeat the experiment precisely as it was originally carried out and
then, by reversing it, we shall, perhaps, be enabled to determine why I
have failed in the past."
He stepped quickly across the room to one of a series of large
cupboards that lined the wall and opening the door of it revealed a
cage in which were a number of rodents. Selecting one of these he
returned to the table, where, with wooden pegs and bits of cord he
fastened the rodent securely to a smooth board, its legs spread out and
its body flattened, the under side of the lower jaw resting firmly upon
a small metal plate set flush with the surface of the board. He then
brought forth a small wooden box and a large metal disc, the latter
mounted vertically between supports that permitted it to be revolved
rapidly by means of a hand crank. Mounted rigidly upon the same axis as
the revolving disc was another which remained stationary. The latter
disc appeared to have been constructed of seven segments, each of a
different material from all the others, and from each of these segments
a pad, or brush, protruded sufficiently to press lightly against the
revolving disc.
To the reverse side of each of the seven segments of the stationary
disc a wire was attached, and these wires Zoanthrohago now connected
to seven posts projecting from the upper surface of the wooden box.
A single wire attached to a post upon the side of the box had at its
other extremity a small, curved metal plate attached to the inside of
a leather collar. This collar Zoanthrohago adjusted about the neck of
the rodent so that the metal plate came in contact with its skin at the
base of the skull and as close to the hypophysis gland as possible.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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