And with that he repeated the alphabet backward like lightning,
wiggling his fingers at the same time, and in a flash Winn was
transformed into a tailor's dummy, after which Toobad placed him on the
sidewalk outside his shop with one of the enchanted suits on him and
with a sign on his breast which read:
TAKE ME HOME FOR $3.75
so people could see what fine, cheap clothes were sold inside.
And maybe Winn did not feel bad as he stood there day after day not
even able to roll his eyes or move or speak. And on Saturday night he
felt particularly bad because his father, and his grandfather, and his
uncle, and his big brother came by the shop arm in arm, all whistling
merrily because they did not have to pay Toobad any money that week and
were going to a movie instead.
"My, my!" they exclaimed, when they saw Winn by the door, "doesn't that
image look exactly like our Winn, but of course it cannot be because
it's made of wax." And then the next moment they went on their way as
happy as larks.
"Oh, dear!" said Winn to himself, miserably, "whatever am I going to
do? How am I ever going to escape from this terrible tailor? If only I
could think of _some_ way."
And later when Toobad had brought him indoors and shut the shop, and
gone off to bed and left him standing in a dark corner, he thought and
thought with all his might, for he felt if he did not find _some_ way
to break the enchantment he might as well die.
And then as he was still puzzling over the problem he heard a stealthy
step, and into the room came Toobad in his nightgown, holding a
lighted candle in his hand, and Winn saw that he was walking in his
sleep. And not only was he walking in his sleep but he was talking in
his sleep also, and this is what he was saying:
Of all the gents who wear my clothes
Not one has ever guessed, sir,
That he could break the magic spell
By pulling down his vest, sir.
Oh, yes, indeed, there is no need
Why he should be distressed, sir,
If he but knows enchanted clothes
Are governed by the vest, sir.
And when Winn heard what he was saying he knew right away that if he
could only escape he could easily get his father, and grandfather, and
uncle, and big brother out of the power of Toobad the tailor, for he
only had to tell them to pull down their vests and they would be rid
forever of the hateful clothing they were wearing. But alas, it was one
thing to want to get home, and another to get there, for while he was
transformed into a tailor's dummy he was utterly helpless and could
only stand and watch Toobad as he wandered about the shop with his eyes
shut and the lighted candle in his hand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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