"I sometimes wonder, myself, who I am," replied the
many-legged young man; "but, in reality, I am Tommy
Kwikstep, and I live in a hollow tree that fell to the
ground with age. I have polished the inside of it, and
made a door at each end, and that's a very comfortable
residence for me because it just fits my shape."
"How did you happen to have such a shape?" asked the
Scarecrow Bear, sitting on his haunches and regarding
Tommy Kwikstep with a serious look. "Is the shape
natural?"
"No; it was wished on me," replied Tommy, with a
sigh. "I used to be very active and loved to run
errands for anyone who needed my services. That was how
I got my name of Tommy Kwikstep. I could run an errand
more quickly than any other boy, and so I was very
proud of myself. One day, however, I met an old lady
who was a fairy, or a witch, or something of the sort,
and she said if I would run an errand for her -- to
carry some magic medicine to another old woman -- she
would grant me just one Wish, whatever the Wish
happened to be. Of course I consented and, taking the
medicine, I hurried away. It was a long distance,
mostly up hill, and my legs began to grow weary.
Without thinking what I was doing I said aloud: 'Dear
me; I wish I had twenty legs!' and in an instant I
became the unusual creature you see beside you. Twenty
legs! Twenty on one man! You may count them, if you
doubt my word."
"You've got 'em, all right," said Woot the Monkey,
who had already counted them.
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