L.Frank Baum. The marvelous land of Oz -
64 >
greater than any Woggle-Bug you ever saw before? Therefore it is plainly
evident that I am Highly Magnified, and there is no good reason why you
should doubt the fact."
"Pardon me," returned the Scarecrow. "My brains are slightly mixed
since I was last laundered. Would it be improper for me to ask, also, what
the 'T.E.' at the end of your name stands for?"
"Those letters express my degree," answered the Woggle-Bug, with a
condescending smile. "To be more explicit, the initials mean that I am
Thoroughly Educated."
"Oh!" said the Scarecrow, much relieved.
Tip had not yet taken his eyes off this wonderful personage. What he
saw was a great, round, buglike body supported upon two slender legs which
ended in delicate feet - the toes curling upward. The body of the
Woggle-Bug was rather flat, and judging from what could be seen of it was
of a glistening dark brown color upon the back, while the front was
striped with alternate bands of light brown and white, blending together
at the edges. Its arms were fully as slender as its legs, and upon a
rather long neck was perched its head - not unlike the head of a man,
except that its nose ended in a curling antenna, or "feeler," and its ears
from the upper points bore antennae that decorated the sides of its head
like two miniature, curling pig tails. It must be admitted that the round,
black eyes were rather bulging in appearance; but the expression upon the
Woggle-Bug's face was by no means unpleasant.
For dress the insect wore a dark-blue swallowtail coat with a yellow
silk lining and a flower in the button-hole; a vest of white duck that
stretched tightly across the wide body; knickerbockers of fawn-colored
plush, fastened at the knees with gilt buckles; and, perched upon its