“Well, I feel pretty queer, myself,” said the rabbit, twitching his nose. “Maybe it’s because I’m hungry. There’s a kitchen garden over there near the royal stables and I think if I had some carrots I’d feel better.”
“Of course you would!” cried Peg, jumping up. “I forgot you had to eat.” So, very cautiously they stole into the royal cook’s garden. Wag had often helped himself to carrots from this garden before, but now sitting on his haunches he stared around in dazed surprise.
“Everything’s different!” wailed the rabbit dismally. “You’re the same and I’m the same but everything else is all mixed up. Look at this carrot. Why, it’s no bigger than a blade of grass.” Wag held up a carrot in disgust. “Why, it will take fifty of these to give me even a taste and the lettuce—look at it! Everything’s shrunk, even the houses!” cried the big funny bunny, looking around. “My wocks and hoop soons, sheverything’s hunk!”
Peg Amy had followed Wag’s gaze and now she jumped up in great excitement. “I see it now!” cried Peg. “It’s us, Wag. Everything’s the same but we are different. Some of that Mixed Magic has made us grow. We’re bigger and everything else is the same. I am as tall as the little girl who used to play with me and you are even bigger and I’m glad, because now we can help find the castle and Ruggedo and try to make everything right again.”
Peg clasped her wooden hands. “Aren’t you glad too, Wag?”
The rabbit shook his head. “It’s going to take an awful lot to fill me up,” he said doubtfully. “I’ll have to eat about six times as much as I used to.”
“Well, you’re six times as large; isn’t that any comfort?”
“My head doesn’t feel right,” insisted Wag. “As soon as I talk fast the words all come wrong.”
“Maybe it didn’t grow as fast as the rest of you,” laughed the Wooden Doll. “But don’t you care, Wag. I know what you mean and I think you’re just splendid! Now hurry and finish your carrots so we can decide what to do.
“If Mixed Magic caused all this trouble,” added Peg half to herself, “Mixed Magic’s got to fix it. I’m going to look at that box.” Wag, nibbling industriously, had not heard Peg’s last speech or he would doubtless have taken to his heels.