the Growleywogs, and in order to do that he must cross the Ripple
Land, which was a hard thing to do. For the Ripple Land was a
succession of hills and valleys, all very steep and rocky, and they
changed places constantly by rippling. While Guph was climbing a
hill it sank down under him and became a valley, and while he was
descending into a valley it rose up and carried him to the top of a
hill. This was very perplexing to the traveler, and a stranger might
have thought he could never cross the Ripple Land at all. But Guph
knew that if he kept steadily on he would get to the end at last; so
he paid no attention to the changing hills and valleys and plodded
along as calmly as if walking upon the level ground.

The result of this wise persistence was that the General finally
reached firmer soil and, after penetrating a dense forest, came to the
Dominion of the Growleywogs.

No sooner had he crossed the border of this domain when two guards
seized him and carried him before the Grand Gallipoot of the
Growleywogs, who scowled upon him ferociously and asked him why he
dared intrude upon his territory.

"I'm the Lord High General of the Invincible Army of the Nomes, and my
name is Guph," was the reply. "All the world trembles when that name
is mentioned."

The Growleywogs gave a shout of jeering laughter at this, and one of
them caught the Nome in his strong arms and tossed him high into the
air. Guph was considerably shaken when he fell upon the hard ground,
but he appeared to take no notice of the impertinence and composed
himself to speak again to the Grand Gallipoot.