Not from his mouth or throat, but
from the deepest recesses of his tummy.
Graham looked at Telly, and Telly looked at Graham.
"Apparently," said Graham, "the angry growling that we heard was nothing
more than the sounds of an empty stomach. So you aren't slaves of the
bad Witch, or sent to kill me?"
The tiger looked a little sheepish, which is not easy for a tiger to do.
"Of course not," he said. "Don't you know who I am? I am the Hungry
Tiger of Oz. Everyone's heard of me. There have been volumes of books
written about me! I am always hungry, but I am not a carnivore. I am
afraid I would feel just awful if ever I ate up one of my fellow beings.
Here in the Land of Oz, as you know, all creatures are treated equally.
I can't stand the thought of eating up any organism that might
ultimately become a friend. This makes me feel bad, too. I am reduced to
a strictly vegetarian diet. I yearn to gobble up a few scrumptiously
delicious fat babies, yet I am reduced to struggling through meals of
tofu-strips and Loveburger. Oh, if only my conscience would let me feast
upon a fat baby just once! But, alas, I am cursed with a very strong
conscience."
"Then I am not afraid of you," said Graham. "What about this lion?"
"He is the Cowardly Lion of Oz," explained the Hungry Tiger.
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