The Shaggy Dog Page #2

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I believe there's an El Greco

over there in the music room.

That's another Tintoretto.

I better put it over here

out of the way.

Look at that.

I've never seen Chiffon

take such a fancy to anyone.

He sure is friendly.

- Who's she?

- Lucrezia Borgia.

You remember the Borgias, of course.

Sure, who?

The Borgias were notorious

during the Dark Ages in Italy.

Some people say

the Borgia dabbled in black magic.

Black magic?

Hey! The dog in the picture

is the same kind as this one.

Yes, a Bratislavian sheep dog.

The breed has mostly died out now.

Chiffon is one of the few left.

And it's very lonely for him.

Excuse me, Francesca.

Would you be good enough

to take the Orsini artifacts

to Dr. Howard at the museum?

Certainly, father.

Why don't I drive you down there?

My car's outside.

- Wait, we'll both take you.

- I'll get my purse.

What's the big idea?

I thought my driving made you nervous.

Look, the only thing about you

that makes me nervous

is my seven dollars,

if you know what I mean.

All right, Wilby, if you want

to come along, glad to have you.

Thank you.

- What a sweet little museum.

- It's not bad.

I've put in a lot of time

around this place studying the arts.

Then how come you got lost

getting here?

- Say, that's not a bad looking deal.

- [Answers in French]

Personally, I go in

for the old Egyptian stuff like that.

That figures.

Francesca?

Buzz?

Buzz?

Buzz?

Buzz!

Uh, uh!

[Laughs]

- You scared me.

- You ought to be. Serves you right.

You shouldn't be wandering around

until the exhibit is open.

I've worked nonstop to be ready.

I'm sorry, Prof. Plumcutt.

I was looking for my friends.

You know me?

Why, of course!

It's Wilby Daniels, isn't it?

Yes, I used to deliver your paper.

That's right. So you did.

Or did you? Come to think of it,

I don't recall getting my papers lately.

No, sir. I gave up my route

two years ago.

Oh.

That just goes to show

how often I read the newspaper.

Nothing interesting happens

to people these days.

Now in the delightfully evil days

of the Borgias here

something interesting

happened to people every day.

Yes, sir. I guess they did, sir.

I'd better...

Wilby, do you realize this civilization

knew all about sorcery?

Even about shape-shifting

and the casting of spells.

What's shape-shifting?

Shape-shifting was the medieval art

of borrowing someone else's body

to live in for awhile.

A most interesting practice.

You've heard about people

being changed into cats, dogs

and other creatures, haven't you?

Professor, you don't believe

in this stuff, do you?

Well, it may surprise you to hear,

my boy, that I do.

Oh, I know people laugh

at these things today.

But if they were honest,

they'd admit that there are moments

on dark and lonely nights

when something stirs within us.

And reawakens

ancient fears and beliefs.

I'd better be going now.

I have to find my friends.

Yes. Come in and see me again.

Look out!

- Sorry.

- No, no. It's all right.

Look, Wilby...

Run along now, will you?

I'll take care of these.

- You're sure it's all right?

- Yes, please. Please.

Well, they say it takes all kinds.

- Then it's a date?

- It's a date.

Good deal.

I wonder what happened to Wilby.

Don't worry about knothead,

he loves museums.

Bye now.

[Tires screeching]

Hi, Wilby.

Who gets the mice and the hamsters?

Pete Hammers, he always wanted 'em.

Mickey Warren gave me a buck

for your chemistry stuff.

I promised to throw in

Harry the Bat for free.

What about ol' Zachary here?

I couldn't unload him.

Nobody wanted him.

Poor ol' Zach, I know just how you feel.

Come on, Wilby,

quit feeling sorry for yourself.

Pop'll get over it.

Pop'll get over it, but I won't.

I'll still be the same mixed up guy

I've always been.

All right, boys, time for bed.

If you haven't finished, do it tomorrow.

Be right up, Pop.

- You coming, Wilby?

- In a minute.

What the heck is this?

How do you suppose...

I know. It must've fallen in when

I knocked over the professor's case.

"In canis corpore transmuto."

Sounds like Latin.

Wish I knew more

than just first year Latin.

Canis, canis...

That's "dog." Dog.

"Into dog something," transmuto.

"In canis corpore transmuto."

"In canis corpore transmuto."

It's a transmuto and away we go

With the do-si-do

Wait a minute.

What's going on here?

Stop! Wait, somebody,

whoever you are.

I was just kidding!

Wilby.

Wilby, come on, now.

It's getting late.

No!

No!

No!

No!

No!

Wilby.

- Yipe.

- Wilby.

Oh.

Wilby. Come on up now.

It's getting late.

OK, Pop.

You catching a cold? Your mother

told you to wear a sweater down here.

Sweater?

I've got a sweater.

Come on up now.

Oh, poor Pop.

This'll kill him.

What'll I do?

Gosh, what'll I do?

Professor Plumcutt! He'll know.

Now, to get by Pop.

[Hums]

[Wilby] Professor Plumcutt.

Hello, fella.

I've gotta talk to you.

You know, dogs are not allowed in here.

I'm not a dog.

I'm Wilby Daniels.

Wilby Daniels.

Are you really?

Well, well.

I'm not surprised.

The very first time I saw you,

I said to myself,

"That boy's a potential shape-shifter."

- Is that what happened to me?

- Of course.

How on earth did you manage it?

I think this ring

had something to do with it.

The Borgia ring.

Where did you find it?

I've looked everywhere for it.

Well, uh, it fell in the cuff

of my trousers.

Thank you very much for returning it.

It's a very rare and unusual ring.

Professor!

- What's the matter?

- What about me?

What about you?

I don't want to be a dog.

- You don't?

- No, of course not!

Can't you help me?

Yes, but how?

Apparently, you've become involved

with some old spell cast upon this ring.

Probably by one of the Borgias.

It sounds just like them.

But how do I get out of it?

Don't ask me, my boy.

How should I know?

There are all kinds of spells.

Some of them break themselves

after awhile.

While others come and go

like a headache.

- Come and go?

- Yes.

Sometimes you'll be a dog,

sometimes a boy.

For hours at a time, sometimes longer.

You never can tell,

that's what makes it so interesting.

Well, how can I break the spell?

An act of heroism might break the spell.

Heroism?

Why, of course.

Why didn't I think of it first!

Heroism has always been an important,

a most potent factor,

in the breaking of spells.

- Do you remember the hound of Florence?

- Hound of Florence? No, sir.

Well, it's the famous story of a

young man who was changed into a dog,

just as you have been.

He was in love with a beautiful girl.

One night he got into a terrible fight

defending her from an evil duke.

The duke grabbed a dagger

and plunged it into the dog.

The dog fell to the ground.

As the poor little animal lay there

with the dagger deep in his heart,

he suddenly changed back

into a man again.

Dagger in the heart?

That'd kill me!

No, you don't grasp

the point of the story.

What I was trying to say is that

it is possible to break such a spell.

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