that crossed the road and divided the forest as far as they could
see on either side. It was a very wide ditch, and when they crept
up to the edge and looked into it they could see it was also very
deep, and there were many big, jagged rocks at the bottom. The
sides were so steep that none of them could climb down, and for a
moment it seemed that their journey must end.
"What shall we do?" asked Dorothy despairingly.
"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Tin Woodman, and the
Lion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful.
But the Scarecrow said, "We cannot fly, that is certain. Neither
can we climb down into this great ditch. Therefore, if we cannot
jump over it, we must stop where we are."
"I think I could jump over it," said the Cowardly Lion, after
measuring the distance carefully in his mind.
"Then we are all right," answered the Scarecrow, "for you can
carry us all over on your back, one at a time."
"Well, I'll try it," said the Lion. "Who will go first?"
"I will," declared the Scarecrow, "for, if you found that you
could not jump over the gulf, Dorothy would be killed, or the Tin
Woodman badly dented on the rocks below. But if I am on your back
it will not matter so much, for the fall would not hurt me at
all."
"I am terribly afraid of falling, myself," said the Cowardly
Lion, "but I suppose there is nothing to do but try it. So get on
my back and we will make the attempt."
The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beast walked
to the edge of the gulf and crouched down.
"Why don't you run and jump?" asked the Scarecrow.
"Because that isn't the way we Lions do these things," he
replied. Then giving a great spring, he shot through the air and
landed safely on the other side. They were all greatly pleased to
see how easily he did it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from
his back the Lion sprang across the ditch again.
Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her arms
and climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane withand climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane with
one hand. The next moment it seemed as if she were flying through
the air; and then, before she had time to think about it, she was
safe on the other side. The Lion went back a third time and got the
Tin Woodman, and then they all sat down for a few moments to give
the beast a chance to rest, for his great leaps had made his breath
short, and he panted like a big dog that has been running too
long.
They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked
dark and gloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along the
road of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, if
ever they would come to the end of the woods and reach the bright
sunshine again. To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange
noises in the depths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to them
that it was in this part of the country that the Kalidahs
lived.
"What are the Kalidahs?" asked the girl.
"They are monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like
tigers," replied the Lion, "and with claws so long and sharp that
they could tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto. I'm
terribly afraid of the Kalidahs."
"I'm not surprised that you are," returned Dorothy. "They must
be dreadful beasts."
The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to another
gulf across the road. But this one was so broad and deep that the
Lion knew at once he could not leap across it.
So they sat down to consider what they should do, and after
serious thought the Scarecrow said:
"Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If the Tin
Woodman can chop it down, so that it will fall to the other side,
we can walk across it easily."
"That is a first-rate idea," said the Lion. "One would almost
suspect you had brains in your head, instead of straw."
The Woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe that
the tree was soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lion put his
strong front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might,strong front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might,
and slowly the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across the
ditch, with its top branches on the other side.
They had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp
growl made them all look up, and to their horror they saw running
toward them two great beasts with bodies like bears and heads like
tigers.
"They are the Kalidahs!" said the Cowardly Lion, beginning to
tremble.
"Quick!" cried the Scarecrow. "Let us cross over."
So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms, the Tin Woodman
followed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, although he was
certainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then he gave so
loud and terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the Scarecrow
fell over backward, while even the fierce beasts stopped short and
looked at him in surprise.
But, seeing they were bigger than the Lion, and remembering that
there were two of them and only one of him, the Kalidahs again
rushed forward, and the Lion crossed over the tree and turned to
see what they would do next. Without stopping an instant the fierce
beasts also began to cross the tree. And the Lion said to
Dorothy:
"We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with their
sharp claws. But stand close behind me, and I will fight them as
long as I am alive."
"Wait a minute!" called the Scarecrow. He had been thinking what
was best to be done, and now he asked the Woodman to chop away the
end of the tree that rested on their side of the ditch. The Tin
Woodman began to use his axe at once, and, just as the two Kalidahs
were nearly across, the tree fell with a crash into the gulf,
carrying the ugly, snarling brutes with it, and both were dashed to
pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom.
"Well," said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of relief,
"I see we are going to live a little while longer, and I am glad of
it, for it must be a very uncomfortable thing not to be alive.
Those creatures frightened me so badly that my heart is beating
yet."