made me a new head out of tin.
"I thought I had beaten the Wicked Witch then, and I worked
harder than ever; but I little knew how cruel my enemy could be.
She thought of a new way to kill my love for the beautiful Munchkin
maiden, and made my axe slip again, so that it cut right through my
body, splitting me into two halves. Once more the tinsmith came to
my help and made me a body of tin, fastening my tin arms and legs
and head to it, by means of joints, so that I could move around as
well as ever. But, alas! I had now no heart, so that I lost all my
love for the Munchkin girl, and did not care whether I married her
or not. I suppose she is still living with the old woman, waiting
for me to come after her.
"My body shone so brightly in the sun that I felt very proud of
it and it did not matter now if my axe slipped, for it could not
cut me. There was only one danger—that my joints would rust; but I
kept an oil-can in my cottage and took care to oil myself whenever
I needed it. However, there came a day when I forgot to do this,
and, being caught in a rainstorm, before I thought of the danger my
joints had rusted, and I was left to stand in the woods until you
came to help me. It was a terrible thing to undergo, but during the
year I stood there I had time to think that the greatest loss I had
known was the loss of my heart. While I was in love I was the
happiest man on earth; but no one can love who has not a heart, and
so I am resolved to ask Oz to give me one. If he does, I will go
back to the Munchkin maiden and marry her."
Both Dorothy and the Scarecrow had been greatly interested in
the story of the Tin Woodman, and now they knew why he was so
anxious to get a new heart.
"All the same," said the Scarecrow, "I shall ask for brains
instead of a heart; for a fool would not know what to do with a
heart if he had one."
"I shall take the heart," returned the Tin Woodman; "for brains
do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the
world."do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the
world."
Dorothy did not say anything, for she was puzzled to know which
of her two friends was right, and she decided if she could only get
back to Kansas and Aunt Em, it did not matter so much whether the
Woodman had no brains and the Scarecrow no heart, or each got what
he wanted.
What worried her most was that the bread was nearly gone, and
another meal for herself and Toto would empty the basket. To be
sure neither the Woodman nor the Scarecrow ever ate anything, but
she was not made of tin nor straw, and could not live unless she
was fed.All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking
through the thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow
brick, but these were much covered by dried branches and dead
leaves from the trees, and the walking was not at all good.
There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love
the open country where there is plenty of sunshine. But now and
then there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the
trees. These sounds made the little girl's heart beat fast, for she
did not know what made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to
Dorothy's side, and did not even bark in return.
"How long will it be," the child asked of the Tin Woodman,
"before we are out of the forest?"
"I cannot tell," was the answer, "for I have never been to the
Emerald City. But my father went there once, when I was a boy, and
he said it was a long journey through a dangerous country, although
nearer to the city where Oz dwells the country is beautiful. But I
am not afraid so long as I have my oil-can, and nothing can hurt
the Scarecrow, while you bear upon your forehead the mark of the
Good Witch's kiss, and that will protect you from harm."
"But Toto!" said the girl anxiously. "What will protect
him?"
"We must protect him ourselves if he is in danger," replied the
Tin Woodman.
Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar, and
the next moment a great Lion bounded into the road. With one blow
of his paw he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge
of the road, and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp
claws. But, to the Lion's surprise, he could make no impression on
the tin, although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay
still.
Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking
toward the Lion, and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite
the dog, when Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed, and heedless
of danger, rushed forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as
hard as she could, while she cried out:hard as she could, while she cried out:
"Don't you dare to bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of
yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!"
"I didn't bite him," said the Lion, as he rubbed his nose with
his paw where Dorothy had hit it.
"No, but you tried to," she retorted. "You are nothing but a big
coward."
"I know it," said the Lion, hanging his head in shame. "I've
always known it. But how can I help it?"
"I don't know, I'm sure. To think of your striking a stuffed
man, like the poor Scarecrow!"
"Is he stuffed?" asked the Lion in surprise, as he watched her
pick up the Scarecrow and set him upon his feet, while she patted
him into shape again.
"Of course he's stuffed," replied Dorothy, who was still
angry.
"That's why he went over so easily," remarked the Lion. "It
astonished me to see him whirl around so. Is the other one stuffed
also?"
"No," said Dorothy, "he's made of tin." And she helped the
Woodman up again.
"That's why he nearly blunted my claws," said the Lion. "When
they scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run down my
back. What is that little animal you are so tender of?"
"He is my dog, Toto," answered Dorothy.
"Is he made of tin, or stuffed?" asked the Lion.
"Neither. He's a—a—a meat dog," said the girl.
"Oh! He's a curious animal and seems remarkably small, now that
I look at him. No one would think of biting such a little thing,
except a coward like me," continued the Lion sadly.
"What makes you a coward?" asked Dorothy, looking at the great
beast in wonder, for he was as big as a small horse.
"It's a mystery," replied the Lion. "I suppose I was born that
way. All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be
brave, for the Lion is everywhere thought to be the King of Beasts.
I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing was
frightened and got out of my way. Whenever I've met a man I've been
awfully scared; but I just roared at him, and he has always run
away as fast as he could go. If the elephants and the tigers and