Chapter: Chapter V. The Rescue of the Tin Woodman



[Illustration]

[Illustration]

When Dorothy awoke the sun was shining through the trees and Toto
had long been out chasing birds and squirrels. She sat up and looked
around her. There was the Scarecrow, still standing patiently in his
corner, waiting for her.

"We must go and search for water," she said to him.

"Why do you want water?" he asked.

"To wash my face clean after the dust of the road, and to drink, so
the dry bread will not stick in my throat."

"It must be inconvenient to be made of flesh," said the Scarecrow,
thoughtfully; "for you must sleep, and eat and drink. However, you
have brains, and it is worth a lot of bother to be able to think
properly."

They left the cottage and walked through the trees until they found a
little spring of clear water, where Dorothy drank and bathed and ate
her breakfast. She saw there was not much bread left in the basket,
and the girl was thankful the Scarecrow did not have to eat anything,
for there was scarcely enough for herself and Toto for the day.

When she had finished her meal, and was about to go back to the road
of yellow brick, she was startled to hear a deep groan near by.

"What was that?" she asked, timidly.

"I cannot imagine," replied the Scarecrow; "but we can go and see."

Just then another groan reached their ears, and the sound seemed to
come from behind them. They turned and walked through the forest a
few steps, when Dorothy discovered something shining in a ray of
sunshine that fell between the trees. She ran to the place, and then
stopped short, with a cry of surprise.

One of the big trees had been partly chopped through, and standing
beside it, with an uplifted axe in his hands, was a man made entirely
of tin. His head and arms and legs were jointed upon his body, but he
stood perfectly motionless, as if he could not stir at all.

Dorothy looked at him in amazement, and so did the Scarecrow, while
Toto barked sharply and made a snap at the tin legs, which hurt his
teeth.

"Did you groan?" asked Dorothy.

"Yes," answered the tin man; "I did. I've been groaning for more than
a year, and no one has ever heard me before or come to help me."

"What can I do for you?" she enquired, softly, for she was moved by
the sad voice in which the man spoke.

[Illustration]

"Get an oil-can and oil my joints," he answered. "They are rusted so
badly that I cannot move them at all; if I am well oiled I shall soon
be all right again. You will find an oil-can on a shelf in my cottage."

Dorothy at once ran back to the cottage and found the oil-can, and
then she returned and asked, anxiously,

"Where are your joints?"

"Oil my neck, first," replied the Tin Woodman. So she oiled it, and
as it was quite badly rusted the Scarecrow took hold of the tin head
and moved it gently from side to side until it worked freely, and
then the man could turn it himself.

"Now oil the joints in my arms," he said. And Dorothy oiled them and
the Scarecrow bent them carefully until they were quite free from
rust and as good as new.

The Tin Woodman gave a sigh of satisfaction and lowered his axe,
which he leaned against the tree.

"This is a great comfort," he said. "I have been holding that axe in
the air ever since I rusted, and I'm glad to be able to put it down
at last. Now, if you will oil the joints of my legs, I shall be all
right once more."

So they oiled his legs until he could move them freely; and he
thanked them again and again for his release, for he seemed a very
polite creature, and very grateful.

"I might have stood there always if you had not come along," he said;
"so you have certainly saved my life. How did you happen to be here?"

"We are on our way to the Emerald City, to see the great Oz," she
answered, "and we stopped at your cottage to pass the night."

"Why do you wish to see Oz?" he asked.

"I want him to send me back to Kansas; and the Scarecrow wants him to
put a few brains into his head," she replied.

The Tin Woodman appeared to think deeply for a moment. Then he said:

"Do you suppose Oz could give me a heart?"

"Why, I guess so," Dorothy answered; "it would be as easy as to give
the Scarecrow brains."

[Illustration: "_'This is a great comfort,' said the Tin Woodman._"]

"True," the Tin Woodman returned. "So, if you will allow me to join
your party, I will also go to the Emerald City and ask Oz to help me."

"Come along," said the Scarecrow, heartily; and Dorothy added
that she would be pleased to have his company. So the Tin Woodman
shouldered his axe and they all passed through the forest until they
came to the road that was paved with yellow brick.

The Tin Woodman had asked Dorothy to put the oil-can in her basket.
"For," he said, "if I should get caught in the rain, and rust again,
I would need the oil-can badly."

It was a bit of good luck to have their new comrade join the party,
for soon after they had begun their journey again they came to a place
where the trees and branches grew so thick over the road that the
travellers could not pass. But the Tin Woodman set to work with his axe
and chopped so well that soon he cleared a passage for the entire party.

Dorothy was thinking so earnestly as they walked along that she did
not notice when the Scarecrow stumbled into a hole and rolled over to
the side of the road. Indeed, he was obliged to call to her to help
him up again.

"Why didn't you walk around the hole?" asked the Tin Woodman.

"I don't know enough," replied the Scarecrow, cheerfully. "My head is
stuffed with straw, you know, and that is why I am going to Oz to ask
him for some brains."

"Oh, I see;" said the Tin Woodman. "But, after all, brains are not
the best things in the world."

"Have you any?" enquired the Scarecrow.

"No, my head is quite empty," answered the Woodman; "but once I had
brains, and a heart also; so, having tried them both, I should much
rather have a heart."

"And why is that?" asked the Scarecrow.

"I will tell you my story, and then you will know."

So, while they were walking through the forest, the Tin Woodman told
the following story:

"I was born the son of a woodman who chopped down trees in the
forest and sold the wood for a living. When I grew up I too became a
wood-chopper, and after my father died I took care of my old mother
as long as she lived. Then I made up my mind that instead of living
alone I would marry, so that I might not become lonely.

[Illustration]

"There was one of the Munchkin girls who was so beautiful that I
soon grew to love her with all my heart. She, on her part, promised
to marry me as soon as I could earn enough money to build a better
house for her; so I set to work harder than ever. But the girl lived
with an old woman who did not want her to marry anyone, for she was
so lazy she wished the girl to remain with her and do the cooking
and the housework. So the old woman went to the wicked Witch of the
East, and promised her two sheep and a cow if she would prevent the
marriage. Thereupon the wicked Witch enchanted my axe, and when I was
chopping away at my best one day, for I was anxious to get the new
house and my wife as soon as possible, the axe slipped all at once
and cut off my left leg.

"This at first seemed a great misfortune, for I knew a one-legged man
could not do very well as a wood-chopper. So I went to a tin-smith
and had him make me a new leg out of tin. The leg worked very well,
once I was used to it; but my action angered the wicked Witch of
the East, for she had promised the old woman I should not marry the
pretty Munchkin girl. When I began chopping again my axe slipped and
cut off my right leg. Again I went to the tinner, and again he made
me a leg out of tin. After this the enchanted axe cut off my arms,
one after the other; but, nothing daunted, I had them replaced with
tin ones. The wicked Witch then made the axe slip and cut off my
head, and at first I thought that was the end of me. But the tinner
happened to come along, and he 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 tinner 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.

[Illustration]

"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."

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.

[Illustration]

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.





Chapter VI. The Cowardly Lion.


[Illustration]

[Illustration: "_You ought to be ashamed of yourself!_"]

[Illustration]

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:

"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.

[Illustration]

"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 the bears
had ever tried to fight me, I should have run myself--I'm such a
coward; but just as soon as they hear me roar they all try to get
away from me, and of course I let them go."

"But that isn't right. The King of Beasts shouldn't be a coward,"
said the Scarecrow.

"I know it," returned the Lion, wiping a tear from his eye with the
tip of his tail; "it is my great sorrow, and makes my life very
unhappy. But whenever there is danger my heart begins to beat fast."

"Perhaps you have heart disease," said the Tin Woodman.

"It may be," said the Lion.

"If you have," continued the Tin Woodman, "you ought to be glad, for
it proves you have a heart. For my part, I have no heart; so I cannot
have heart disease."

"Perhaps," said the Lion, thoughtfully, "if I had no heart I should
not be a coward."

"Have you brains?" asked the Scarecrow.

"I suppose so. I've never looked to see," replied the Lion.

"I am going to the great Oz to ask him to give me some," remarked the
Scarecrow, "for my head is stuffed with straw."

"And I am going to ask him to give me a heart," said the Woodman.

"And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas," added
Dorothy.

"Do you think Oz could give me courage?" asked the cowardly Lion.

"Just as easily as he could give me brains," said the Scarecrow.

"Or give me a heart," said the Tin Woodman.

"Or send me back to Kansas," said Dorothy.

"Then, if you don't mind, I'll go with you," said the Lion, "for my
life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage."

"You will be very welcome," answered Dorothy, "for you will help to
keep away the other wild beasts. It seems to me they must be more
cowardly than you are if they allow you to scare them so easily."

"They really are," said the Lion; "but that doesn't make me any braver,
and as long as I know myself to be a coward I shall be unhappy."

So once more the little company set off upon the journey, the Lion
walking with stately strides at Dorothy's side. Toto did not approve
this new comrade at first, for he could not forget how nearly he
had been crushed between the Lion's great jaws; but after a time he
became more at ease, and presently Toto and the Cowardly Lion had
grown to be good friends.

During the rest of that day there was no other adventure to mar the
peace of their journey. Once, indeed, the Tin Woodman stepped upon a
beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little
thing. This made the Tin Woodman very unhappy, for he was always
careful not to hurt any living creature; and as he walked along he
wept several tears of sorrow and regret. These tears ran slowly down
his face and over the hinges of his jaw, and there they rusted.
When Dorothy presently asked him a question the Tin Woodman could
not open his mouth, for his jaws were tightly rusted together. He
became greatly frightened at this and made many motions to Dorothy to
relieve him, but she could not understand. The Lion was also puzzled
to know what was wrong. But the Scarecrow seized the oil-can from
Dorothy's basket and oiled the Woodman's jaws, so that after a few
moments he could talk as well as before.

[Illustration]

"This will serve me a lesson," said he, "to look where I step. For if
I should kill another bug or beetle I should surely cry again, and
crying rusts my jaw so that I cannot speak."

Thereafter he walked very carefully, with his eyes on the road,
and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it, so as
not to harm it. The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and
therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.

"You people with hearts," he said, "have something to guide you,
and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very
careful. When Oz gives me a heart of course I needn't mind so much."





Chapter VII. The Journey to The Great Oz.
                             


[Illustration]

[Illustration]

They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in the
forest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thick
covering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped a
great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that
warmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last of
their bread, and now she did not know what they would do for breakfast.

"If you wish," said the Lion, "I will go into the forest and kill a
deer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since your tastes are so
peculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you will have a very
good breakfast."

"Don't! please don't," begged the Tin Woodman. "I should certainly
weep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again."

[Illustration]

But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper, and no
one ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the Scarecrow
found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them, so
that she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this was very
kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at the
awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His padded
hands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he dropped almost
as many as he put in the basket. But the Scarecrow did not mind how
long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away
from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn
him up. So he kept a good distance away from the flames, and only came
near to cover Dorothy with dry leaves when she lay down to sleep. These
kept her very snug and warm and she slept soundly until morning.

When it was daylight the girl bathed her face in a little rippling
brook and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City.

This was to be an eventful day for the travellers. They had hardly
been walking an hour when they saw before them a great ditch 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."

[Illustration]

"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 with one
hand. The next moment it seemed as if she was 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.

[Illustration]

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, 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."

[Illustration: "_The tree fell with a crash into the gulf._"]

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 backwards, 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."

"Ah." said the Tin Woodman, sadly, "I wish I had a heart to beat."

[Illustration]

This adventure made the travellers more anxious than ever to get out of
the forest, and they walked so fast that Dorothy became tired, and had
to ride on the Lion's back. To their great joy the trees became thinner
the further they advanced, and in the afternoon they suddenly came upon
a broad river, flowing swiftly just before them. On the other side of
the water they could see the road of yellow brick running through a
beautiful country, with green meadows dotted with bright flowers and
all the road bordered with trees hanging full of delicious fruits. They
were greatly pleased to see this delightful country before them.

"How shall we cross the river?" asked Dorothy.

"That is easily done," replied the Scarecrow. "The Tin Woodman must
build us a raft, so we can float to the other side."

So the Woodman took his axe and began to chop down small trees to make
a raft, and while he was busy at this the Scarecrow found on the river
bank a tree full of fine fruit. This pleased Dorothy, who had eaten
nothing but nuts all day, and she made a hearty meal of the ripe fruit.

But it takes time to make a raft, even when one is as industrious and
untiring as the Tin Woodman, and when night came the work was not done.
So they found a cozy place under the trees where they slept well until
the morning; and Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City, and of the good
Wizard Oz, who would soon send her back to her own home again.

[Illustration]





Chapter VIII. The Deadly Poppy Field.


[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Our little party of travellers awakened next morning refreshed and
full of hope, and Dorothy breakfasted like a princess off peaches and
plums from the trees beside the river.

Behind them was the dark forest they had passed safely through,
although they had suffered many discouragements; but before them was a
lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City.

To be sure, the broad river now cut them off from this beautiful
land; but the raft was nearly done, and after the Tin Woodman had cut
a few more logs and fastened them together with wooden pins, they
were ready to start. Dorothy sat down in the middle of the raft and
held Toto in her arms. When the Cowardly Lion stepped upon the raft
it tipped badly, for he was big and heavy; but the Scarecrow and the
Tin Woodman stood upon the other end to steady it, and they had long
poles in their hands to push the raft through the water.

They got along quite well at first, but when they reached the middle
of the river the swift current swept the raft down stream, farther
and farther away from the road of yellow brick; and the water grew so
deep that the long poles would not touch the bottom.

"This is bad," said the Tin Woodman, "for if we cannot get to the
land we shall be carried into the country of the wicked Witch of the
West, and she will enchant us and make us her slaves."

"And then I should get no brains," said the Scarecrow.

"And I should get no courage," said the Cowardly Lion.

[Illustration]

"And I should get no heart," said the Tin Woodman.

"And I should never get back to Kansas," said Dorothy.

"We must certainly get to the Emerald City if we can," the Scarecrow
continued, and he pushed so hard on his long pole that it stuck fast
in the mud at the bottom of the river, and before he could pull it
out again, or let go, the raft was swept away and the poor Scarecrow
left clinging to the pole in the middle of the river.

"Good bye!" he called after them, and they were very sorry to leave
him; indeed, the Tin Woodman began to cry, but fortunately remembered
that he might rust, and so dried his tears on Dorothy's apron.

Of course this was a bad thing for the Scarecrow.

"I am now worse off than when I first met Dorothy," he thought.
"Then, I was stuck on a pole in a cornfield, where I could make
believe scare the crows, at any rate; but surely there is no use for
a Scarecrow stuck on a pole in the middle of a river. I am afraid I
shall never have any brains, after all!"

[Illustration]

Down the stream the raft floated, and the poor Scarecrow was left far
behind. Then the Lion said:

"Something must be done to save us. I think I can swim to the shore
and pull the raft after me, if you will only hold fast to the tip of
my tail."

[Illustration]

So he sprang into the water and the Tin Woodman caught fast hold
of his tail, when the Lion began to swim with all his might toward
the shore. It was hard work, although he was so big; but by and by
they were drawn out of the current, and then Dorothy took the Tin
Woodman's long pole and helped push the raft to the land.

They were all tired out when they reached the shore at last and
stepped off upon the pretty green grass, and they also knew that the
stream had carried them a long way past the road of yellow brick that
led to the Emerald City.

"What shall we do now?" asked the Tin Woodman, as the Lion lay down
on the grass to let the sun dry him.

"We must get back to the road, in some way," said Dorothy.

"The best plan will be to walk along the river bank until we come to
the road again," remarked the Lion.

So, when they were rested, Dorothy picked up her basket and they
started along the grassy bank, back to the road from which the river
had carried them. It was a lovely country, with plenty of flowers
and fruit trees and sunshine to cheer them, and had they not felt so
sorry for the poor Scarecrow they could have been very happy.

They walked along as fast as they could, Dorothy only stopping once to
pick a beautiful flower; and after a time the Tin Woodman cried out,

"Look!"

Then they all looked at the river and saw the Scarecrow perched upon
his pole in the middle of the water, looking very lonely and sad.

"What can we do to save him?" asked Dorothy.

The Lion and the Woodman both shook their heads, for they did not
know. So they sat down upon the bank and gazed wistfully at the
Scarecrow until a Stork flew by, which, seeing them, stopped to rest
at the water's edge.

"Who are you, and where are you going?" asked the Stork.

"I am Dorothy," answered the girl; "and these are my friends, the Tin
Woodman and the Cowardly Lion; and we are going to the Emerald City."

"This isn't the road," said the Stork, as she twisted her long neck
and looked sharply at the queer party.

"I know it," returned Dorothy, "but we have lost the Scarecrow, and
are wondering how we shall get him again."

"Where is he?" asked the Stork.

"Over there in the river," answered the girl.

"If he wasn't so big and heavy I would get him for you," remarked the
Stork.

"He isn't heavy a bit," said Dorothy, eagerly, "for he is stuffed
with straw; and if you will bring him back to us we shall thank you
ever and ever so much."

"Well, I'll try," said the Stork; "but if I find he is too heavy to
carry I shall have to drop him in the river again."

So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to
where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole. Then the Stork with
her great claws grabbed the Scarecrow by the arm and carried him up
into the air and back to the bank, where Dorothy and the Lion and the
Tin Woodman and Toto were sitting.

When the Scarecrow found himself among his friends again he was so
happy that he hugged them all, even the Lion and Toto; and as they
walked along he sang "Tol-de-ri-de-oh!" at every step, he felt so gay.

"I was afraid I should have to stay in the river forever," he said,
"but the kind Stork saved me, and if I ever get any brains I shall
find the Stork again and do it some kindness in return."

"That's all right," said the Stork, who was flying along beside them.
"I always like to help anyone in trouble. But I must go now, for
my babies are waiting in the nest for me. I hope you will find the
Emerald City and that Oz will help you."

"Thank you," replied Dorothy, and then the kind Stork flew into the
air and was soon out of sight.

[Illustration: "_The Stork carried him up into the air._"]

They walked along listening to the singing of the bright-colored
birds and looking at the lovely flowers which now became so thick that
the ground was carpeted with them. There were big yellow and white and
blue and purple blossoms, besides great clusters of scarlet poppies,
which were so brilliant in color they almost dazzled Dorothy's eyes.

"Aren't they beautiful?" the girl asked, as she breathed in the spicy
scent of the flowers.

"I suppose so," answered the Scarecrow. "When I have brains I shall
probably like them better."

"If I only had a heart I should love them," added the Tin Woodman.

"I always did like flowers," said the Lion; "they seem so helpless
and frail. But there are none in the forest so bright as these."

They now came upon more and more of the big scarlet poppies, and
fewer and fewer of the other flowers; and soon they found themselves
in the midst of a great meadow of poppies. Now it is well known
that when there are many of these flowers together their odor is so
powerful that anyone who breathes it falls asleep, and if the sleeper
is not carried away from the scent of the flowers he sleeps on and on
forever. But Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get away from
the bright red flowers that were everywhere about; so presently her
eyes grew heavy and she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep.

But the Tin Woodman would not let her do this.

"We must hurry and get back to the road of yellow brick before dark,"
he said; and the Scarecrow agreed with him. So they kept walking
until Dorothy could stand no longer. Her eyes closed in spite of
herself and she forgot where she was and fell among the poppies, fast
asleep.

"What shall we do?" asked the Tin Woodman.

"If we leave her here she will die," said the Lion. "The smell of the
flowers is killing us all. I myself can scarcely keep my eyes open
and the dog is asleep already."

It was true; Toto had fallen down beside his little mistress. But
the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, not being made of flesh, were not
troubled by the scent of the flowers.

[Illustration]

"Run fast," said the Scarecrow to the Lion, "and get out of this
deadly flower-bed as soon as you can. We will bring the little girl
with us, but if you should fall asleep you are too big to be carried."

So the Lion aroused himself and bounded forward as fast as he could
go. In a moment he was out of sight.

"Let us make a chair with our hands, and carry her," said the
Scarecrow. So they picked up Toto and put the dog in Dorothy's lap, and
then they made a chair with their hands for the seat and their arms for
the arms and carried the sleeping girl between them through the flowers.

On and on they walked, and it seemed that the great carpet of deadly
flowers that surrounded them would never end. They followed the bend
of the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lion, lying
fast asleep among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for
the huge beast and he had given up, at last, and fallen only a short
distance from the end of the poppy-bed, where the sweet grass spread
in beautiful green fields before them.

"We can do nothing for him," said the Tin Woodman, sadly; "for he is
much too heavy to lift. We must leave him here to sleep on forever,
and perhaps he will dream that he has found courage at last."

"I'm sorry," said the Scarecrow; "the Lion was a very good comrade
for one so cowardly. But let us go on."

They carried the sleeping girl to a pretty spot beside the river,
far enough from the poppy field to prevent her breathing any more of
the poison of the flowers, and here they laid her gently on the soft
grass and waited for the fresh breeze to waken her.

[Illustration]

 When Dorothy woke up she was thirsty so the travelers found a small stream for her to drink from and bathe in. Dorothy and The Scarecrow heard a groaning nearby and went to investigate. They discovered a man made completely of tin who stood motionless. Dorothy asked if he had groaned and he assented, saying he had been rusted for over a year. He told her to run to the cottage and get his oilcan. When Dorothy returned she oiled all of his joints, which made him immensely happy. When he asked where they were going and they responded with the Emerald City, he wondered if he might accompany them to ask the Wizard of Oz for a heart. They readily agreed. On their path The Tin Woodman proved useful as he skillfully axed thick branches in their path. Along the way, he told them his sad story: Once he had been a normal man with brains and a heart. He fell in love with a Munchkin girl and set about building a better house for her, but the old woman she lived with did not want her to marry and appealed to the Wicked Witch of the East to stop the marriage. The Witch made the Tin Woodman's axe slip and cut off all of his limbs one by one, but thankfully a tinner was able to provide limbs of tin for the Woodman. However, in the end the axe split him in half until all that was left of him was tin parts. Without flesh, he no longer had a heart and did not care for the Munchkin girl anymore. He had to oil himself frequently but got caught in a rainstorm over a year ago. He remembered how happy he was in love and decided he wanted a heart so he could go back and marry the maiden. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman debated what was more important: brains or a heart. Dorothy was not sure which was correct. The group continued to walk through the woods, which grew deeper and more frightening. They heard many noises. A large lion burst from the trees and pushed the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow over. He lunged for Toto but Dorothy, "heedless of danger" and filled with worry for her dog, leapt at the lion and slapped his nose hard, admonishing him not to bite Toto. The Cowardly Lion stopped and apologized and explained that he was a coward. He did not know why, but all the animals expected him to be King of Beasts, afraid of nothing. Therefore, to keep his cowardice secret, he roared loudly at anything in his path to scare it away. He also asked if he could join their party in order to ask Oz for courage, and they agreed. Toto and the Lion eventually became good friends. Along their journey the Tin Woodman tried to be aware of the living things around him, and wept when he accidentally killed a beetle. He remarked that since he had no heart he had to be more careful. That night the travelers camped under a great tree. The Lion went out to look for food and the Scarecrow brought Dorothy back nuts to eat. The next day their path ended at a great ditch that separated the two sides of the forest and stretched from side to side further than the eye could see. After despairing, the Scarecrow realized the Lion could carry them one by one on his back. The Lion said he was afraid of falling but nevertheless took them all over successfully. The forest on that side was "dark and gloomy" and the Lion whispered of the frightening Kalidahs, the beasts with bodies of bears and heads of tigers that inhabited that part of the forest. They reached another ditch that was so broad the Lion could not leap over. This time the Scarecrow realized that the Tin Woodman could cut down a tree and set it across the divide. Everyone began to cross the tree bridge when they saw two fearsome Kalidahs coming for them. The cowardly Lion roared at them, but they followed anyway. Thankfully the Tin Woodman used his axe to cut their bridge down and the monsters plunged into the deep crevasse. The travelers were pleased when the yellow brick road finally led them to a beautiful country with green meadows, bright flowers, and delicious fruit hanging from trees. This country was on the other side of a great river, however, and the Scarecrow realized the Tin Woodman would need to build them a raft. While he worked Dorothy slept and dreamed of Emerald City. The Tin Woodman finished the raft and they were ready to start. The current became swifter as they reached the middle of the river, and they began to worry. The Scarecrow rowed, pushing hard on a pole. Suddenly, the pole got stuck in the mud and the Scarecrow was left clinging to it as the raft sailed away in the whirling water. The travelers could not stop. The Scarecrow called "Good bye!" to them and thought of how badly off he now was. Without the pole, the Lion swam the raft valiantly to shore. They did not know what to do about the Scarecrow until a Stork came along and volunteered to fetch their friend. After this adventure they walked along a verdant field with massive and bright flowers, the scent of which Dorothy happily breathed in. Soon the only flowers present were red poppies, which had an overwhelming scent that made living creatures fall asleep. Dorothy and Toto succumbed, and the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman warned the Lion to run away as fast as he could to save himself. The Lion bounded away and the other two travelers made a chair with their hands and carried Dorothy and Toto out of the field. Along the way they saw their friend the Lion fast asleep, but they could do nothing for him as he was too heavy to carry. They laid Dorothy down in fresh air and waited for her to awaken.

