Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with
Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's
wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be
carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a
roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking
cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four
chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one
corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no
garret at all, and no cellar—except a small hole dug in the ground,
called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of
those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building
in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the
floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole.
When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could
see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree
nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to
the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed
land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even
the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the
long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen
everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered
the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as
dull and gray as everything else.
When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife.
The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle
from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red
from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and
gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first
came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter
that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever
Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at theDorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the
little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh
at.
Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till
night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his
long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and
rarely spoke.
It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing
as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a
little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that
twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played
all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him
dearly.
Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the
doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer
than usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and
looked at the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes.
From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle
Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves
before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the
air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw
ripples in the grass coming from that direction also.
Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up.
"There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called to his wife. "I'll go
look after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows
and horses were kept.
Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told
her of the danger close at hand.
"Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!"
Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the
girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the
trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small,
dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her
aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great
shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her
footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor.
Then a strange thing happened.footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor.
Then a strange thing happened.
The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly
through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a
balloon.
The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it
the exact center of the cyclone. In the middle of a cyclone the air
is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every
side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at
the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried
miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather.
It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but
Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few
whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she
felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a
cradle.
Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now
there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and
waited to see what would happen.
Once Toto got too near the open trap door, and fell in; and at
first the little girl thought she had lost him. But soon she saw
one of his ears sticking up through the hole, for the strong
pressure of the air was keeping him up so that he could not fall.
She crept to the hole, caught Toto by the ear, and dragged him into
the room again, afterward closing the trap door so that no more
accidents could happen.
Hour after hour passed away, and slowly Dorothy got over her
fright; but she felt quite lonely, and the wind shrieked so loudly
all about her that she nearly became deaf. At first she had
wondered if she would be dashed to pieces when the house fell
again; but as the hours passed and nothing terrible happened, she
stopped worrying and resolved to wait calmly and see what the
future would bring. At last she crawled over the swaying floor to
her bed, and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down
beside her.
In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing of thebeside her.
In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing of the
wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.


She was awakened by a shock, so sudden and severe that if
Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been
hurt. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what
had happened; and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and
whined dismally. Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not
moving; nor was it dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the
window, flooding the little room. She sprang from her bed and with
Toto at her heels ran and opened the door.
The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her,
her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she
saw.
The cyclone had set the house down very gently—for a cyclone—in
the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely
patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich
and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand,
and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the
trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and
sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very
grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray
prairies.
While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful
sights, she noticed coming toward her a group of the queerest
people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk
she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In
fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown
child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many
years older.
Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly dressed. They
wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their
heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as
they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the little woman's hat
was white, and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her
shoulders. Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in
the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the samethe sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the same
shade as their hats, and wore well-polished boots with a deep roll
of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy thought, were about as old as
Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards. But the little woman was
doubtless much older. Her face was covered with wrinkles, her hair
was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly.
When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing
in the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if
afraid to come farther. But the little old woman walked up to
Dorothy, made a low bow and said, in a sweet voice:
"You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the
Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked
Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from
bondage."
Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the
little woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying
she had killed the Wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an
innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone
many miles from home; and she had never killed anything in all her
life.
But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so
Dorothy said, with hesitation, "You are very kind, but there must
be some mistake. I have not killed anything."
"Your house did, anyway," replied the little old woman, with a
laugh, "and that is the same thing. See!" she continued, pointing
to the corner of the house. "There are her two feet, still sticking
out from under a block of wood."
Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed,
just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two
feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together
in dismay. "The house must have fallen on her. Whatever shall we
do?"
"There is nothing to be done," said the little woman calmly.
"But who was she?" asked Dorothy.
"She was the Wicked Witch of the East, as I said," answered the"But who was she?" asked Dorothy.
"She was the Wicked Witch of the East, as I said," answered the
little woman. "She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many
years, making them slave for her night and day. Now they are all
set free, and are grateful to you for the favor."
"Who are the Munchkins?" inquired Dorothy.
"They are the people who live in this land of the East where the
Wicked Witch ruled."
"Are you a Munchkin?" asked Dorothy.
"No, but I am their friend, although I live in the land of the
North. When they saw the Witch of the East was dead the Munchkins
sent a swift messenger to me, and I came at once. I am the Witch of
the North."
"Oh, gracious!" cried Dorothy. "Are you a real witch?"
"Yes, indeed," answered the little woman. "But I am a good
witch, and the people love me. I am not as powerful as the Wicked
Witch was who ruled here, or I should have set the people free
myself."
"But I thought all witches were wicked," said the girl, who was
half frightened at facing a real witch. "Oh, no, that is a great
mistake. There were only four witches in all the Land of Oz, and
two of them, those who live in the North and the South, are good
witches. I know this is true, for I am one of them myself, and
cannot be mistaken. Those who dwelt in the East and the West were,
indeed, wicked witches; but now that you have killed one of them,
there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land of Oz—the one who
lives in the West."
"But," said Dorothy, after a moment's thought, "Aunt Em has told
me that the witches were all dead—years and years ago."
"Who is Aunt Em?" inquired the little old woman.
"She is my aunt who lives in Kansas, where I came from."
The Witch of the North seemed to think for a time, with her head
bowed and her eyes upon the ground. Then she looked up and said, "I
do not know where Kansas is, for I have never heard that country
mentioned before. But tell me, is it a civilized country?"
"Oh, yes," replied Dorothy.
"Then that accounts for it. In the civilized countries I believe


"Oh, yes," replied Dorothy.
"Then that accounts for it. In the civilized countries I believe
there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor
magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized,
for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore we
still have witches and wizards amongst us."
"Who are the wizards?" asked Dorothy.
"Oz himself is the Great Wizard," answered the Witch, sinking
her voice to a whisper. "He is more powerful than all the rest of
us together. He lives in the City of Emeralds."
Dorothy was going to ask another question, but just then the
Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and
pointed to the corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been
lying.
"What is it?" asked the little old woman, and looked, and began
to laugh. The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely, and
nothing was left but the silver shoes.
"She was so old," explained the Witch of the North, "that she
dried up quickly in the sun. That is the end of her. But the silver
shoes are yours, and you shall have them to wear." She reached down
and picked up the shoes, and after shaking the dust out of them
handed them to Dorothy.
"The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes," said
one of the Munchkins, "and there is some charm connected with them;
but what it is we never knew."
Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on the
table. Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said:
"I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure
they will worry about me. Can you help me find my way?"
The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, and
then at Dorothy, and then shook their heads.
"At the East, not far from here," said one, "there is a great
desert, and none could live to cross it."
"It is the same at the South," said another, "for I have been
there and seen it. The South is the country of the Quadlings."
"I am told," said the third man, "that it is the same at the"I am told," said the third man, "that it is the same at the
West. And that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by the
Wicked Witch of the West, who would make you her slave if you
passed her way."
"The North is my home," said the old lady, "and at its edge is
the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz. I'm afraid,
my dear, you will have to live with us."
Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all
these strange people. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted
Munchkins, for they immediately took out their handkerchiefs and
began to weep also. As for the little old woman, she took off her
cap and balanced the point on the end of her nose, while she
counted "One, two, three" in a solemn voice. At once the cap
changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk
marks:
"LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS"
The little old woman took the slate from her nose, and having
read the words on it, asked, "Is your name Dorothy, my dear?"
"Yes," answered the child, looking up and drying her tears.
"Then you must go to the City of Emeralds. Perhaps Oz will help
you."
"Where is this city?" asked Dorothy.
"It is exactly in the center of the country, and is ruled by Oz,
the Great Wizard I told you of."
"Is he a good man?" inquired the girl anxiously.
"He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell,
for I have never seen him."
"How can I get there?" asked Dorothy.
"You must walk. It is a long journey, through a country that is
sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will
use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm."
"Won't you go with me?" pleaded the girl, who had begun to look
upon the little old woman as her only friend.
"No, I cannot do that," she replied, "but I will give you my
kiss, and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by
the Witch of the North."
She came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead.
Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as
Dorothy found out soon after.Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as
Dorothy found out soon after.
"The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick,"
said the Witch, "so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not
be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you.
Good-bye, my dear."
The three Munchkins bowed low to her and wished her a pleasant
journey, after which they walked away through the trees. The Witch
gave Dorothy a friendly little nod, whirled around on her left heel
three times, and straightway disappeared, much to the surprise of
little Toto, who barked after her loudly enough when she had gone,
because he had been afraid even to growl while she stood by.
But Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to
disappear in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.When Dorothy was left alone she began to feel hungry. So she
went to the cupboard and cut herself some bread, which she spread
with butter. She gave some to Toto, and taking a pail from the
shelf she carried it down to the little brook and filled it with
clear, sparkling water. Toto ran over to the trees and began to
bark at the birds sitting there. Dorothy went to get him, and saw
such delicious fruit hanging from the branches that she gathered
some of it, finding it just what she wanted to help out her
breakfast.
Then she went back to the house, and having helped herself and
Toto to a good drink of the cool, clear water, she set about making
ready for the journey to the City of Emeralds.
Dorothy had only one other dress, but that happened to be clean
and was hanging on a peg beside her bed. It was gingham, with
checks of white and blue; and although the blue was somewhat faded
with many washings, it was still a pretty frock. The girl washed
herself carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied
her pink sunbonnet on her head. She took a little basket and filled
it with bread from the cupboard, laying a white cloth over the top.
Then she looked down at her feet and noticed how old and worn her
shoes were.
"They surely will never do for a long journey, Toto," she said.
And Toto looked up into her face with his little black eyes and
wagged his tail to show he knew what she meant.
At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes
that had belonged to the Witch of the East.
"I wonder if they will fit me," she said to Toto. "They would be
just the thing to take a long walk in, for they could not wear
out."
She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones,
which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her.
Finally she picked up her basket.
"Come along, Toto," she said. "We will go to the Emerald City
and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again."
She closed the door, locked it, and put the key carefully in the


She closed the door, locked it, and put the key carefully in the
pocket of her dress. And so, with Toto trotting along soberly
behind her, she started on her journey.
There were several roads near by, but it did not take her long
to find the one paved with yellow bricks. Within a short time she
was walking briskly toward the Emerald City, her silver shoes
tinkling merrily on the hard, yellow road-bed. The sun shone bright
and the birds sang sweetly, and Dorothy did not feel nearly so bad
as you might think a little girl would who had been suddenly
whisked away from her own country and set down in the midst of a
strange land.
She was surprised, as she walked along, to see how pretty the
country was about her. There were neat fences at the sides of the
road, painted a dainty blue color, and beyond them were fields of
grain and vegetables in abundance. Evidently the Munchkins were
good farmers and able to raise large crops. Once in a while she
would pass a house, and the people came out to look at her and bow
low as she went by; for everyone knew she had been the means of
destroying the Wicked Witch and setting them free from bondage. The
houses of the Munchkins were odd-looking dwellings, for each was
round, with a big dome for a roof. All were painted blue, for in
this country of the East blue was the favorite color.
Toward evening, when Dorothy was tired with her long walk and
began to wonder where she should pass the night, she came to a
house rather larger than the rest. On the green lawn before it many
men and women were dancing. Five little fiddlers played as loudly
as possible, and the people were laughing and singing, while a big
table near by was loaded with delicious fruits and nuts, pies and
cakes, and many other good things to eat.
The people greeted Dorothy kindly, and invited her to supper and
to pass the night with them; for this was the home of one of the
richest Munchkins in the land, and his friends were gathered with
him to celebrate their freedom from the bondage of the Wicked
Witch.him to celebrate their freedom from the bondage of the Wicked
Witch.
Dorothy ate a hearty supper and was waited upon by the rich
Munchkin himself, whose name was Boq. Then she sat upon a settee
and watched the people dance.
When Boq saw her silver shoes he said, "You must be a great
sorceress."
"Why?" asked the girl.
"Because you wear silver shoes and have killed the Wicked Witch.
Besides, you have white in your frock, and only witches and
sorceresses wear white."
"My dress is blue and white checked," said Dorothy, smoothing
out the wrinkles in it.
"It is kind of you to wear that," said Boq. "Blue is the color
of the Munchkins, and white is the witch color. So we know you are
a friendly witch."
Dorothy did not know what to say to this, for all the people
seemed to think her a witch, and she knew very well she was only an
ordinary little girl who had come by the chance of a cyclone into a
strange land.
When she had tired watching the dancing, Boq led her into the
house, where he gave her a room with a pretty bed in it. The sheets
were made of blue cloth, and Dorothy slept soundly in them till
morning, with Toto curled up on the blue rug beside her.
She ate a hearty breakfast, and watched a wee Munchkin baby, who
played with Toto and pulled his tail and crowed and laughed in a
way that greatly amused Dorothy. Toto was a fine curiosity to all
the people, for they had never seen a dog before.
"How far is it to the Emerald City?" the girl asked.
"I do not know," answered Boq gravely, "for I have never been
there. It is better for people to keep away from Oz, unless they
have business with him. But it is a long way to the Emerald City,
and it will take you many days. The country here is rich and
pleasant, but you must pass through rough and dangerous places
before you reach the end of your journey."
This worried Dorothy a little, but she knew that only the Great
Oz could help her get to Kansas again, so she bravely resolved not
to turn back.
She bade her friends good-bye, and again started along the roadto turn back.
She bade her friends good-bye, and again started along the road
of yellow brick. When she had gone several miles she thought she
would stop to rest, and so climbed to the top of the fence beside
the road and sat down. There was a great cornfield beyond the
fence, and not far away she saw a Scarecrow, placed high on a pole
to keep the birds from the ripe corn.
Dorothy leaned her chin upon her hand and gazed thoughtfully at
the Scarecrow. Its head was a small sack stuffed with straw, with
eyes, nose, and mouth painted on it to represent a face. An old,
pointed blue hat, that had belonged to some Munchkin, was perched
on his head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes,
worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet
were some old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this
country, and the figure was raised above the stalks of corn by
means of the pole stuck up its back.
While Dorothy was looking earnestly into the queer, painted face
of the Scarecrow, she was surprised to see one of the eyes slowly
wink at her. She thought she must have been mistaken at first, for
none of the scarecrows in Kansas ever wink; but presently the
figure nodded its head to her in a friendly way. Then she climbed
down from the fence and walked up to it, while Toto ran around the
pole and barked.
"Good day," said the Scarecrow, in a rather husky voice.
"Did you speak?" asked the girl, in wonder.
"Certainly," answered the Scarecrow. "How do you do?"
"I'm pretty well, thank you," replied Dorothy politely. "How do
you do?"
"I'm not feeling well," said the Scarecrow, with a smile, "for
it is very tedious being perched up here night and day to scare
away crows."
"Can't you get down?" asked Dorothy.
"No, for this pole is stuck up my back. If you will please take
away the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you."
Dorothy reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole,
for, being stuffed with straw, it was quite light.


for, being stuffed with straw, it was quite light.
"Thank you very much," said the Scarecrow, when he had been set
down on the ground. "I feel like a new man."
Dorothy was puzzled at this, for it sounded queer to hear a
stuffed man speak, and to see him bow and walk along beside
her.
"Who are you?" asked the Scarecrow when he had stretched himself
and yawned. "And where are you going?"
"My name is Dorothy," said the girl, "and I am going to the
Emerald City, to ask the Great Oz to send me back to Kansas."
"Where is the Emerald City?" he inquired. "And who is Oz?"
"Why, don't you know?" she returned, in surprise.
"No, indeed. I don't know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I
have no brains at all," he answered sadly.
"Oh," said Dorothy, "I'm awfully sorry for you."
"Do you think," he asked, "if I go to the Emerald City with you,
that Oz would give me some brains?"
"I cannot tell," she returned, "but you may come with me, if you
like. If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off
than you are now."
"That is true," said the Scarecrow. "You see," he continued
confidentially, "I don't mind my legs and arms and body being
stuffed, because I cannot get hurt. If anyone treads on my toes or
sticks a pin into me, it doesn't matter, for I can't feel it. But I
do not want people to call me a fool, and if my head stays stuffed
with straw instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever to
know anything?"
"I understand how you feel," said the little girl, who was truly
sorry for him. "If you will come with me I'll ask Oz to do all he
can for you."
"Thank you," he answered gratefully.
They walked back to the road. Dorothy helped him over the fence,
and they started along the path of yellow brick for the Emerald
City.
Toto did not like this addition to the party at first. He
smelled around the stuffed man as if he suspected there might be a
nest of rats in the straw, and he often growled in an unfriendly
way at the Scarecrow.
"Don't mind Toto," said Dorothy to her new friend. "He never
bites."way at the Scarecrow.
"Don't mind Toto," said Dorothy to her new friend. "He never
bites."
"Oh, I'm not afraid," replied the Scarecrow. "He can't hurt the
straw. Do let me carry that basket for you. I shall not mind it,
for I can't get tired. I'll tell you a secret," he continued, as he
walked along. "There is only one thing in the world I am afraid
of."
"What is that?" asked Dorothy; "the Munchkin farmer who made
you?"
"No," answered the Scarecrow; "it's a lighted match."After a few hours the road began to be rough, and the walking
grew so difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow
bricks, which were here very uneven. Sometimes, indeed, they were
broken or missing altogether, leaving holes that Toto jumped across
and Dorothy walked around. As for the Scarecrow, having no brains,
he walked straight ahead, and so stepped into the holes and fell at
full length on the hard bricks. It never hurt him, however, and
Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon his feet again, while he
joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap.
The farms were not nearly so well cared for here as they were
farther back. There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees, and
the farther they went the more dismal and lonesome the country
became.
At noon they sat down by the roadside, near a little brook, and
Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread. She offered a
piece to the Scarecrow, but he refused.
"I am never hungry," he said, "and it is a lucky thing I am not,
for my mouth is only painted, and if I should cut a hole in it so I
could eat, the straw I am stuffed with would come out, and that
would spoil the shape of my head."
Dorothy saw at once that this was true, so she only nodded and
went on eating her bread.
"Tell me something about yourself and the country you came
from," said the Scarecrow, when she had finished her dinner. So she
told him all about Kansas, and how gray everything was there, and
how the cyclone had carried her to this queer Land of Oz.
The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, "I cannot understand
why you should wish to leave this beautiful country and go back to
the dry, gray place you call Kansas."
"That is because you have no brains" answered the girl. "No
matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and
blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever
so beautiful. There is no place like home."
The Scarecrow sighed.
"Of course I cannot understand it," he said. "If your heads wereThe Scarecrow sighed.
"Of course I cannot understand it," he said. "If your heads were
stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the
beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It
is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains."
"Won't you tell me a story, while we are resting?" asked the
child.
The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully, and answered:
"My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever.
I was only made day before yesterday. What happened in the world
before that time is all unknown to me. Luckily, when the farmer
made my head, one of the first things he did was to paint my ears,
so that I heard what was going on. There was another Munchkin with
him, and the first thing I heard was the farmer saying, `How do you
like those ears?'
"`They aren't straight,'" answered the other.
"`Never mind,'" said the farmer. "`They are ears just the
same,'" which was true enough.
"`Now I'll make the eyes,'" said the farmer. So he painted my
right eye, and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking at
him and at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity, for
this was my first glimpse of the world.
"`That's a rather pretty eye,'" remarked the Munchkin who was
watching the farmer. "`Blue paint is just the color for eyes.'
"`I think I'll make the other a little bigger,'" said the
farmer. And when the second eye was done I could see much better
than before. Then he made my nose and my mouth. But I did not
speak, because at that time I didn't know what a mouth was for. I
had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs; and
when they fastened on my head, at last, I felt very proud, for I
thought I was just as good a man as anyone.
"`This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,' said the
farmer. `He looks just like a man.'
"`Why, he is a man,' said the other, and I quite agreed with
him. The farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield, and set
me up on a tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon


me up on a tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon
after walked away and left me alone.
"I did not like to be deserted this way. So I tried to walk
after them. But my feet would not touch the ground, and I was
forced to stay on that pole. It was a lonely life to lead, for I
had nothing to think of, having been made such a little while
before. Many crows and other birds flew into the cornfield, but as
soon as they saw me they flew away again, thinking I was a
Munchkin; and this pleased me and made me feel that I was quite an
important person. By and by an old crow flew near me, and after
looking at me carefully he perched upon my shoulder and said:
"`I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsy
manner. Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed with
straw.' Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn he
wanted. The other birds, seeing he was not harmed by me, came to
eat the corn too, so in a short time there was a great flock of
them about me.
"I felt sad at this, for it showed I was not such a good
Scarecrow after all; but the old crow comforted me, saying, `If you
only had brains in your head you would be as good a man as any of
them, and a better man than some of them. Brains are the only
things worth having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow
or a man.'
"After the crows had gone I thought this over, and decided I
would try hard to get some brains. By good luck you came along and
pulled me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure the Great
Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City."
"I hope so," said Dorothy earnestly, "since you seem anxious to
have them."
"Oh, yes; I am anxious," returned the Scarecrow. "It is such an
uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool."
"Well," said the girl, "let us go." And she handed the basket to
the Scarecrow.
There were no fences at all by the roadside now, and the land
was rough and untilled. Toward evening they came to a great forest,was rough and untilled. Toward evening they came to a great forest,
where the trees grew so big and close together that their branches
met over the road of yellow brick. It was almost dark under the
trees, for the branches shut out the daylight; but the travelers
did not stop, and went on into the forest.
"If this road goes in, it must come out," said the Scarecrow,
"and as the Emerald City is at the other end of the road, we must
go wherever it leads us."
"Anyone would know that," said Dorothy.
"Certainly; that is why I know it," returned the Scarecrow. "If
it required brains to figure it out, I never should have said
it."
After an hour or so the light faded away, and they found
themselves stumbling along in the darkness. Dorothy could not see
at all, but Toto could, for some dogs see very well in the dark;
and the Scarecrow declared he could see as well as by day. So she
took hold of his arm and managed to get along fairly well.
"If you see any house, or any place where we can pass the
night," she said, "you must tell me; for it is very uncomfortable
walking in the dark."
Soon after the Scarecrow stopped.
"I see a little cottage at the right of us," he said, "built of
logs and branches. Shall we go there?"
"Yes, indeed," answered the child. "I am all tired out."
So the Scarecrow led her through the trees until they reached
the cottage, and Dorothy entered and found a bed of dried leaves in
one corner. She lay down at once, and with Toto beside her soon
fell into a sound sleep. The Scarecrow, who was never tired, stood
up in another corner and waited patiently until morning came.When Dorothy awoke the sun was shining through the trees and
Toto had long been out chasing birds around him and squirrels. She
sat up and looked around her. 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 little 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


"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 inquired softly, for she was moved
by the sad voice in which the man spoke.
"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?"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."
"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 travelers 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?" inquired 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 thetold 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 woodchopper, 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.
"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 tinsmith 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
tinsmith, 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 tinsmith 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


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


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 notLion 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.
"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 jaws 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."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."
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 travelers. 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


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."


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."
This adventure made the travelers 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 farther 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 riverbank 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.Our little party of travelers awakened the 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 downstream,
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.
"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. Then, 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 fortunatelyleave 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!"
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."
So he sprang into the water, and the Tin Woodman caught fast
hold of his tail. Then 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 riverbank 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, 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!"


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, who, upon 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 little 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 Isaid, "but the kind Stork saved me, and if I ever get any brains I
shall find the Stork again and do her 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.
They walked along listening to the singing of the brightly
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 bright 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 keptdark," 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.
"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 theThey 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.


"We cannot be far from the road of yellow brick, now," remarked
the Scarecrow, as he stood beside the girl, "for we have come
nearly as far as the river carried us away."
The Tin Woodman was about to reply when he heard a low growl,
and turning his head (which worked beautifully on hinges) he saw a
strange beast come bounding over the grass toward them. It was,
indeed, a great yellow Wildcat, and the Woodman thought it must be
chasing something, for its ears were lying close to its head and
its mouth was wide open, showing two rows of ugly teeth, while its
red eyes glowed like balls of fire. As it came nearer the Tin
Woodman saw that running before the beast was a little gray field
mouse, and although he had no heart he knew it was wrong for the
Wildcat to try to kill such a pretty, harmless creature.
So the Woodman raised his axe, and as the Wildcat ran by he gave
it a quick blow that cut the beast's head clean off from its body,
and it rolled over at his feet in two pieces.
The field mouse, now that it was freed from its enemy, stopped
short; and coming slowly up to the Woodman it said, in a squeaky
little voice:
"Oh, thank you! Thank you ever so much for saving my life."
"Don't speak of it, I beg of you," replied the Woodman. "I have
no heart, you know, so I am careful to help all those who may need
a friend, even if it happens to be only a mouse."
"Only a mouse!" cried the little animal, indignantly. "Why, I am
a Queen—the Queen of all the Field Mice!"
"Oh, indeed," said the Woodman, making a bow.
"Therefore you have done a great deed, as well as a brave one,
in saving my life," added the Queen.
At that moment several mice were seen running up as fast as
their little legs could carry them, and when they saw their Queen
they exclaimed:
"Oh, your Majesty, we thought you would be killed! How did you
manage to escape the great Wildcat?" They all bowed so low to the
little Queen that they almost stood upon their heads.
"This funny tin man," she answered, "killed the Wildcat and"This funny tin man," she answered, "killed the Wildcat and
saved my life. So hereafter you must all serve him, and obey his
slightest wish."
"We will!" cried all the mice, in a shrill chorus. And then they
scampered in all directions, for Toto had awakened from his sleep,
and seeing all these mice around him he gave one bark of delight
and jumped right into the middle of the group. Toto had always
loved to chase mice when he lived in Kansas, and he saw no harm in
it.
But the Tin Woodman caught the dog in his arms and held him
tight, while he called to the mice, "Come back! Come back! Toto
shall not hurt you."
At this the Queen of the Mice stuck her head out from underneath
a clump of grass and asked, in a timid voice, "Are you sure he will
not bite us?"
"I will not let him," said the Woodman; "so do not be
afraid."
One by one the mice came creeping back, and Toto did not bark
again, although he tried to get out of the Woodman's arms, and
would have bitten him had he not known very well he was made of
tin. Finally one of the biggest mice spoke.
"Is there anything we can do," it asked, "to repay you for
saving the life of our Queen?"
"Nothing that I know of," answered the Woodman; but the
Scarecrow, who had been trying to think, but could not because his
head was stuffed with straw, said, quickly, "Oh, yes; you can save
our friend, the Cowardly Lion, who is asleep in the poppy bed."
"A Lion!" cried the little Queen. "Why, he would eat us all
up."
"Oh, no," declared the Scarecrow; "this Lion is a coward."
"Really?" asked the Mouse.
"He says so himself," answered the Scarecrow, "and he would
never hurt anyone who is our friend. If you will help us to save
him I promise that he shall treat you all with kindness."
"Very well," said the Queen, "we trust you. But what shall we
do?"
"Are there many of these mice which call you Queen and are
willing to obey you?"
"Oh, yes; there are thousands," she replied.
"Then send for them all to come here as soon as possible, and
let each one bring a long piece of string."let each one bring a long piece of string."
The Queen turned to the mice that attended her and told them to
go at once and get all her people. As soon as they heard her orders
they ran away in every direction as fast as possible.
"Now," said the Scarecrow to the Tin Woodman, "you must go to
those trees by the riverside and make a truck that will carry the
Lion."
So the Woodman went at once to the trees and began to work; and
he soon made a truck out of the limbs of trees, from which he
chopped away all the leaves and branches. He fastened it together
with wooden pegs and made the four wheels out of short pieces of a
big tree trunk. So fast and so well did he work that by the time
the mice began to arrive the truck was all ready for them.
They came from all directions, and there were thousands of them:
big mice and little mice and middle-sized mice; and each one
brought a piece of string in his mouth. It was about this time that
Dorothy woke from her long sleep and opened her eyes. She was
greatly astonished to find herself lying upon the grass, with
thousands of mice standing around and looking at her timidly. But
the Scarecrow told her about everything, and turning to the
dignified little Mouse, he said:
"Permit me to introduce to you her Majesty, the Queen."
Dorothy nodded gravely and the Queen made a curtsy, after which
she became quite friendly with the little girl.
The Scarecrow and the Woodman now began to fasten the mice to
the truck, using the strings they had brought. One end of a string
was tied around the neck of each mouse and the other end to the
truck. Of course the truck was a thousand times bigger than any of
the mice who were to draw it; but when all the mice had been
harnessed, they were able to pull it quite easily. Even the
Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman could sit on it, and were drawn
swiftly by their queer little horses to the place where the Lion
lay asleep.
After a great deal of hard work, for the Lion was heavy, they
managed to get him up on the truck. Then the Queen hurriedly gavemanaged to get him up on the truck. Then the Queen hurriedly gave
her people the order to start, for she feared if the mice stayed
among the poppies too long they also would fall asleep.
At first the little creatures, many though they were, could
hardly stir the heavily loaded truck; but the Woodman and the
Scarecrow both pushed from behind, and they got along better. Soon
they rolled the Lion out of the poppy bed to the green fields,
where he could breathe the sweet, fresh air again, instead of the
poisonous scent of the flowers.
Dorothy came to meet them and thanked the little mice warmly for
saving her companion from death. She had grown so fond of the big
Lion she was glad he had been rescued.
Then the mice were unharnessed from the truck and scampered away
through the grass to their homes. The Queen of the Mice was the
last to leave.
"If ever you need us again," she said, "come out into the field
and call, and we shall hear you and come to your assistance.
Good-bye!"
"Good-bye!" they all answered, and away the Queen ran, while
Dorothy held Toto tightly lest he should run after her and frighten
her.
After this they sat down beside the Lion until he should awaken;
and the Scarecrow brought Dorothy some fruit from a tree near by,
which she ate for her dinner.


It was some time before the Cowardly Lion awakened, for he had
lain among the poppies a long while, breathing in their deadly
fragrance; but when he did open his eyes and roll off the truck he
was very glad to find himself still alive.
"I ran as fast as I could," he said, sitting down and yawning,
"but the flowers were too strong for me. How did you get me
out?"
Then they told him of the field mice, and how they had
generously saved him from death; and the Cowardly Lion laughed, and
said:
"I have always thought myself very big and terrible; yet such
little things as flowers came near to killing me, and such small
animals as mice have saved my life. How strange it all is! But,
comrades, what shall we do now?"
"We must journey on until we find the road of yellow brick
again," said Dorothy, "and then we can keep on to the Emerald
City."
So, the Lion being fully refreshed, and feeling quite himself
again, they all started upon the journey, greatly enjoying the walk
through the soft, fresh grass; and it was not long before they
reached the road of yellow brick and turned again toward the
Emerald City where the Great Oz dwelt.
The road was smooth and well paved, now, and the country about
was beautiful, so that the travelers rejoiced in leaving the forest
far behind, and with it the many dangers they had met in its gloomy
shades. Once more they could see fences built beside the road; but
these were painted green, and when they came to a small house, in
which a farmer evidently lived, that also was painted green. They
passed by several of these houses during the afternoon, and
sometimes people came to the doors and looked at them as if they
would like to ask questions; but no one came near them nor spoke to
them because of the great Lion, of which they were very much
afraid. The people were all dressed in clothing of a lovely
emerald-green color and wore peaked hats like those of the
Munchkins.
"This must be the Land of Oz," said Dorothy, "and we are surely
getting near the Emerald City.""This must be the Land of Oz," said Dorothy, "and we are surely
getting near the Emerald City."
"Yes," answered the Scarecrow. "Everything is green here, while
in the country of the Munchkins blue was the favorite color. But
the people do not seem to be as friendly as the Munchkins, and I'm
afraid we shall be unable to find a place to pass the night."
"I should like something to eat besides fruit," said the girl,
"and I'm sure Toto is nearly starved. Let us stop at the next house
and talk to the people."
So, when they came to a good-sized farmhouse, Dorothy walked
boldly up to the door and knocked.
A woman opened it just far enough to look out, and said, "What
do you want, child, and why is that great Lion with you?"
"We wish to pass the night with you, if you will allow us,"
answered Dorothy; "and the Lion is my friend and comrade, and would
not hurt you for the world."
"Is he tame?" asked the woman, opening the door a little
wider.
"Oh, yes," said the girl, "and he is a great coward, too. He
will be more afraid of you than you are of him."
"Well," said the woman, after thinking it over and taking
another peep at the Lion, "if that is the case you may come in, and
I will give you some supper and a place to sleep."
So they all entered the house, where there were, besides the
woman, two children and a man. The man had hurt his leg, and was
lying on the couch in a corner. They seemed greatly surprised to
see so strange a company, and while the woman was busy laying the
table the man asked:
"Where are you all going?"
"To the Emerald City," said Dorothy, "to see the Great Oz."
"Oh, indeed!" exclaimed the man. "Are you sure that Oz will see
you?"
"Why not?" she replied.
"Why, it is said that he never lets anyone come into his
presence. I have been to the Emerald City many times, and it is a
beautiful and wonderful place; but I have never been permitted to
see the Great Oz, nor do I know of any living person who has seen
him."
"Does he never go out?" asked the Scarecrow.him."
"Does he never go out?" asked the Scarecrow.
"Never. He sits day after day in the great Throne Room of his
Palace, and even those who wait upon him do not see him face to
face."
"What is he like?" asked the girl.
"That is hard to tell," said the man thoughtfully. "You see, Oz
is a Great Wizard, and can take on any form he wishes. So that some
say he looks like a bird; and some say he looks like an elephant;
and some say he looks like a cat. To others he appears as a
beautiful fairy, or a brownie, or in any other form that pleases
him. But who the real Oz is, when he is in his own form, no living
person can tell."
"That is very strange," said Dorothy, "but we must try, in some
way, to see him, or we shall have made our journey for
nothing."
"Why do you wish to see the terrible Oz?" asked the man.
"I want him to give me some brains," said the Scarecrow
eagerly.
"Oh, Oz could do that easily enough," declared the man. "He has
more brains than he needs."
"And I want him to give me a heart," said the Tin Woodman.
"That will not trouble him," continued the man, "for Oz has a
large collection of hearts, of all sizes and shapes."
"And I want him to give me courage," said the Cowardly Lion.
"Oz keeps a great pot of courage in his Throne Room," said the
man, "which he has covered with a golden plate, to keep it from
running over. He will be glad to give you some."
"And I want him to send me back to Kansas," said Dorothy.
"Where is Kansas?" asked the man, with surprise.
"I don't know," replied Dorothy sorrowfully, "but it is my home,
and I'm sure it's somewhere."
"Very likely. Well, Oz can do anything; so I suppose he will
find Kansas for you. But first you must get to see him, and that
will be a hard task; for the Great Wizard does not like to see
anyone, and he usually has his own way. But what do you want?" he
continued, speaking to Toto. Toto only wagged his tail; for,
strange to say, he could not speak.
The woman now called to them that supper was ready, so they


strange to say, he could not speak.
The woman now called to them that supper was ready, so they
gathered around the table and Dorothy ate some delicious porridge
and a dish of scrambled eggs and a plate of nice white bread, and
enjoyed her meal. The Lion ate some of the porridge, but did not
care for it, saying it was made from oats and oats were food for
horses, not for lions. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman ate
nothing at all. Toto ate a little of everything, and was glad to
get a good supper again.
The woman now gave Dorothy a bed to sleep in, and Toto lay down
beside her, while the Lion guarded the door of her room so she
might not be disturbed. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood up
in a corner and kept quiet all night, although of course they could
not sleep.
The next morning, as soon as the sun was up, they started on
their way, and soon saw a beautiful green glow in the sky just
before them.
"That must be the Emerald City," said Dorothy.
As they walked on, the green glow became brighter and brighter,
and it seemed that at last they were nearing the end of their
travels. Yet it was afternoon before they came to the great wall
that surrounded the City. It was high and thick and of a bright
green color.
In front of them, and at the end of the road of yellow brick,
was a big gate, all studded with emeralds that glittered so in the
sun that even the painted eyes of the Scarecrow were dazzled by
their brilliancy.
There was a bell beside the gate, and Dorothy pushed the button
and heard a silvery tinkle sound within. Then the big gate swung
slowly open, and they all passed through and found themselves in a
high arched room, the walls of which glistened with countless
emeralds.
Before them stood a little man about the same size as the
Munchkins. He was clothed all in green, from his head to his feet,
and even his skin was of a greenish tint. At his side was a large
green box.
When he saw Dorothy and her companions the man asked, "What do
you wish in the Emerald City?"When he saw Dorothy and her companions the man asked, "What do
you wish in the Emerald City?"
"We came here to see the Great Oz," said Dorothy.
The man was so surprised at this answer that he sat down to
think it over.
"It has been many years since anyone asked me to see Oz," he
said, shaking his head in perplexity. "He is powerful and terrible,
and if you come on an idle or foolish errand to bother the wise
reflections of the Great Wizard, he might be angry and destroy you
all in an instant."
"But it is not a foolish errand, nor an idle one," replied the
Scarecrow; "it is important. And we have been told that Oz is a
good Wizard."
"So he is," said the green man, "and he rules the Emerald City
wisely and well. But to those who are not honest, or who approach
him from curiosity, he is most terrible, and few have ever dared
ask to see his face. I am the Guardian of the Gates, and since you
demand to see the Great Oz I must take you to his Palace. But first
you must put on the spectacles."
"Why?" asked Dorothy.
"Because if you did not wear spectacles the brightness and glory
of the Emerald City would blind you. Even those who live in the
City must wear spectacles night and day. They are all locked on,
for Oz so ordered it when the City was first built, and I have the
only key that will unlock them."
He opened the big box, and Dorothy saw that it was filled with
spectacles of every size and shape. All of them had green glasses
in them. The Guardian of the Gates found a pair that would just fit
Dorothy and put them over her eyes. There were two golden bands
fastened to them that passed around the back of her head, where
they were locked together by a little key that was at the end of a
chain the Guardian of the Gates wore around his neck. When they
were on, Dorothy could not take them off had she wished, but of
course she did not wish to be blinded by the glare of the Emerald
City, so she said nothing.
Then the green man fitted spectacles for the Scarecrow and theCity, so she said nothing.
Then the green man fitted spectacles for the Scarecrow and the
Tin Woodman and the Lion, and even on little Toto; and all were
locked fast with the key.
Then the Guardian of the Gates put on his own glasses and told
them he was ready to show them to the Palace. Taking a big golden
key from a peg on the wall, he opened another gate, and they all
followed him through the portal into the streets of the Emerald
City.Even with eyes protected by the green spectacles, Dorothy and
her friends were at first dazzled by the brilliancy of the
wonderful City. The streets were lined with beautiful houses all
built of green marble and studded everywhere with sparkling
emeralds. They walked over a pavement of the same green marble, and
where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds, set
closely, and glittering in the brightness of the sun. The window
panes were of green glass; even the sky above the City had a green
tint, and the rays of the sun were green.
There were many people—men, women, and children—walking about,
and these were all dressed in green clothes and had greenish skins.
They looked at Dorothy and her strangely assorted company with
wondering eyes, and the children all ran away and hid behind their
mothers when they saw the Lion; but no one spoke to them. Many
shops stood in the street, and Dorothy saw that everything in them
was green. Green candy and green pop corn were offered for sale, as
well as green shoes, green hats, and green clothes of all sorts. At
one place a man was selling green lemonade, and when the children
bought it Dorothy could see that they paid for it with green
pennies.
There seemed to be no horses nor animals of any kind; the men
carried things around in little green carts, which they pushed
before them. Everyone seemed happy and contented and
prosperous.
The Guardian of the Gates led them through the streets until
they came to a big building, exactly in the middle of the City,
which was the Palace of Oz, the Great Wizard. There was a soldier
before the door, dressed in a green uniform and wearing a long
green beard.
"Here are strangers," said the Guardian of the Gates to him,
"and they demand to see the Great Oz."
"Step inside," answered the soldier, "and I will carry your
message to him."
So they passed through the Palace Gates and were led into a big
room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with
emeralds. The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green


emeralds. The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green
mat before entering this room, and when they were seated he said
politely:
"Please make yourselves comfortable while I go to the door of
the Throne Room and tell Oz you are here."
They had to wait a long time before the soldier returned. When,
at last, he came back, Dorothy asked:
"Have you seen Oz?"
"Oh, no," returned the soldier; "I have never seen him. But I
spoke to him as he sat behind his screen and gave him your message.
He said he will grant you an audience, if you so desire; but each
one of you must enter his presence alone, and he will admit but one
each day. Therefore, as you must remain in the Palace for several
days, I will have you shown to rooms where you may rest in comfort
after your journey."
"Thank you," replied the girl; "that is very kind of Oz."
The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young
girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She
had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before
Dorothy as she said, "Follow me and I will show you your room."
So Dorothy said good-bye to all her friends except Toto, and
taking the dog in her arms followed the green girl through seven
passages and up three flights of stairs until they came to a room
at the front of the Palace. It was the sweetest little room in the
world, with a soft comfortable bed that had sheets of green silk
and a green velvet counterpane. There was a tiny fountain in the
middle of the room, that shot a spray of green perfume into the
air, to fall back into a beautifully carved green marble basin.
Beautiful green flowers stood in the windows, and there was a shelf
with a row of little green books. When Dorothy had time to open
these books she found them full of queer green pictures that made
her laugh, they were so funny.
In a wardrobe were many green dresses, made of silk and satin
and velvet; and all of them fitted Dorothy exactly.
"Make yourself perfectly at home," said the green girl, "and if"Make yourself perfectly at home," said the green girl, "and if
you wish for anything ring the bell. Oz will send for you tomorrow
morning."
She left Dorothy alone and went back to the others. These she
also led to rooms, and each one of them found himself lodged in a
very pleasant part of the Palace. Of course this politeness was
wasted on the Scarecrow; for when he found himself alone in his
room he stood stupidly in one spot, just within the doorway, to
wait till morning. It would not rest him to lie down, and he could
not close his eyes; so he remained all night staring at a little
spider which was weaving its web in a corner of the room, just as
if it were not one of the most wonderful rooms in the world. The
Tin Woodman lay down on his bed from force of habit, for he
remembered when he was made of flesh; but not being able to sleep,
he passed the night moving his joints up and down to make sure they
kept in good working order. The Lion would have preferred a bed of
dried leaves in the forest, and did not like being shut up in a
room; but he had too much sense to let this worry him, so he sprang
upon the bed and rolled himself up like a cat and purred himself
asleep in a minute.
The next morning, after breakfast, the green maiden came to
fetch Dorothy, and she dressed her in one of the prettiest gowns,
made of green brocaded satin. Dorothy put on a green silk apron and
tied a green ribbon around Toto's neck, and they started for the
Throne Room of the Great Oz.
First they came to a great hall in which were many ladies and
gentlemen of the court, all dressed in rich costumes. These people
had nothing to do but talk to each other, but they always came to
wait outside the Throne Room every morning, although they were
never permitted to see Oz. As Dorothy entered they looked at her
curiously, and one of them whispered:
"Are you really going to look upon the face of Oz the
Terrible?"
"Of course," answered the girl, "if he will see me."
"Oh, he will see you," said the soldier who had taken her"Oh, he will see you," said the soldier who had taken her
message to the Wizard, "although he does not like to have people
ask to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry and said I should
send you back where you came from. Then he asked me what you looked
like, and when I mentioned your silver shoes he was very much
interested. At last I told him about the mark upon your forehead,
and he decided he would admit you to his presence."
Just then a bell rang, and the green girl said to Dorothy, "That
is the signal. You must go into the Throne Room alone."
She opened a little door and Dorothy walked boldly through and
found herself in a wonderful place. It was a big, round room with a
high arched roof, and the walls and ceiling and floor were covered
with large emeralds set closely together. In the center of the roof
was a great light, as bright as the sun, which made the emeralds
sparkle in a wonderful manner.
But what interested Dorothy most was the big throne of green
marble that stood in the middle of the room. It was shaped like a
chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything else. In the center
of the chair was an enormous Head, without a body to support it or
any arms or legs whatever. There was no hair upon this head, but it
had eyes and a nose and mouth, and was much bigger than the head of
the biggest giant.
As Dorothy gazed upon this in wonder and fear, the eyes turned
slowly and looked at her sharply and steadily. Then the mouth
moved, and Dorothy heard a voice say:
"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you
seek me?"
It was not such an awful voice as she had expected to come from
the big Head; so she took courage and answered:
"I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek. I have come to you for
help."
The eyes looked at her thoughtfully for a full minute. Then said
the voice:
"Where did you get the silver shoes?"
"I got them from the Wicked Witch of the East, when my house
fell on her and killed her," she replied.
"Where did you get the mark upon your forehead?" continued the
voice.