gs, I  shall  be  all  right
once more."
     So they oiled his legs until  he  could  move  them  freely;  and  he
thanked them again and again for his release, for he seemed a very  polite
creature, and very grateful.
     "I might have stood there always if you had not come along," he said;
"so you have certainly saved my life. How did you happen to be here?"
     "We are on our way to the Emerald City to  see  the  Great  Oz,"  she
answered, "and we stopped at your cottage to pass the night."
     "Why do you wish to see Oz?" he asked.
     "I want him to send me back to Kansas, and the Scarecrow wants him to
put a few brains into his head," she replied.
     The Tin Woodman appeared to think deeply for a moment. Then he said:
     "Do you suppose Oz could give me a heart?"
     "Why, I guess so," Dorothy answered. "It would be as easy as to  give
the Scarecrow brains."
     "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 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  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."
     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.



        6. The Cowardly Lion

     All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the
thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick,  but  these  were
much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from  the  trees,  and  the
walking was not at all good.
     There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds  love  the
open country where there is plenty of sunshine. But  now  and  then  there
came a deep growl from some wild animal  hidden  among  the  trees.  These
sounds made the little girl's heart beat fast, for she did not  know  what
made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to Dorothy's side,  and  did
not even bark in return.
     "How long will it be," the child asked of the Tin Woodman, "before we
are out of the forest?"
     "I cannot tell," was the answer,  "for  I  have  never  been  to  the
Emerald City. But my father went there once, when I was a boy, and he said
it was a long journey through a dangerous country, although nearer to  the
city where Oz dwells the country is beautiful. But I am not afraid so long
as I have my oil-can, and nothing can hurt the Scarecrow, while  you  bear
upon your forehead the mark of  the  Good  Witch's  kiss,  and  that  will
protect you from harm."
     "But Toto!" said the girl anxiously. "What will protect him?"
     "We must protect him ourselves if he is in danger," replied  the  Tin
Woodman.
     Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar, and  the
next moment a great Lion bounded into the road. With one blow of  his  paw
he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the road,  and
then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws. But, to the Lion's
surprise, he could make no impression on the  tin,  although  the  Woodman
fell over in the road and lay still.
     Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking toward the
Lion, and the great beast had opened his  mouth  to  bite  the  dog,  when
Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed,  and  heedless  of  danger,  rushed
forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while she
cried out:
     "Don't you dare to bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself,  a
big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!"
     "I didn't bite him," said the Lion, as he rubbed his  nose  with  his
paw where Dorothy had hit it.
     "No, but you tried to," she retorted. "You  are  nothing  but  a  big
coward."
     "I know it," said the Lion, hanging his head in shame.  "I've  always
known it. But how can I help it?"
     "I don't know, I'm sure. To think of your  striking  a  stuffed  man,
like the poor Scarecrow!"
     "Is he stuffed?" asked the Lion in surprise, as he watched  her  pick
up the Scarecrow and set him upon his feet,  while  she  patted  him  into
shape again.
     "Of course he's stuffed," replied Dorothy, who was still angry.
     "That's  why  he  went  over  so  easily,"  remarked  the  Lion.  "It
astonished me to see him whirl around so. Is the other one stuffed also?"
     "No," said Dorothy, "he's made of tin." And she helped the Woodman up
again.
     "That's why he nearly blunted my claws," said the  Lion.  "When  they
scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run down my back. What  is
that little animal you are so tender of?"
     "He is my dog, Toto," answered Dorothy.
     "Is he made of tin, or stuffed?" asked the Lion.
     "Neither. He's a-a-a meat dog," said the girl.
     "Oh! He's a curious animal and seems remarkably  small,  now  that  I
look at him. No one would think of biting such a little  thing,  except  a
coward like me," continued the Lion sadly.
     "What makes you a coward?" asked Dorothy, looking at the great  beast
in wonder, for he was as big as a small horse.
     "It's a mystery," replied the Lion. "I suppose I was born  that  way.
All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be  brave,  for
the Lion is everywhere thought to be the King of Beasts. I learned that if
I roared very loudly every living thing was frightened and got out  of  my
way. Whenever I've met a man I've been awfully scared; but I  just  roared
at him, and he has always run  away  as  fast  as  he  could  go.  If  the
elephants and the tigers and the bears had  ever  tried  to  fight  me,  I
should have run myself-I'm such a coward; but just as soon as they hear me
roar they all try to get away from me, and of course I let them go."
     "But that isn't right. The King of Beasts  shouldn't  be  a  coward,"
said the Scarecrow.
     "I know it," returned the Lion, wiping a tear from his eye  with  the
tip of his tail. "It is my great sorrow, and makes my life  very  unhappy.
But whenever there is danger, my heart begins to beat fast."
     "Perhaps you have heart disease," said the Tin Woodman.
     "It may be," said the Lion.
     "If you have," continued the Tin Woodman, "you ought to be glad,  for
it proves you have a heart. For my part, I have no heart; so I cannot have
heart disease."
     "Perhaps," said the Lion thoughtfully, "if I had no  heart  I  should
not be a coward."
     "Have you brains?" asked the Scarecrow.
     "I suppose so. I've never looked to see," replied the Lion.
     "I am going to the Great Oz to ask him to give me some," remarked the
Scarecrow, "for my head is stuffed with straw."
     "And I am going to ask him to give me a heart," said the Woodman.
     "And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas," added
Dorothy.
     "Do you think Oz could give me courage?" asked the Cowardly Lion.
     "Just as easily as he could give me brains," said the Scarecrow.
     "Or give me a heart," said the Tin Woodman.
     "Or send me back to Kansas," said Dorothy.
     "Then, if you don't mind, I'll go with you," said the Lion,  "for  my
life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage."
     "You will be very welcome," answered Dorothy, "for you will  help  to
keep away the other wild beasts. It seems to me they must be more cowardly
than you are if they allow you to scare them so easily."
     "They really are," said the Lion,  "but  that  doesn't  make  me  any
braver, and as long as I know myself to be a coward I shall be unhappy."
     So once more the little company set off upon the  journey,  the  Lion
walking with stately strides at Dorothy's side. Toto did not approve  this
new comrade at first, for he could not  forget  how  nearly  he  had  been
crushed between the Lion's great jaws. But after a time he became more  at
ease, and presently Toto and the  Cowardly  Lion  had  grown  to  be  good
friends.
     During the rest of that day there was no other adventure to  mar  the
peace of their journey. Once, indeed,  the  Tin  Woodman  stepped  upon  a
beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little thing.
This made the Tin Woodman very unhappy, for he was always careful  not  to
hurt any living creature; and as he walked along he wept several tears  of
sorrow and regret. These tears ran slowly  down  his  face  and  over  the
hinges of his jaw, and there they rusted. When Dorothy presently asked him
a question the Tin Woodman could not open his mouth,  for  his  jaws  were
tightly rusted together. He became greatly frightened  at  this  and  made
many motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but she could not understand.  The
Lion was also puzzled to know what was wrong. But the Scarecrow seized the
oil-can from Dorothy's basket and oiled the Woodman's jaws, so that  after
a few moments he could talk as well as before.
     "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."



        7. The Journey to the Great Oz

     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 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 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, 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."
     "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.



        8. The Deadly Poppy Field

     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 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!"
     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  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 of seem so helpless
and frail. But there are none in the forest so bright as these."
     They now came upon more and more of  the  big  scarlet  poppies,  and
fewer and fewer of the other flowers; and soon they  found  themselves  in
the midst of a great meadow of poppies. Now it is  well  known  that  when
there are many of these flowers together their odor is  so  powerful  that
anyone who breathes it falls asleep, and if the  sleeper  is  not  carried
away from the scent of the flowers, he  sleeps  on  and  on  forever.  But
Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get  away  from  the  bright  red
flowers that were everywhere about; so presently her eyes grew  heavy  and
she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep.
     But the Tin Woodman would not let her do this.
     "We must hurry and get back to the road of yellow brick before dark,"
he said; and the Scarecrow agreed with him. So  they  kept  walking  until
Dorothy could stand no longer. Her eyes closed in spite of herself and she
forgot where she was and fell among the poppies, fast asleep.
     "What shall we do?" asked the Tin Woodman.
     "If we leave her here she will die," said the Lion. "The smell of the
flowers is killing us all. I myself can scarcely keep my  eyes  open,  and
the dog is asleep already."
     It was true; Toto had fallen down beside his little mistress. But the
Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, not being made of flesh, were not  troubled
by the scent of the flowers.
     "Run fast," said the Scarecrow to the Lion,  "and  get  out  of  this
deadly flower bed as soon as you can. We will bring the little  girl  with
us, but if you should fall asleep you are too big to be carried."
     So the Lion aroused himself and bounded forward as fast as  he  could
go. In a moment he was out of sight.
     "Let us make a  chair  with  our  hands  and  carry  her,"  said  the
Scarecrow. So they picked up Toto and put the dog in  Dorothy's  lap,  and
then they made a chair with their hands for the seat and  their  arms  for
the arms and carried the sleeping girl between them through the flowers.
     On and on they walked, and it seemed that the great carpet of  deadly
flowers that surrounded them would never end. They followed  the  bend  of
the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lion, lying fast  asleep
among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for the huge beast  and
he had given up at last, and fallen only a short distance from the end  of
the poppy bed, where the sweet grass  spread  in  beautiful  green  fields
before them.
     "We can do nothing for him," said the Tin Woodman, sadly; "for he  is
much too heavy to lift. We must leave him here to sleep  on  forever,  and
perhaps he will dream that he has found courage at last."
     "I'm sorry," said the Scarecrow. "The Lion was a  very  good  comrade
for one so cowardly. But let us go on."
     They carried the sleeping girl to a pretty spot beside the river, far
enough from the poppy field to prevent  her  breathing  any  more  of  the
poison of the flowers, and here they laid her gently on the soft grass and
waited for the fresh breeze to waken her.



        9. The Queen of the Field Mice

     "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 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."
     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 di