Oz 17: The Cowardly Lion of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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lion sadly ." you_know perfectly well that courage is_the finest thing in_the_world ."

" I_doubt that," put in_the dromedary, shifting a mouthful of grass from one cheek to_the other, " I_doubt that very_much ."

" what's the matter ? " cried the patchwork girl, bouncing out merrily from_the other side of_the tree ." you all sound as solemn as Pokes ! "

the patchwork girl is a great favorite in_the emerald city . she was_made long_ago by a magician's wife and brought to life by_the powder of life . but Ojo, a little Munchkin boy, who happened to_be present while the magician was mixing scrap's brains, put in a large portion of cleverness and curiosity while the old wizard's back was turned, so_that instead of being a good and obedient servant as_the wizard had intended her to_be, the patchwork girl was full of fun and mischief . indeed, she refused to_be a servant at all, and ran off to_the emerald city, where Ozma has allowed her to live ever_since . the emerald city is_the capital of Oz and located in_the exact center of_that great and magic wonderland . its palace of green marble and emeralds, its flowering gardens and quaint green cottages make it the loveliest of all fairy cities, and so_many strange and delightful people live there it_is_the most interesting place you_could imagine . first in interest is Ozma, the fairy ruler of Oz . no one could help loving her . then there_is Dorothy, who has had more adventures than any little girl you_have ever heard of and who prefers to_be a princess in Oz to returning to her old home in Kansas . there_is Tik Tok, a marvelous machine man who_is bright as_the copper that he_is made of, and who_can think, walk and work when properly wound . and there's the Scarecrow, as lively and accom plished a gentleman as ever advised a queen .Oh, think of a live Scarecrow ! there's jack Pumpkinhead, made entirely of wood, excepting his pumpkin head, and there's sir Hokus of Pokes, a knight so_many centuries old that only in Oz could he be alive at all . there's the tin woodman, emperor of_the Winkies, who comes often to_the capital to visit his old friends .

there_are hundreds of_the gentle Oz folk, who live in_the little green cottages and bow politely when friends pass . there_are the magnificent courtiers and palace servants, ready at a moment's notice to_pass round lemonade, while the Scarecrow dishes out Oz- cream and cake . and last but not least there_are the amusing animals who_have come to live in_the royal stables . no wonder everyone is anxious to visit the emerald city . if I_could just find a magic umbrella or a handy cyclone i_would go myself . why, it would_be worth the journey just to hear the cowardly lion and comfortable camel talking together like old cronies . the comfortable camel and_the doubtful dromedary were recently discovered by sir Hokus of Pokes and Dorothy, and_are comparative new comers in_the emerald city, but the cowardly lion was one_of_the very first of_the Oz creatures to arrive at_the capital and_is a prime favorite with everyone from princess Dorothy to_the royal cook .

but all the time I've been telling you this, the conversation under the breakfast tree has_been growing more interesting .

" i_thought the wizard of Oz gave_you a large dose of courage when_you first came here," drawled the camel, looking anxiously up at_the patchwork girl, who was swinging head down from_the breakfast tree .

" he_did," mourned the cowardly lion dreamily, " but it has worn off and, though he has tried and tried, he_can't seem to mix up any more .

" what_is courage ? Does it grow like potatoes in a row ? Don't ask me for I don't know ! "

shouted Scraps, the patchwork girl, diving suddenly from_the tree top and bouncing upon_the doubtful dromedary . being stuffed with cotton made Scraps very daring .

"I've a hunch," began the comfortable camel, very_much relieved that_the patchwork girl had fallen on_his friend .

" where ? on_your back ? " screamed Scraps, flinging her arms about his neck .

"I've a hunch," continued the camel calmly, paying no attention at all to_the patchwork girl, " that courage isn't the way you feel, but the way you act . as_you always act bravely, why worry about_the way you feel ? "

" but you never felt as frightened as I_feel," objected the cowardly lion .

" his knees do quake, his teeth do chatter, his big old heart goes pitter patter ! but what's the odds- though stiff with fright he still can fight with mane and might ! "

cried Scraps, sitting down with a thud ." the more mane the more might," she finished brilliantly .

" so rub some tonic on_your brain and just increase your might and mane ! "

" I_doubt that," mumbled the doubtful dromedary, looking at Scraps reprovingly .

" there_might_be something in_it," said the camel, chewing a wisp of grass in_his slow precise fashion .

" my mane is a little thin," mused the cowardly lion, rubbing it thoughtfully with_his paw .

" if I were you," said the patchwork girl, rising unsteadily, " i_should find a very brave person and then eat him up . that ought to_give_you a big dose of courage .

" I_doubt that," said the doubtful dromedary sharply .

" think how uncomfortable it would_be for_the poor brave person," sighed the camel ." my dear, I_am afraid you_have no heart ."

" of_course I_have no heart," cried Scraps, starting to run down the path, " but I_have a marvelous head ."

the comfortable camel sighed and glanced uneasily at_the cowardly lion . the cowardly lion had afaraway look in_his eye, as_if Scraps' naughty suggestion had given him an idea, and it_was not long before he_made some excuse to_get away from_the two gentle creatures . he_wanted to_think . after all, why should he, the most famous lion in all Oz, forever be called cowardly ? he_would tell no one, but he_would go off on a long journey and perhapseven to himself the cowardly lion did_not say it, but the idea of swallowing a brave person did seem a reasonable way to acquire courage ." I_need never tell little Dorothy," muttered the great beast uncomfortably, " but how proud she will_be when I return full of courage ! "

he slipped noiselessly out_of_the quiet, lovely garden and, avoiding the yellow brick road, struck off through a deep forest toward the Munchkin country to_the south . many brave woodcutters live in_the Munchkin forests, and_the cowardly lion was resolved darkly to swallow the bravest of_them, ax and all ." if only my cowardly heart does_not fail me at_the last moment," he groaned nervously, as he went crackling through_the heavy underbrush ." I_could swallow one whole, and_that oughtn't to hurt much ." already his kind, cowardly, comfortable old heart was beginning to quake at_the thought of swallowing awoodcutter . but, arguing and rumbling to himself, he continued his race toward the south . by_the_time the castle clocks chimed eight, he_was miles and miles away from_the safe and delightful emerald city of Oz .

chapter 9 in search of a brave man

the cowardly lion was familiar with all the forests in Oz, and though the one through which he_was passing was so dense that, even in_the morning, only a dim light filtered through_the trees, he had no difficulty finding his way . in_the center of_this forest lived a small colony of woodcutters, and_the cowardly lion was heading straight for_this colony, roaring and growling to_keep up his courage . the more he thought about devouring a brave man, the faster he ran . the thing would_have to_be_done quickly or not at all- quickly before his heart failed him entirely . as_the hollow blows of an ax came echoing through_the stillness, a shiver ran down his back and, when a sudden leap brought him almost upon a tall Munchkin forester, he stopped altogether . at_the sound of_the crackling branches, the man turned, but when he_saw the new comer was a lion, he calmly went on with_his work .

" there's bravery for_you," gulped the cowardly lion to himself . now was his chance, for_the man's back was turned . but it_was no use; he simply could_not spring on a man brave enough to_turn his back, so instead he sighed heavily and sat down .

" how's the hunting ? " asked the woodcutter gruffly, after he had brought down his tree .

" why, not very_good, thank_you," replied the lion pensively . this_was worse still . could one eat up a man in_the middle of a conversation ?

" well, now that's too bad ." the woodcutter mopped his brow and turned ' round slowly ." tell me," asked the lion, blinking his eyes unhappily, " are_you a brave man ? "

" well, that," pondered the woodcutter, sitting down on a stump and wiping off his ax with a bunch of leaves, " that I hardly know ."

"Don't you_think talking to a lion is pretty brave ? " asked the great beast hopefully . he gathered himself for a spring . if_the man said yes, he_would certainly eat him up and_have an end to_this disagreeable business . but instead, the woodcutter regarded him closely .

" say ! " he burst out, hopping to_his feet and giving the cowardly lion aresounding whack on_the back, " say, this_is an honor . sorry I didn't recognize you at once .Boys ! " he raised his voice joyfully, "Boys, here's the good old cowardly lion, the cowardly lion himself . come on out . we've often heard about you," explained the big man, fairly beaming upon_the embarrassed lion, " but as none of us ever go to_the emerald city this_is_the first we've seen of you . how is_the Scarecrow and Ozma, and how's princess Dorothy ? you_see, even though we live in_the woods, we_know all about you famous folks ."

the cowardly lion put his paw to_his head and tried to_think . it_was upsetting to_have a man you intended to devour so frightfully polite ." how did you_know I was_the cowardly lion ? " he asked in a husky voice .

" why, first i_thought you were like any_other lion, then I_saw you were all of a tremble, and I says to myself, says I, 'Wilby, my lad, you're looking straight at_this famous cowardly lion of Oz .' I tell you it's a proud day for_me . to_think I'm talking face_to_face with a lion who has saved his country as many_times as_you_have .I declare now, it's a pleasure ."

before_the cowardly lion could answer, a dozen more woodcutters came running toward them and when he had_been introduced by Wilby Whut to each woodcutter in turn, and to_the wives and children of each woodcutter, he had neither the breath nor the inclination to devour anybody . the children hastily wove him a flower chain and crowed with delight when he trotted them about on_his back . the women brought out their choicest meats and dishes of honey to refresh him, while the men sat around and listened solemnly to all he had to_say of doings in_the emerald city . why, there had_not_been such a holiday in_the forest since_the wicked witch of_the west had_been destroyed by little Dorothy .

the cowardly lion, ashamed of_the dreadful purpose that had brought him to_the forest, outdid himself to entertain them . and so enchanted were the kindly woodcutters with_his conversation that he_could_not tear himself away until late in_the afternoon .

"I'll never be_able to eat awoodcutter," groaned the cowardly lion, trotting slowly along in_the gathering dusk ." never after_the way they_have treated me .I'll have to_find some other sort of brave person to swallow ." Scraps' advice was proving difficult right at_the start, and very thoughtfully the cowardly lion continued his journey .

it_was night time when he reached the edge of_the forest- night time and not a brave man in sight . but in_the southern part of_the Munchkin country there_are many great mountains and among_the sturdy Munchkin mountaineers surely there would_be a brave man . so the lion, who did_not mind at all traveling in_the dark, ran steadily toward the south, through quiet little villages, through fragrant fields and meadows, even swimming the broad and turbulent Munchkin river . it_was rather lonely, and he_wished Dorothy or sir Hokus of Pokes were along, but he well knew that neither would approve of_his plan for acquiring courage . he_was not sure that he approved of it himself, but he kept on arguing in_his head and shuddering in_his heart, and sighing because he_was so great a coward . just as_the sun rose he_came upon a brave man, asleep under a blue rose bush . he_knew he_must_be brave, because he_was dressed as a huntsman and beside him lay a terrible- looking gun .

the cowardly lion's heart began to thump like atriphammer, for he_was much afraid of guns . but it did_not seem at all fair to swallow a man in_his sleep and, though he trembled so violently he_could scarcely stand, he determined to waken the huntsman and to ascertain at_the same time whether he were brave enough for_his purpose .Gathering himself together as best he_could, he sprang upon_the sleeping huntsman . there_was a crackle and snap as_if he had stepped upon a pillow stuffed with twigs . then an ear splitting shriek flattened back the cowardly lion's ears and fairly curdled his blood . at_the same time his tail was seized from behind, and twisted terrifically .

" help ! help ! " screamed the huntsman, trying to rise .

"Ouch, stop ! " roared the cowardly lion, while the person who had hold of_his tail screamed in seven different keys . the cowardly lion removed his paw from_the huntsman's chest ." are_you a

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