Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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to_the Munchkin country by way of_the emerald city ? " inquired the Scarecrow, who looked upon_the tin woodman as_the leader of_the party .

" i_think not," was_the reply ." we_are engaged upon a rather delicate adventure, for we_are seeking a girl who fears her former lover has forgotten her . it_will_be rather hard for_me, you_must admit, when I confess to Nimmie Amee that I_have come to marry her because it_is my duty to_do_so, and therefore the fewer witnesses there_are to our meeting the better for both of us . after I_have found Nimmie Amee and she has managed to control her joy at our reunion, I_shall take her to_the emerald city and introduce her to Ozma and Dorothy, and to Betsy bobbin and tiny trot, and all our other friends; but, if I remember rightly, poor Nimmie Amee has a sharp tongue when angry, and she_may_be a trifle angry with me, at first, because I_have_been so_long in coming to her ."

" I_can understand that," said Woot gravely ." but how can we get to_that part of_the Munchkin country where you once lived without passing through_the emerald city ? "

" why, that_is easy," the tin man assured him .

" I_have a map of Oz in my pocket," persisted the boy, " and it shows that_the Winkie country, where we now are, is at_the west of Oz, and_the Munchkin country at_the east, while directly between_them lies the emerald city ."

" true enough; but we_shall go toward the north, first of all, into_the Gillikin country, and so pass around the emerald city," explained the tin woodman .

" that_may prove a dangerous journey," replied the boy ."I used to live in one_of_the top corners of_the Gillikin country, near to Oogaboo, and I_have_been told that in_this northland country are many people whom it_is_not pleasant to meet . i_was very careful to avoid them during my journey south ."

"A wanderer should_have no fear," observed the Scarecrow, who was wobbling along in a funny, haphazard manner, but keeping pace with_his friends .

" fear does_not make one a coward," returned Woot, growing a little red in_the face, " but I believe it_is more easy to avoid danger than to overcome it . the safest way is_the best way, even for_one who_is brave and determined ."

" do_not worry, for we_shall_not go far to_the north," said the emperor ." my one idea is to avoid the emerald city without going out of_our way more than is necessary . once around the emerald city we_will turn south into_the Munchkin country, where the Scarecrow and I are well acquainted and_have many friends ."

" I_have traveled some in_the Gillikin country," remarked the Scarecrow, " and while I_must say I_have met some strange people there at times, I_have never yet been harmed by_them ."

" well, it's all the same to_me," said Woot, with assumed carelessness ."Dangers, when they_cannot_be avoided, are often quite interesting, and I_am willing to_go wherever you two venture to_go ."

so they left the path they had_been following and began to travel toward the northeast, and all that day they were in_the pleasant Winkie country, and all the people they met saluted the emperor with great respect and wished him good luck on_his journey . at night they stopped at a house where they were well entertained and where Woot was given a comfortable bed to sleep in .

" were the Scarecrow and I alone," said the tin woodman, " we_would travel by night as_well as by day; but with a meat person in_our party, we_must halt at night to permit him to rest ."

" meat tires, after a day's travel," added the Scarecrow, " while straw and tin never tire at all . which proves," said he, " that we_are somewhat superior to people made in_the common way ."

Woot could_not deny that he_was tired, and he slept soundly until morning, when he_was given a good breakfast, smoking hot .

" you two miss a great deal by not eating," he_said to_his companions .

" it_is true," responded the Scarecrow ." we miss suffering from hunger, when food cannot_be had, and we miss astomachache, now_and_then ."

as he_said this, the Scarecrow glanced at_the tin woodman, who nodded his assent .

all that second day they traveled steadily, entertaining one another the while with stories of adventures they had formerly met and listening to_the Scarecrow recite poetry . he had learned a great_many poems from professor Wogglebug and loved to repeat them whenever anybody would listen to him . of_course Woot and_the tin woodman now listened, because they_could_not do otherwise -- unless they rudely ran away from their stuffed comrade . one_of_the Scarecrow's recitations was like this:

" what sound is so sweet as_the straw from_the wheat when it crunkles so tender and low ? it_is yellow and bright, so it gives me delight to crunkle wherever I go .

" sweet, fresh, golden straw ! there_is surely no flaw in astuffing so clean and compact . it creaks when I walk, and it thrills when I talk, and its fragrance is fine, for a fact ." to cut me don't hurt,

for I've no blood to squirt, and I therefore can suffer no pain; the straw that I use Doesn't lump up or bruise, though it's pounded again and again !

" I_know it_is said that my beautiful head has brains of mixed wheat- straw and bran, but my thoughts are so good I'd not change, if I_could, for_the brains of a common meat man .

" content with my lot, I'm glad that I'm not like others I meet day by day; if_my insides get musty, or mussed- up, or dusty, I get newly stuffed right away ."

chapter Four

the Loons of Loonville

toward evening, the travelers found there_was no longer a path to guide them, and_the purple hues of_the grass and trees warned them that_they were now in_the country of_the Gillikins, where strange peoples dwelt in places that were quite unknown to_the other inhabitants of Oz . the fields were wild and uncultivated and there were no houses of any sort to_be seen . but our friends kept on walking even after_the sun went down, hoping to_find a good place for Woot the wanderer to sleep; but when it grew quite dark and_the boy was weary with_his long walk, they halted right in_the middle of a field and allowed Woot to_get his supper from_the food he carried in_his knapsack . then the Scarecrow laid himself down, so_that Woot could use his stuffed body as a pillow, and_the tin woodman stood up beside them all night, so the dampness of_the ground might_not rust his joints or dull his brilliant polish . whenever the dew settled on_his body he carefully wiped it off with a cloth, and so in_the morning the emperor shone as brightly as ever in_the rays of_the rising sun .

they wakened the boy at daybreak, the Scarecrow saying to him:

" we_have discovered something queer, and therefore we_must counsel together what to_do about_it ."

" what have_you discovered ? " asked Woot, rubbing the sleep from_his eyes with_his knuckles and giving three wide yawns to_prove he_was fully awake .

"A sign," said the tin woodman ."A sign, and another path ."

" what does the sign say ? " inquired the boy .

" it says that ' all Strangers are warned not to_follow this path to Loonville,'" answered the Scarecrow, who_could read very_well when his eyes had_been freshly painted .

" in_that case," said the boy, opening his knapsack to_get some breakfast, " let_us travel in some other direction ."

but this_did_not seem to_please either of_his companions .

"I'd like to_see what Loonville looks like," remarked the tin woodman .

" when one travels, it_is foolish to miss any interesting sight," added the Scarecrow .

" but awarning means danger," protested Woot the wanderer, " and I believe it sensible to_keep out of danger whenever we_can ."

they made no reply to_this speech for a while . then said the Scarecrow:

" I_have escaped so_many dangers, during my lifetime, that I_am not much afraid of anything that_can happen ."

" nor am I ! " exclaimed the tin woodman, swinging his glittering axe around his tin head, in a series of circles ." few things can injure tin, and my axe is a powerful weapon to use against a foe . but our boy friend," he continued, looking solemnly at Woot, " might perhaps be injured if_the people of Loonville are really dangerous; so I propose he waits here while you and I, friend Scarecrow, visit the forbidden city of Loonville ."

"Don't worry about me," advised Woot, calmly ." wherever you wish to_go, i_will go, and share your dangers . during my wanderings I_have found it more wise to_keep out of danger than to venture in, but at_that_time i_was alone, and now I_have two powerful friends to protect me ."

so, when he had finished his breakfast, they all set out along the path that led to Loonville .

" it_is a place I_have never heard of before," remarked the Scarecrow, as_they approached a dense forest ." the inhabitants may_be people, of some sort, or they_may_be animals, but whatever they prove to_be, we_will_have an interesting story to relate to Dorothy and Ozma on_our return ."

the path led into_the forest, but the big trees grew so closely together and_the vines and underbrush were so thick and matted that_they had to clear a path at each step in_order to_proceed . in one_or_two places the tin man, who went first to clear the way, cut the branches with a blow of_his axe .Woot followed next, and last of_the three came the Scarecrow, who_could_not have kept the path at all had_not his comrades broken the way for_his straw- stuffed body .

presently the tin woodman pushed his way through some heavy underbrush, and almost tumbled headlong into a vast cleared space in_the forest . the clearing was circular, big and roomy, yet the top branches of_the tall trees reached over and formed a complete dome or roof for_it . strangely enough, it_was not dark in_this immense natural chamber in_the woodland, for_the place glowed with a soft, white light that seemed to_come from some unseen source .

in_the chamber were grouped dozens of queer creatures, and these so astonished the tin man that Woot had to push his metal body aside, that he might see, too . and_the Scarecrow pushed Woot aside, so that_the three travelers stood in a row, staring with all their eyes .

the creatures they beheld were round and ball- like; round in body, round in legs and arms, round in hands and feet and round of head . the only exception to_the roundness was a slight hollow on_the top of each head, making it saucer- shaped instead of dome- shaped . they wore no clothes on their puffy bodies, nor had they any hair . their skins were all of a light gray color, and their eyes were mere purple spots . their noses were as puffy as_the rest of_them .

" are they rubber, do_you_think ? " asked the Scarecrow, who noticed that_the creatures bounded, as_they moved, and seemed almost as light as air .

" it_is difficult to_tell what they_are," answered Woot, " they seem_to_be covered with warts ."

the Loons -- for so these folks were called -- had_been doing many things, some playing together, some working at tasks and some gathered in groups to_talk; but at_the sound of strange voices, which echoed rather loudly through_the clearing, all turned in_the direction of_the intruders . then, in a body, they all rushed forward, running and bounding with tremendous speed .

the tin woodman was so surprised by_this sudden dash that he had no time to raise his axe before_the Loons were on them . the creatures swung their puffy hands, which looked like boxing-gloves, and pounded the three travelers as hard as they_could, on all sides . the blows were quite soft and did_not hurt our friends at all, but the onslaught quite bewildered them, so_that in a brief period all three were knocked over and fell flat upon_the ground . once down, many_of_the Loons held them, to_prevent their getting up again, while others wound long tendrils of vines about_them, binding their arms and legs to_their bodies and so rendering them helpless .

"Aha ! " cried the biggest loon of all; " we've got 'em safe; so let's carry 'em to king Bal and_have 'em tried, and condemned and perforated ! " they had to drag their captives to_the center of_the domed chamber, for their weight, as compared with_that of_the Loons, prevented their being carried . even the Scarecrow was much heavier than_the puffy Loons . but finally the party halted before a raised platform, on_which stood a sort of throne, consisting of a big, wide chair with a string tied to one arm of it . this string led upward to_the roof of_the dome .

arranged before_the platform, the prisoners were allowed to sit up, facing the empty throne .

" good ! " said the big loon who had commanded the party ." now to_get king Bal to judge these terrible creatures we_have so bravely captured ."

as he spoke he_took hold of_the string and began to pull as hard as he_could . one_or_two of_the others helped him and pretty soon, as_they drew in_the cord, the leaves above them parted and a loon appeared at_the other end of_the string . it didn't take long to draw him down to_the throne, where he seated himself and was tied in, so he wouldn't float upward again .

"Hello," said the king, blinking his purple eyes at his followers; " what's up now ! "

"Strangers, your majesty -- strangers and captives," replied the big loon, pompously

" dear me ! I_see 'em . I_see 'em very plainly," exclaimed the king, his purple eyes bulging out as he looked at_the three prisoners ." what curious animals ! are they dangerous, do_you_think, my good Panta ? "

"I'm 'fraid so, your majesty

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