Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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seat of_the chair .Leaning down, he put out his hand and found that a bedstead had appeared, with mattress, sheets and covers, all complete . he_lost no time in slipping down upon_the bed and was soon fast asleep .

during the night the Scarecrow and_the emperor talked in low tones together, and_they got out_of_the chair and moved all about_the room, feeling for some hidden spring that might open a door or window and permit them to escape .

morning found them still unsuccessful in_the quest and as_soon_as it_was daylight Woot's bed suddenly disappeared, and he dropped to_the floor with a thump that quickly wakened him . and after a time the Giantess came from her bedroom, wearing another dress that was quite as elaborate as_the one in_which she had_been attired the evening before, and also wearing the pretty lace apron .Having seated herself in a chair, she said:

"I'm hungry; so I'll have breakfast at once ."

she clapped her hands together and instantly the table appeared before her, spread with snowy linen and laden with golden dishes . but there_was no food upon_the table, nor anything else except a pitcher of water, a bundle of weeds and a handful of pebbles . but the Giantess poured some water into her coffee- pot, patted it once_or_twice with her hand, and then poured out a cupful of steaming hot coffee .

" would you like some ? " she asked Woot .

he_was suspicious of magic coffee, but it smelled so good that he_could_not resist it; so he answered: " if_you please, madam ."

the Giantess poured out another cup and set it on_the floor for Woot . it_was as big as a tub, and_the golden spoon in_the saucer beside the cup was so heavy the boy could scarcely lift it . but Woot managed to_get a sip of_the coffee and found it delicious .

Mrs Yoop next transformed the weeds into a dish of oatmeal, which she ate with good appetite .

" now, then," said she, picking up the pebbles ."I'm wondering whether I_shall_have fish-balls or lamb-chops to complete my meal . which would you prefer, Woot the wanderer ? "

" if_you please, I'll eat the food in my knapsack," answered the boy ." your magic food might taste good, but I'm afraid of it ."

the woman laughed at his fears and transformed the pebbles into fish-balls .

"I suppose you_think that after you had eaten this food it would turn to stones again and make you sick," she remarked; " but that_would_be impossible . nothing I transform ever gets back to its former shape again, so these fish-balls can never more be pebbles . that_is why I_have to_be careful of_my transformations," she added, busily eating while she talked, " for while I_can change forms at will I_can never change them back again -- which proves that even the powers of a clever Yookoohoo are limited . when I_have transformed you three people, you_must always wear the shapes that I_have_given you ."

" then please don't transform us," begged Woot, " for we_are quite satisfied to remain as_we_are ."

" I_am not expecting to satisfy you, but intend to_please myself," she declared, " and my pleasure is to_give_you new shapes . for, if by chance your friends came in search of you, not one_of_them would_be_able to recognize you ."

her tone was so positive that_they knew it would_be useless to protest . the woman was not unpleasant to look at; her face was not cruel; her voice was big but gracious in tone; but her words showed that she possessed a merciless heart and no pleadings would alter her wicked purpose .

Mrs Yoop took ample time to finish her breakfast and_the prisoners had no desire to hurry her, but finally the meal was concluded and she folded her napkin and made the table disappear by clapping her hands together . then she turned to her captives and said:

" the next thing on_the programme is to_change your forms ."

" have_you decided what forms to_give us ? " asked the Scarecrow, uneasily .

" yes; I dreamed it all out while i_was asleep . this tin man seems a very solemn person " -- indeed, the tin woodman was looking solemn, just then, for he_was greatly disturbed -- " so I_shall change him into an owl ."

all she did was to point one finger at him as she spoke, but immediately the form of_the tin woodman began to_change and in a few seconds nick chopper, the emperor of_the Winkies, had_been transformed into an owl, with eyes as big as saucers and a hooked beak and strong claws . but he_was still tin . he_was a tin owl, with tin legs and beak and eyes and feathers . when he flew to_the back of a chair and perched upon it, his tin feathers rattled against one another with a tinny clatter . the Giantess seemed much amused by_the tin owl's appearance, for her laugh was big and jolly .

" you're not liable to_get lost," said she, " for your wings and feathers will make a racket wherever you go . and, on my word, a tin owl is so rare and pretty that_it_is an improvement on_the ordinary bird . I_did_not intend to_make you tin, but I forgot to wish you to_be meat . however, tin you were, and tin you_are, and as it's too late to_change you, that settles it ."

until now the Scarecrow had rather doubted the possibility of Mrs Yoop's being able to transform him, or his friend the tin woodman, for they were_not made as ordinary people are . he had worried more over what might happen to Woot than to himself, but now he began to worry about himself .

" madam," he_said hastily, "I consider this action very impolite . it may even be called rude, considering we_are your guests ."

" you_are_not guests, for I_did_not invite you here," she replied .

" perhaps not; but we craved hospitality . we threw ourselves upon your mercy, so to_speak, and we now find you_have no mercy . therefore, if_you_will excuse the expression, I_must say it_is downright wicked to_take our proper forms away from_us and give_us others that we_do_not care for ."

" are_you trying to_make me angry ? " she asked, frowning .

" by no means," said the Scarecrow; "I'm just trying to_make you act more ladylike ."

"Oh, indeed ! in my opinion, Mr Scarecrow, you_are now acting like a bear -- so a bear you shall be ! "

again the dreadful finger pointed, this_time in_the Scarecrow's direction, and at once his form began to_change . in a few seconds he had become a small brown bear, but he_was stuffed with straw as he had_been before, and when_the little brown bear shuffled across the floor he_was just as wobbly as_the Scarecrow had_been and moved just as awkwardly .

Woot was amazed, but he_was also thoroughly frightened .

" did it hurt ? " he asked the little brown bear .

" no, of_course not," growled the Scarecrow in_the bear's form; " but I don't like walking on four legs; it's undignified ."

" consider my humiliation ! " chirped the tin owl, trying to settle its tin feathers smoothly with its tin beak ." and I_can't see very_well, either . the light seems to hurt my eyes ."

" that's because you_are an owl," said Woot ." i_think you_will_see better in_the dark ."

" well," remarked the Giantess, "I'm very_well pleased with_these new forms, for_my part, and I'm sure you_will like them better when_you get used to_them . so now," she added, turning to_the boy, " it_is your turn ."

"Don't you_think you'd better leave me as I_am ? " asked Woot in atrembling voice .

" no," she replied, "I'm going to_make a monkey of you .I love monkeys -- they're so cute ! -- and i_think a green monkey will_be lots of fun and amuse me when I_am sad ."

Woot shivered, for again the terrible magic finger pointed, and pointed directly his way . he_felt himself changing; not so very_much, however, and it didn't hurt him a bit . he looked down at his limbs and body and found that his clothes were gone and_his skin covered with a fine, silk- like green fur . his hands and feet were now those of a monkey . he realized he really was a monkey, and_his first feeling was one of anger . he began to chatter as monkeys do . he bounded to_the seat of a giant chair, and then to its back and with a wild leap sprang upon_the laughing Giantess . his idea was to seize her hair and pull it out by_the roots, and so have revenge for her wicked transformations . but she raised her hand and said:

" gently, my dear monkey -- gently ! you're not angry; you're happy as can_be ! "

Woot stopped short . no; he wasn't a bit angry now; he_felt as good- humored and gay as ever he_did when a boy . instead of pulling Mrs Yoop's hair, he perched on her shoulder and smoothed her soft cheek with_his hairy paw . in return, she smiled at_the funny green animal and patted his head .

" very_good," said the Giantess ." let_us all become friends and be happy together . how is my tin owl feeling ? "

" quite comfortable," said the owl ."I don't like it, to_be_sure, but I'm not going to allow my new form to_make me unhappy . but, tell me, please: what_is a tin owl good for ? "

" you_are only good to_make me laugh," replied the Giantess .

" will a stuffed bear also make you laugh ? " inquired the Scarecrow, sitting back on_his haunches to look up at her .

" of_course," declared the Giantess; " and I_have added a little magic to your transformations to_make you all contented with wearing your new forms .I'm sorry I didn't think to do_that when I transformed polychrome into a canary- bird . but perhaps, when she sees how cheerful you_are, she will cease to_be silent and sullen and take to singing . i_will go get the bird and let you_see her ."

with_this, Mrs Yoop went into_the next room and soon returned bearing a golden cage in_which sat upon aswinging perch a lovely yellow canary ." polychrome," said the Giantess, " permit me to introduce to_you a green monkey, which used to_be a boy called Woot the wanderer, and a tin owl, which used to_be a tin woodman named nick chopper, and a straw- stuffed little brown bear which used to_be a live Scarecrow ."

" we already know one another," declared the Scarecrow ." the bird is polychrome, the rainbow's daughter, and she and I used to_be good friends ."

" are_you really my old friend, the Scarecrow ? " asked; the bird, in a sweet, low voice .

" there ! " cried Mrs Yoop; " that's the first time she has spoken since she was transformed ."

" I_am really your old friend," answered the Scarecrow; " but you_must pardon me for appearing just now in_this brutal form ."

" I_am a bird, as_you_are, dear Poly," said the tin woodman; " but, alas ! a tin owl is_not as beautiful as a canary- bird ."

" how dreadful it all is ! " sighed the canary ."Couldn't you manage to escape from_this terrible Yookoohoo ? "

no," answered the Scarecrow, " we_tried to escape, but failed . she first made us her prisoners and then transformed us . but how did she manage to_get you, polychrome ? "'

" i_was asleep, and she took unfair advantage of me," answered the bird sadly ." had I been awake, I_could easily have protected myself ."

" tell me," said the green monkey earnestly, as he_came close to_the cage, " what must we_do, daughter of_the rainbow, to escape from_these transformations ? can't you help_us, being a fairy ? " " at present I_am powerless to help even myself," replied the canary .

" that's the exact truth ! " exclaimed the Giantess, who seemed pleased to hear the bird talk, even though it complained; " you_are all helpless and in my power, so you_may as_well make up your minds to accept your fate and be content . remember that you_are transformed for good, since no magic on earth can break your enchantments . I_am now going out for_my morning walk, for each_day after breakfast I walk sixteen times around my castle for exercise . amuse yourselves while I_am gone, and when I return I_hope to_find you all reconciled and happy ."

so the Giantess walked to_the door by_which our friends had entered the great hall and spoke one word: " open ! " then the door swung open and after Mrs Yoop had passed out it closed again with a snap as its powerful bolts shot into place . the green monkey had rushed toward the opening, hoping to escape, but he_was too late and only got a bump on_his nose as_the door slammed shut .

chapter Seven

the lace apron

" now," said the canary, in a tone more brisk than before, " we_may talk together more freely, as Mrs Yoop cannot hear us . perhaps we_can figure out a way to escape ."

" open ! " said Woot the monkey, still facing the door; but his command had no effect and he slowly rejoined the others .

" you_cannot open any door or window in_this enchanted castle unless you_are wearing the magic apron," said the canary .

" what magic apron do_you_mean ? " asked the tin owl, in a curious voice .

" the lace one, which the Giantess always wears . I_have_been her prisoner, in_this cage,

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