Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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cage, for several weeks, and she hangs my cage in her bedroom every night, so_that she_can keep her eye on me," explained polychrome the canary ." therefore I_have discovered that_it_is the magic apron that opens the doors and windows, and nothing else can move them . when she goes to bed, Mrs Yoop hangs her apron on_the bedpost, and one morning she forgot to_put it on when she commanded the door to open, and_the door would_not move . so then she put on_the lace apron and_the door obeyed her . that was how I learned the magic power of_the apron ."

" I_see -- I_see ! " said the little brown bear, wagging his stuffed head ." then, if_we_could get the apron from Mrs Yoop, we_could open the doors and escape from_our prison ."

" that_is true, and it_is_the plan i_was about to suggest," replied polychrome the canary- bird ." however, I don't believe the owl could steal the apron, or even the bear, but perhaps the monkey could hide in her room at night and get the apron while she_is asleep ."

"I'll try it ! " cried Woot the monkey ."I'll try it this very night, if I_can manage to steal into her bedroom ."

" you mustn't think about_it, though," warned the bird, " for she_can read your thoughts whenever she cares to_do_so . and do_not forget, before_you escape, to_take me with_you . once I_am out_of_the power of_the Giantess, I_may discover a way to save us all ."

" we won't forget our fairy friend," promised the boy; " but perhaps you_can tell me how to_get into_the bedroom ."

" no," declared polychrome, " I_cannot advise you as_to_that . you_must watch for a chance, and slip in when Mrs Yoop isn't looking ."

they talked it over for a while longer and then Mrs Yoop returned . when she entered, the door opened suddenly, at her command, and closed as_soon_as her huge form had passed through_the doorway . during that day she entered her bedroom several_times, on one errand or another, but always she commanded the door to close behind her and her prisoners found not the slightest chance to leave the big hall in_which they were confined .

the green monkey thought it would_be wise to_make a friend of_the big woman, so as_to gain her confidence, so he sat on_the back of her chair and chattered to her while she mended her stockings and sewed silver buttons on some golden shoes that were as big as row-boats . this pleased the Giantess and she_would pause at times to pat the monkey's head . the little brown bear curled up in a corner and lay still all day . the owl and_the canary found they_could converse together in_the bird language, which neither the Giantess nor the bear nor the monkey could understand; so at times they twittered away to each_other and passed the long, dreary day quite cheerfully .

after dinner Mrs Yoop took a big fiddle from a big cupboard and played such loud and dreadful music that her prisoners were all thankful when at last she stopped and said she was going to bed .

after cautioning the monkey and bear and owl to behave themselves during the night, she picked up the cage containing the canary and, going to_the door of her bedroom, commanded it to open . just then, however, she remembered she had left her fiddle lying upon a table, so she went back for_it and put it away in_the cupboard, and while her back was turned the green monkey slipped through_the open door into her bedroom and hid underneath the bed . the Giantess, being sleepy, did_not notice this, and entering her room she made the door close behind her and then hung the bird- cage on a Peg by_the window . then she began to undress, first taking off the lace apron and laying it over the bedpost, where it_was within easy reach of her hand .

as_soon_as Mrs Yoop was in bed the lights all went out, and Woot the monkey crouched under the bed and waited patiently until he heard the Giantess snoring . then he crept out and in_the dark felt around until he got hold of_the apron, which he at once tied around his own waist .

next, Woot tried to_find the canary, and there_was just enough moonlight showing through_the window to enable him to_see where the cage hung; but it_was out of_his reach . at first he_was tempted to leave polychrome and escape with_his other friends, but remembering his promise to_the rainbow's daughter Woot tried to_think how to save her .

a chair stood near the window, and this -- showing dimly in_the moonlight -- gave him an idea . by pushing against it with all his might, he_found he_could move the giant chair a few inches at_a_time . so he pushed and pushed until the chair was beneath the bird- cage, and then he sprang noiselessly upon_the seat -- for_his monkey form enabled him to jump higher than he_could do as a boy -- and from there to_the back of_the chair, and so managed to reach the cage and take it off the Peg . then down he sprang to_the floor and made his way to_the door ." open ! " he commanded, and at once the door obeyed and swung open, but his voice wakened Mrs Yoop, who gave a wild cry and sprang out of bed with one bound . the green monkey dashed through_the doorway, carrying the cage with_him, and before_the Giantess could reach the door it slammed shut and imprisoned her in her own bed- chamber !

the noise she made, pounding upon_the door, and her yells of anger and dreadful threats of vengeance, filled all our friends with terror, and Woot the monkey was so excited that in_the dark he_could_not find the outer door of_the hall . but the tin owl could_see very nicely in_the dark, so he guided his friends to_the right place and when all were grouped before_the door Woot commanded it to open . the magic apron proved as powerful as when it had_been worn by_the Giantess, so a moment later they had rushed through_the passage and were standing in_the fresh night air outside the castle, free to_go wherever they willed .

chapter Eight

the menace of_the forest

" quick ! " cried polychrome the canary; " we_must hurry, or Mrs Yoop may find some way to recapture us, even now . let_us get out of her valley as_soon_as_possible ."

so they set off toward the east, moving as swiftly as they_could, and for_a_long_time they_could hear the yells and struggles of_the imprisoned Giantess . the green monkey could run over the ground very swiftly, and he carried with_him the bird- cage containing polychrome the rain- bow's daughter . also the tin owl could skip and fly along at a good rate of speed, his feathers rattling against one another with atinkling sound as he moved . but the little brown bear, being stuffed with straw, was a clumsy traveler and_the others had to wait for him to_follow .

however, they were_not very long in reaching the ridge that led out of Mrs Yoop's valley, and when_they had passed this ridge and descended into_the next valley they stopped to rest, for_the green monkey was tired .

"I believe we_are safe, now," said polychrome, when her cage was set down and_the others had all gathered around it, " for_Mrs Yoop dares not go outside of her own valley, for fear of being captured by her enemies . so we_may take our time to consider what to_do next ."

"I'm afraid poor Mrs Yoop will starve to death, if no one lets her out of her bedroom," said Woot, who had a heart as kind as_that of_the tin woodman ." we've taken her magic apron away, and now the doors will never open ."

"Don't worry about_that," advised polychrome ." Mrs Yoop has plenty of magic left to console her ."

" are_you sure of_that ? " asked the green monkey .

" yes, for I've been watching her for weeks," said the canary ." she has six magic hairpins, which she wears in her hair, and a magic ring which she wears on her thumb and which_is invisible to all eyes except those of a fairy, and magic bracelets on both her ankles . so I_am positive that she will manage to_find a way out of her prison ."

" she might transform the door into an archway," suggested the little brown bear .

" that_would_be easy for her," said the tin owl; " but I'm glad she was too angry to_think of_that before we got out of her valley ."

" well, we_have escaped the big woman, to_be_sure," remarked the green monkey, " but we still wear the awful forms the cruel yookoohoo gave_us . how are we going to_get rid of_these shapes, and become ourselves again ? "

none could answer that question . they sat around the cage, brooding over the problem, until the monkey fell asleep .Seeing this, the canary tucked her head under her wing and also slept, and_the tin owl and_the brown bear did_not disturb them until morning came and it_was broad daylight .

"I'm hungry," said Woot, when he wakened, for_his knapsack of food had_been left behind at_the castle .

" then let_us travel on until we_can find something for_you to eat," returned the Scarecrow bear .

" there_is no use in your lugging my cage any farther," declared the canary ." let me out, and throw the cage away . then I_can fly with_you and find my own breakfast of seeds . also I_can search for water, and tell you where to_find it ."

so the green monkey unfastened the door of_the golden cage and_the canary hopped out . at first she flew high in_the air and made great circles overhead, but after a time she returned and perched beside them .

" at_the east in_the direction we were following," announced the canary, " there_is a fine forest, with a brook running through it . in_the forest there_may_be fruits or nuts growing, or berry bushes at its edge, so let_us go that way ."

they agreed to_this and promptly set off, this_time moving more deliberately . the tin owl, which had guided their way during the night, now found the sunshine very trying to_his big eyes, so he shut them tight and perched upon_the back of_the little brown bear, which carried the owl's weight with ease . the canary sometimes perched upon_the green monkey's shoulder and sometimes fluttered on ahead of_the party, and in_this manner they traveled in good spirits across that valley and into_the next one to_the east of it .

this they found to_be an immense hollow, shaped like a saucer, and on its farther edge appeared the forest which polychrome had seen from_the sky .

" come to_think of it," said the tin owl, waking up and blinking comically at his friends, " there's no object, now, in_our traveling to_the Munchkin country . my idea in going there_was to marry Nimmie Amee, but however much the Munchkin girl may_have loved a tin woodman, I_cannot reasonably expect her to marry a tin owl ."

" there_is some truth in_that, my friend," remarked the brown bear ." and to_think that I, who was considered the handsomest Scarecrow in_the_world, am now condemned to_be a scrubby, no- account beast, whose only redeeming feature is_that he_is stuffed with straw ! "

" consider my case, please," said Woot ." the cruel Giantess has_made a monkey of a boy, and that_is_the most dreadful deed of all ! "

" your color is rather pretty," said the brown bear, eyeing Woot critically ." I_have never seen a pea- green monkey before, and it strikes me you_are quite gorgeous ."

" it isn't so bad to_be a bird," asserted the canary, fluttering from one to another with a free and graceful motion, " but I long to enjoy my own shape agam ."

" as polychrome, you were the loveliest maiden I_have ever seen -- except, of_course, Ozma," said the tin owl; " so the Giantess did well to transform you into_the loveliest of all birds, if_you were to_be transformed at all . but tell me, since you_are a fairy, and_have a fairy wisdom: do_you_think we_shall_be_able to break these enchantments ? "

" queer things happen in_the land of Oz," replied the canary, again perching on_the green monkey's shoulder and turning one bright eye thoughtfully toward her questioner ." Mrs Yoop has declared that none of her transformations can ever be changed, even by herself, but I believe that if_we_could get to Glinda the good sorceress, she might find a way to restore us to our natural shapes .Glinda, as_you_know, is_the most powerful sorceress in_the_world, and there_are few things she_cannot do if she tries ."

" in_that case," said the little brown bear, " let_us return southward and try to_get to Glinda's castle . it lies in_the Quadling country, you_know, so it_is a good way from here ."

" first, however, let_us visit the forest and search for something to eat," pleaded Woot . so they continued on to_the edge of_the forest, which consisted of many tall and beautiful trees . they discovered no fruit trees, at first, so the green monkey pushed on into_the forest depths and_the others followed close behind him .

they were traveling quietly along, under the shade of_the trees, when

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