Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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." that's a fine idea ."

" leave me out of it," said Toto ."I won't do_it ."

"Wouldn't you be willing to_become a green monkey -- see what a pretty color it_is -- so that_this poor boy could_be restored to_his own shape ? " asked Jinjur, pleadingly

" no," said Toto .

"I don't like that plan the least bit," declared Dorothy, " for then I wouldn't have any little dog ."

" but you'd have a green monkey in_his place," persisted Jinjur, who liked Woot and wanted to help him .

"I don't want a green monkey," said Dorothy positively .

"Don't speak of_this again, I beg of you," said Woot ." this_is my own misfortune and i_would rather suffer it alone than deprive princess Dorothy of her dog, or deprive the dog of_his proper shape . and perhaps even her majesty, Ozma of Oz, might_not_be_able to transform anyone else into_the shape of Woot the wanderer ."

" yes; I believe I_might do_that," Ozma returned; " but Woot is quite right; we_are_not justified in inflicting upon anyone -- man or dog -- the form of a green monkey . also it_is certain that in_order to relieve the boy of_the form he now wears, we_must give it to someone else, who_would_be forced to wear it always ."

"I wonder," said Dorothy, thoughtfully, " if_we couldn't find someone in_the land of Oz who_would_be willing to_become a green monkey ? Seems to_me a monkey is active and spry, and he_can climb trees and do alot of clever things, and green isn't a bad color for a monkey -- it makes him unusual ."

"I wouldn't ask anyone to_take this dreadful form," said Woot; " it wouldn't be right, you_know .I've been a monkey for some_time, now, and I don't like it . it makes me ashamed to_be a beast of_this sort when by right of birth I'm a boy; so I'm sure it would_be wicked to ask anyone else to_take my place ."

they were all silent, for they knew he spoke the truth . Dorothy was almost ready to cry with pity and Ozma's sweet face was sad and disturbed . the Scarecrow rubbed and patted his stuffed head to_try to_make it think better, while the tin woodman went into_the house and began to oil his tin joints so that_the sorrow of_his friends might_not cause him to weep .Weeping is liable to rust tin, and_the emperor prided himself upon his highly polished body -- now doubly dear to him because for a time he had_been deprived of it .

polychrome had danced down the garden paths and back again a dozen times, for she was seldom still a moment, yet she had heard Ozma's speech and understood very_well Woot's unfortunate position . but the rainbow's daughter, even while dancing, could think and reason very clearly, and suddenly she solved the problem in_the nicest possible way .Coming close to Ozma, she said:

" your majesty, all this trouble was caused by_the wickedness of Mrs Yoop, the Giantess . yet even now that cruel woman is living in her secluded castle, enjoying the thought that she has put this terrible enchantment on Woot the wanderer . even now she_is laughing at our despair because we_can find no way to_get rid of_the green monkey . very_well, we_do_not wish to_get rid of it . let the woman who created the form wear it herself, as a just punishment for her wickedness . I_am_sure your fairy power can give to Mrs Yoop the form of Woot the wanderer -- even at_this distance from her -- and then it_will_be possible to exchange the two forms .Mrs Yoop will become the green monkey, and Woot will recover his own form again ."

Ozma's face brightened as she listened to_this clever proposal .

" thank_you, polychrome," said she ." the task you propose is_not so easy as_you suppose, but i_will make_the attempt, and perhaps I_may succeed ."

chapter Fourteen

the green monkey

they now entered the house, and as an interested group, watched Jinjur, at Ozma's command, build a fire and put akettle of water over to boil . the ruler of Oz stood before_the fire silent and grave, while the others, realizing that an important ceremony of magic was about to_be performed, stood quietly in_the background so as not to interrupt Ozma's proceedings . only polychrome kept going in and coming out, humming softly to herself as she danced, for_the rainbow's daughter could_not keep still for long, and_the four walls of a room always made her nervous and ill at ease . she moved so noiselessly, however, that her movements were like the shifting of sunbeams and did_not annoy anyone .

when_the water in_the kettle bubbled, Ozma drew from her bosom two tiny packets containing powders . these powders she threw into_the kettle and after briskly stirring the contents with a branch from a macaroon bush, Ozma poured the mystic broth upon a broad platter which Jinjur had placed upon_the table . as_the broth cooled it became as silver, reflecting all objects from its smooth surface like a mirror .

while her companions gathered around the table, eagerly attentive -- and Dorothy even held little Toto in her arms that he might see -- Ozma waved her wand over the mirror- like surface . at once it reflected the interior of Yoop castle, and in_the big hall sat Mrs Yoop, in her best embroidered silken robes, engaged in weaving a new lace apron to replace the one she had lost .

the Giantess seemed rather uneasy, as_if she had a faint idea that someone was spying upon her, for she kept looking behind her and this_way and_that, as_though expecting danger from an unknown source . perhaps some yookoohoo instinct warned her .Woot saw that she had escaped from her room by some_of_the magical means at her disposal, after her prisoners had escaped her . she was now occupying the big hall of her castle as she used to_do . also Woot thought, from_the cruel expression on_the face of_the Giantess, that she was planning revenge on them, as_soon_as her new magic apron was finished

but Ozma was now making passes over the platter with her silver wand, and presently the form of_the Giantess began to shrink in size and to_change its shape . and now, in her place sat the form of Woot the wanderer, and as_if suddenly realizing her transformation Mrs Yoop threw down her work and rushed to a looking- glass that stood against the wall of her room . when she saw the boy's form reflected as her own, she grew violently angry and dashed her head against the mirror, smashing it to atoms .

just then Ozma was busy with her magic wand, making strange figures, and she had also placed her left_hand firmly upon_the shoulder of_the green monkey . so now, as all eyes were turned upon_the platter, the form of Mrs Yoop gradually changed again . she was slowly transformed into_the green monkey, and at_the same time Woot slowly regained his natural form .

it_was quite a surprise to_them all when_they raised their eyes from_the platter and saw Woot the wanderer standing beside Ozma . and, when_they glanced at_the platter again, it reflected nothing more than_the walls of_the room in Jinjur's house in_which they stood . the magic ceremonial was ended, and Ozma of Oz had triumphed over the wicked Giantess .

" what_will become of her, I wonder ? " said Dorothy, as she drew a long breath .

" she will always remain a green monkey," replied Ozma, " and in_that form she will_be unable to perform any magical arts whatsoever . she need_not_be unhappy, however, and as she lives all alone in her castle she probably won't mind the transformation very_much after she gets used to_it ."

"Anyhow, it serves her right," declared Dorothy, and all agreed with her .

" but," said the kind hearted tin woodman, "I'm afraid the green monkey will starve, for_Mrs Yoop used to_get her food by magic, and now that_the magic is taken away from her, what can she eat ? "

" why, she'll eat what other monkeys do," returned the Scarecrow ." even in_the form of a green monkey, she's a very clever person, and I'm sure her wits will show her how to_get plenty to eat ."

"Don't worry about her," advised Dorothy ." she didn't worry about you, and her condition is no worse than_the condition she imposed on poor Woot . she_can't starve to death in_the land of Oz, that's certain, and if she gets hungry at times it's no more than_the wicked thing deserves . let's forget Mrs Yoop; for, in_spite of her being ayookoohoo, our fairy friends have broken all of her transformations ."

chapter Fifteen

the man of tin

Ozma and Dorothy were quite pleased with Woot the wanderer, whom they found modest and intelligent and very_well mannered . the boy was truly grateful for_his release from_the cruel enchantment, and he promised to love, revere and defend the girl ruler of Oz forever afterward, as a faithful subject .

" you_may visit me at my palace, if_you_wish," said Ozma, " where I will_be_glad to introduce you to two other nice boys, Ojo the Munchkin and button- bright ."

" thank your majesty," replied Woot, and then he turned to_the tin woodman and inquired: " what_are your further plans, Mr emperor ? will_you still seek Nimmie Amee and marry her, or will_you abandon the quest and return to_the emerald city and your own castle ? "

the tin woodman, now as highly polished and well- oiled as ever, reflected a while on_this question and then answered:

" well, I_see no reason why I should_not find Nimmie Amee . we_are now in_the Munchkin country, where we_are perfectly safe, and if_it_was right for_me, before our enchantment, to marry Nimmie Amee and make her empress of_the Winkies, it must_be right now, when_the enchantment has_been broken and I_am once more myself .Am I correct, friend Scarecrow ? "

" you_are, indeed," answered the Scarecrow ." no one can oppose such logic ."

" but I'm afraid you don't love Nimmie Amee," suggested Dorothy .

" that_is just because I_can't love anyone," replied the tin woodman ." but, if I_cannot love my wife, I_can at_least be kind to her, and all husbands are_not able to do_that ."

" do_you s' pose Nimmie Amee still loves you, after all these years ? " asked Dorothy

"I'm quite_sure of it, and_that is why I_am going to her to_make her happy .Woot the wanderer thinks I ought to reward her for being faithful to_me after my meat body was chopped to pieces and I became tin . what do_you_think, Ozma ? "

Ozma smiled as she said:

" I_do_not know your Nimmie Amee, and so I_cannot tell what she most needs to_make her happy . but there_is no harm in your going to her and asking her if she still wishes to marry you . if she does, we_will give_you a grand wedding at_the emerald city and, afterward, as empress of_the Winkies, Nimmie Amee would become one_of_the_most important ladies in all Oz ."

so it_was decided that_the tin woodman would continue his journey, and_that the Scarecrow and Woot the wanderer should accompany him, as before . polychrome also decided to join their party, somewhat to_the surprise of all .

"I hate to_be cooped up in a palace," she said to Ozma, " and of_course the first time I meet my rainbow I_shall return to my own dear home in_the skies, where my fairy sisters are even now awaiting me and my father is cross because I get lost so often . but I_can find my rainbow just as quickly while traveling in_the Munchkin country as I_could if living in_the emerald city -- or any_other place in Oz -- so I_shall go with_the tin woodman and help him woo Nimmie Amee ."

Dorothy wanted to_go, too, but as_the tin woodman did_not invite her to join his party, she felt she might_be intruding if she asked to_be taken . she hinted, but she found he didn't take_the hint . it_is quite a delicate matter for_one to ask a girl to marry him, however much she loves him, and perhaps the tin woodman did_not desire to_have too many looking on when he_found his old sweetheart, Nimmie Amee . so Dorothy contented herself with_the thought that she_would help Ozma prepare a splendid wedding feast, to_be followed by a round of parties and festivities when_the emperor of_the Winkies reached the emerald city with_his bride .

Ozma offered to_take them all in_the red wagon to a place as near to_the great Munchkin forest as a wagon could get . the red wagon was big enough to seat them all, and so, bidding good-bye to Jinjur, who gave Woot a basket of ripe cream-puffs and caramels to_take with_him, Ozma commanded the wooden sawhorse to start, and_the strange creature moved swiftly over the lanes and presently came to_the road of yellow Bricks . this road led straight to a dense forest, where the path was too narrow for_the red wagon to_proceed farther, so here the party separated .

Ozma and Dorothy and Toto returned to_the emerald city, after wishing their friends a safe and successful journey, while the tin woodman, the Scarecrow, Woot the wanderer and polychrome, the rainbow's daughter, prepared to push their way through_the thick forest . however, these forest paths were well known to_the tin man and_the Scarecrow, who felt quite at home among_the trees .

" i_was born in_this grand forest," said nick chopper, the tin emperor, speaking proudly, " and it_was here that_the witch enchanted my axe and I lost different parts of_my meat body until I became all tin . here, also -- for_it is a big forest -- Nimmie Amee lived with_the wicked witch, and at_the other edge of_the trees stands the cottage of_my friend Ku-Klip, the famous tinsmith who_made my present beautiful form ."

" he_must_be a clever workman,"

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