Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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workman," declared Woot, admiringly .

" he_is simply wonderful," declared the tin woodman .

" I_shall_be_glad to_make his acquaintance," said Woot .

" if_you_wish to meet with real cleverness," remarked the Scarecrow, " you_should visit the Munchkin farmer who first made me .I won't say that my friend the emperor isn't all right for a tin man, but any judge of beauty can understand that aScarecrow is far more artistic and refined ."

" you_are too soft and flimsy," said the tin woodman .

" you_are too hard and stiff," said the Scarecrow, and this_was as near to quarreling as_the two friends ever came . polychrome laughed at them both, as_well she might, and Woot hastened to_change the subject .

at night they all camped underneath the trees . the boy ate cream-puffs for supper and offered polychrome some, but she preferred other food and at daybreak sipped the dew that was clustered thick on_the forest flowers . then they tramped onward again, and presently the Scarecrow paused and said:

" it_was on_this very spot that Dorothy and I first met the tin woodman, who was rusted so badly that none of_his joints would move . but after we had oiled him up, he_was as good as new and accompanied us to_the emerald city ."

"Ah, that was a sad experience," asserted the tin woodman soberly ." i_was caught in a rainstorm while chopping down a tree for exercise, and before I realized it, i_was firmly rusted in every joint . there I stood, axe in hand, but unable to move, for days and weeks and months ! indeed, I_have never known exactly how long the time was; but finally along came Dorothy and i_was saved . see ! this_is_the very tree i_was chopping at_the_time I rusted ."

" you_cannot be far from your old home, in_that case," said Woot .

" no; my little cabin stands not a great way off, but there_is no occasion for_us to visit it . our errand is with Nimmie Amee, and her house is somewhat farther away, to_the left of us ."

"Didn't you say she lives with a wicked witch, who makes her a slave ? " asked the boy .

" she did, but she doesn't," was_the reply ." I_am told the witch was destroyed when Dorothy's house fell on her, so now Nimmie Amee must live all alone .I haven't seen her, of_course, since_the witch was crushed, for at_that_time i_was standing rusted in_the forest and had_been there a long_time, but the poor girl must_have felt very happy to_be free from her cruel mistress ."

" well," said the Scarecrow, " let's travel on and find Nimmie Amee . lead on, your majesty, since you_know the way, and we_will follow ."

so the tin woodman took a path that led through_the thickest part of_the forest, and_they followed it for some_time . the light was dim here, because vines and bushes and leafy foliage were all about_them, and often the tin man had to push aside the branches that obstructed their way, or cut them off with_his axe . after they had proceeded some distance, the emperor suddenly stopped short and exclaimed: " good gracious ! "

the Scarecrow, who was next, first bumped into his friend and then peered around his tin body, and said in a tone of wonder:

" well, I declare ! "

Woot the wanderer pushed forward to_see what_was the matter, and cried out in astonishment: " for goodness' sake ! "

then the three stood motionless, staring hard, until polychrome's merry laughter rang out behind them and aroused them from their stupor .

in_the path before them stood a tin man who was_the exact duplicate of_the tin woodman . he_was of_the same size, he_was jointed in_the same manner, and he was_made of shining tin from top to toe . but he stood immovable, with_his tin jaws half parted and_his tin eyes turned upward . in one of_his hands was held a long, gleaming sword . yes, there_was the difference, the_only_thing that distinguished him from_the emperor of_the Winkies . this tin man bore a sword, while the tin woodman bore an axe .

" it's a dream; it must_be a dream ! " gasped Woot .

" that's it, of_course," said the Scarecrow; " there couldn't be two tin Woodmen ."

" no," agreed polychrome, dancing nearer to_the stranger, " this_one is a tin soldier .Don't you_see his sword ? "

the tin woodman cautiously put out one tin hand and felt of_his double's arm . then he_said in a voice that trembled with emotion:

" who_are you, friend ? "

there_was no reply

" can't you_see he's rusted, just as_you were once ? " asked polychrome, laughing again ." here, nick chopper, lend me your oil- can a minute ! "

the tin woodman silently handed her his oil- can, without which he never traveled, and polychrome first oiled the stranger's tin jaws and then worked them gently to and fro until the tin soldier said:

" that's enough . thank_you . I_can now talk . but please oil my other joints ."

Woot seized the oil- can and did this, but all the others helped wiggle the soldier's joints as_soon_as they were oiled, until they moved freely .

the tin soldier seemed highly pleased at his release . he strutted up and down the path, saying in a high, thin voice:

" the soldier is a splendid man when marching on parade, and when he meets the enemy he never is afraid .

he rights the wrongs of nations, his country's flag defends, the foe he'll fight with great delight, but seldom fights his friends ."

chapter Sixteen

captain Fyter

" are_you really a soldier ? " asked Woot, when_they had all watched this strange tin person parade up and down the path and proudly flourish his sword .

" i_was a soldier," was_the reply, " but I've been a prisoner to Mr rust so_long that I don't know exactly what I_am ."

" but -- dear me ! " cried the tin woodman, sadly perplexed; " how came you to_be made of tin ? "

" that," answered the soldier, " is a sad, sad story i_was in love with a beautiful Munchkin girl, who lived with a wicked witch . the witch did_not wish me to marry the girl, so she enchanted my sword, which began hacking me to pieces . when I lost my legs I went to_the tinsmith, Ku-Klip, and he_made me some tin legs . when I lost my arms, Ku-Klip made me tin arms, and when I lost my head he_made me this fine one out of tin . it was_the same way with my body, and finally i_was all tin . but i_was not unhappy, for Ku-Klip made a good job of me, having had experience in making another tin man before me ."

" yes," observed the tin woodman, " it_was Ku-Klip who_made me . but, tell me, what_was the name of_the Munchkin girl you were in love with ? "

" she_is called Nimmie Amee," said the tin soldier .

Hearing this, they were all so astonished that_they were silent for a time, regarding the stranger with wondering looks . finally the tin woodman ventured to ask:

" and did Nimmie Amee return your love ? "

" not at first," admitted the soldier ." when first I marched into_the forest and met her, she was weeping over the loss of her former sweetheart, a woodman whose name was nick chopper ."

" that_is me," said the tin woodman .

" she told me he_was nicer than a soldier, because he_was all made of tin and shone beautifully in_the sun . she said a tin man appealed to her artistic instincts more than an ordinary meat man, as i_was then . but I_did_not despair, because her tin sweetheart had disappeared, and could_not_be found . and finally Nimmie Amee permitted me to_call upon her and we became friends . it_was then that_the wicked witch discovered me and became furiously angry when I_said i_wanted to marry the girl . she enchanted my sword, as I_said, and then my troubles began . when I got my tin legs, Nimmie Amee began to_take an interest in me; when I got my tin arms, she began to like me better than ever, and when i_was all made of tin, she said I looked like her dear nick chopper and she_would be willing to marry me .

" the day of_our wedding was set, and it turned out to_be a rainy day . nevertheless I started out to_get Nimmie Amee, because the witch had_been absent for some_time, and we meant to elope before she got back . as I traveled the forest paths the rain wetted my joints, but I paid no attention to_this because my thoughts were all on my wedding with beautiful Nimmie Amee and I_could think of nothing else until suddenly my legs stopped moving . then my arms rusted at_the joints and I became frightened and cried for help, for now i_was unable to oil myself . no one heard my calls and before long my jaws rusted, and i_was unable to utter another sound . so I stood helpless in_this spot, hoping some wanderer would come my way and save me . but this forest path is seldom used, and I_have_been standing here so_long that I_have lost all track of_time . in my mind I composed poetry and sang songs, but not a sound have I been able to utter . but this desperate condition has now been relieved by your coming my way and I_must thank_you_for my rescue ."

" this_is wonderful ! " said the Scarecrow, heaving a stuffy, long sigh ." i_think Ku-Klip was wrong to_make two tin men, just alike, and_the strangest thing of all is_that both you tin men fell in love with_the same girl ."

" as for_that," returned the soldier, seriously, " I_must admit I lost my ability to love when I lost my meat heart .Ku-Klip gave_me a tin heart, to_be_sure, but it doesn't love anything, as far as I_can discover, and merely rattles against my tin ribs, which makes me wish I had no heart at all ."

" yet, in_spite of_this condition, you were going to marry Nimmie Amee ? "

" well, you_see I had promised to marry her, and I_am an honest man and always try to_keep my promises .I didn't like to disappoint the poor girl, who had_been disappointed by one tin man already ."

" that was not my fault," declared the emperor of_the Winkies, and then he related how he, also, had rusted in_the forest and after a long_time had_been rescued by Dorothy and_the Scarecrow and had traveled with_them to_the emerald city in search of a heart that could love .

" if_you_have found such a heart, sir," said the soldier, " i_will gladly allow you to marry Nimmie Amee in my place ."

" if she loves you best, sir," answered the woodman, " I_shall_not interfere with your wedding her . for, to_be quite frank with_you, I_cannot yet love Nimmie Amee as I_did before I became tin ."

" still, one of you ought to marry the poor girl," remarked Woot; " and, if she likes tin men, there_is not much choice between you . why don't you draw lots for her ? "

" that wouldn't be right," said the Scarecrow .

" the girl should_be permitted to_choose her own husband," asserted polychrome ." you_should both go to her and allow her to_take her choice . then she will surely be happy ."

" that, to_me, seems a very fair arrangement," said the tin soldier .

"I agree to_it," said the tin woodman, shaking the hand of_his twin to show the matter was settled ." may I ask your_name, sir ? " he continued .

" before i_was so cut up," replied the other, " i_was known as captain Fyter, but afterward i_was merely called ' the tin soldier .'"

" well, captain, if_you_are agreeable, let_us now go to Nimmie Amee's house and let her choose between_us ."

" very_well; and if_we meet the witch, we_will both fight her -- you with your axe and I with my sword ."

" the witch is destroyed," announced the Scarecrow, and as_they walked away he_told the tin soldier of much that had happened in_the land of Oz since he had stood rusted in_the forest .

" I_must_have stood there longer than I had imagined," he_said thoughtfully

chapter Seventeen

the workshop of Ku-Klip

it_was not more than a two hours' journey to_the house where Nimmie Amee had lived, but when our travelers arrived there they found the place deserted . the door was partly off its hinges, the roof had fallen in at_the rear and_the interior of_the cottage was thick with dust . not_only was_the place vacant, but it_was evident that no one had lived there for_a_long_time .

"I suppose," said the Scarecrow, as_they all stood looking wonderingly at_the ruined house, " that after_the wicked witch was destroyed, Nimmie Amee became lonely and went somewhere else to live ."

" one could scarcely expect a young girl to live all alone in a forest," added Woot ." she_would want company, of_course, and so I believe she has gone where other people live ."

" and perhaps she_is still crying her poor little heart out because no tin man comes to marry her," suggested polychrome .

" well, in_that case, it_is_the clear duty of you two tin persons to seek Nimmie Amee until you find her," declared the Scarecrow .

" I_do_not know where to look for_the girl," said the tin soldier, " for I_am almost a stranger to_this part of_the country ."

" i_was born here," said the tin woodman, " but the forest has few inhabitants except the wild beasts . I_cannot think of anyone living near here with_whom Nimmie Amee might care to live ."

" why_not go to Ku-Klip and ask

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