Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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ask him what has become of_the girl ? " proposed polychrome .

that struck them all as being a good suggestion, so once more they started to tramp through_the forest, taking the direct path to Ku-Klip's house, for both the tin twins knew the way, having followed it many_times .

Ku-Klip lived at_the far edge of_the great forest, his house facing the broad plains of_the Munchkin country that lay to_the eastward . but, when_they came to_this residence by_the forest's edge, the tinsmith was not at home .

it_was a pretty place, all painted dark blue with trimmings of lighter blue . there_was a neat blue fence around the yard and several blue benches had_been placed underneath the shady blue trees which marked the line between forest and plain . there_was a blue lawn before_the house, which_was a good sized building .Ku- Klip lived in_the front part of_the house and had his work- shop in_the back part, where he had also built a lean- to addition, in_order to_give him more room .

although they found the tinsmith absent on their arrival, there_was smoke coming out of_his chimney, which proved that he_would soon return .

" and perhaps Nimmie Amee will_be with_him," said the Scarecrow in a cheerful voice .

while they waited, the tin woodman went to_the door of_the workshop and, finding it unlocked, entered and looked curiously around the room where he had_been made .

" it seems almost like home to_me," hie told his friends, who had followed him in ." the first time I_came here I had lost a leg, so I had to carry it in my hand while I hopped on_the other leg all the way from_the place in_the forest where the enchanted axe cut me .I remember that old Ku-Klip carefully put my meat leg into a barrel -- i_think that_is_the same barrel, still standing in_the corner yonder -- and then at once he began to_make a tin leg for_me . he worked fast and with skill, and i_was much interested in_the job ."

" my experience was much the same," said the tin soldier ."I used to bring all the parts of me, which the enchanted sword had cut away, here to_the tinsmith, and Ku-Klip would put them into_the barrel ."

"I wonder," said Woot, " if those cast- off parts of you two unfortunates are still in_that barrel in_the corner ? "

"I suppose so ." replied the tin woodman ." in_the land of Oz no part of aliving creature can ever be destroyed ."

" if that_is true, how was_that wicked witch destroyed ? " inquired Woot .

" why, she was very old and was all dried up and withered before Oz became a fairyland," explained the Scarecrow ." only her magic arts had kept her alive so_long, and when Dorothy's house fell upon her she just turned to dust, and was blown away and scattered by_the wind . I_do_not_think, however, that_the parts cut away from_these two young men could ever be entirely destroyed and, if_they_are still in those barrels, they_are likely to_be just the same as when_the enchanted axe or sword severed them ."

" it doesn't matter, however," said the tin woodman; " our tin bodies are more brilliant and durable, and quite satisfy us ."

" yes, the tin bodies are best," agreed the tin soldier ." nothing can hurt them ."

" unless they get dented or rusted," said Woot, but both the tin men frowned on him .

Scraps of tin, of all shapes and sizes, lay scattered around the workshop . also there were hammers and anvils and soldering irons and a charcoal furnace and many_other tools such as a tinsmith works with . against two of_the side walls had_been built stout work-benches and in_the center of_the room was a long table . at_the end of_the shop, which adjoined the dwelling, were several cupboards .

after examining the interior of_the workshop until his curiosity was satisfied, Woot said;

" i_think i_will go outside until Ku-Klip comes . it does_not seem quite proper for_us to_take possession of_his house while he_is absent ."

" that_is true," agreed the Scarecrow, and_they were all about to leave the room when_the tin woodman said: " wait a minute," and_they halted in obedience to_the command .

chapter Eighteen

the tin woodman Talks to himself

the tin woodman had just noticed the cupboards and was curious to_know what they contained, so he went to one_of_them and opened the door . there were shelves inside, and upon one_of_the shelves which_was about on a level with_his tin chin the emperor discovered a head -- it looked like a doll's head, only it_was larger, and he soon saw it was_the head of some person . it_was facing the tin woodman and as_the cupboard door swung back, the eyes of_the head slowly opened and looked at him . the tin woodman was not at all surprised, for in_the land of Oz one runs into magic at every turn .

" dear me ! " said the tin woodman, staring hard ." it seems as_if I had met you, somewhere, before . good morning, sir ! "

" you_have the advantage of me," replied the head ."I never saw you before in my life ."

" still, your face is very familiar," persisted the tin woodman ." pardon me, but may I ask if_you -- eh -- eh -- if_you ever had a body ? "

" yes, at one_time," answered the head, " but that_is so long_ago I_can't remember it . did you_think," with a pleasant smile, " that i_was born just as I_am ? that a head would_be created without a body ? "

" no, of_course not," said the other ." but how came you to lose your body ? "

" well, I_can't recollect the details; you'll have to ask Ku-Klip about_it," returned the head ." for, curious as it may seem to_you, my memory is_not good since my separation from_the rest of me .I still possess my brains and my intellect is as good as ever, but my memory of some_of_the events I formerly experienced is quite hazy ."

" how long have_you been in_this cupboard ? " asked the emperor .

"I don't know ."

" haven't you a name ? "

"Oh, yes," said the head; "I used to_be called nick chopper, when i_was a woodman and cut down trees for aliving ."

" good gracious ! " cried the tin woodman in astonishment ." if_you_are nick chopper's head, then you_are me -- or I'm you -- or -- or -- what relation are we, anyhow ? "

"Don't ask me," replied the head ." for_my part, I'm not anxious to claim relationship with any common, manufactured article, like you . you_may_be all right in your class, but your class isn't my class . you're tin ."

the poor emperor felt so bewildered that for a time he_could only stare at his old head in silence . then he_said:

" I_must admit that I wasn't at all bad looking before I became tin . you're almost handsome -- for meat . if your hair was combed, you'd be quite attractive ."

" how do_you expect me to comb my hair without help ? " demanded the head, indignantly ."I used to_keep it smooth and neat, when I had arms, but after i_was removed from_the rest of me, my hair got mussed, and old Ku-Klip never has combed it for_me ."

"I'll speak to him about_it," said the tin woodman ." do_you remember loving a pretty Munchkin girl named Nimmie Amee ? "

" no," answered the head ." that_is a foolish question . the heart in my body -- when I had a body -- might_have loved someone, for all I_know, but a head isn't made to love; it's made to_think ."

"Oh; do_you_think, then ? "

"I used to_think ."

" you_must_have been shut up in_this cupboard for years and years . what have_you thought about, in all that_time ? "

" nothing . that's another foolish question .a little reflection will convince you that I_have_had nothing to_think about, except the boards on_the inside of_the cupboard door, and it didn't take me long to_think of everything about_those boards that could_be thought of . then, of_course, I quit thinking ."

" and are_you happy ? "

" happy ? what's that ? "

"Don't you_know what happiness is ? " inquired the tin woodman .

"I haven't the faintest idea whether it's round or square, or black or white, or what it_is . and, if_you_will pardon my lack of interest in_it, i_will say that I don't care ."

the tin woodman was much puzzled by_these answers . his traveling companions had grouped themselves at his back, and had fixed their eyes on_the head and listened to_the conversation with much interest, but until now, they had_not interrupted because they thought the tin woodman had the best right to_talk to_his own head and renew acquaintance with it .

but now the tin soldier remarked:

"I wonder if_my old head happens to_be in any of_these cupboards," and he proceeded to open all the cupboard doors . but no other head was to_be found on any of_the shelves .

"Oh, well; never mind," said Woot the wanderer; " I_can't imagine what anyone wants of a cast- off head, anyhow ."

" I_can understand the soldier's interest," asserted polychrome, dancing around the grimy workshop until her draperies formed a cloud around her dainty form ." for sentimental reasons a man might like to_see his old head once more, just as one likes to revisit an old home ."

" and then to kiss it good-bye," added the Scarecrow .

" I_hope_that tin thing won't try to kiss me good- bye ! " exclaimed the tin woodman's former head ." and I don't see what right you folks have to disturb my peace and comfort, either ."

" you belong to_me," the tin woodman declared .

" I_do_not ! "

" you and I are one ."

" we've been parted," asserted the head ." it would_be unnatural for_me to_have any interest in a man made of tin . please close the door and leave me alone ."

" I_did_not think that my old head could_be so disagreeable," said the emperor ."I -- I'm quite ashamed of myself; meaning you ."

" you ought_to_be glad that I've enough sense to_know what my rights are," retorted the head ." in_this cupboard I_am leading a simple life, peaceful and dignified, and when a mob of people in whom I_am not interested disturb me, they_are the disagreeable ones; not I ."

with a sigh the tin woodman closed and latched the cupboard door and turned away .

" well," said the tin soldier, " if_my old head would_have treated me as coldly and in so unfriendly a manner as_your old head has treated you, friend chopper, I'm glad I_could_not find it ."

" yes; I'm rather surprised at my head, myself," replied the tin woodman, thoughtfully ." i_thought I had a more pleasant disposition when I was_made of meat ."

but just then old Ku-Klip the tinsmith arrived, and he_seemed surprised to_find so_many visitors .Ku-Klip was a stout man and a short man . he had his sleeves rolled above his elbows, showing muscular arms, and he wore a leathern apron that covered all the front of him, and was so_long that Woot was surprised he didn't step on_it and trip whenever he walked . and Ku-Klip had a gray beard that was almost as long as his apron, and_his head was bald on top and_his ears stuck out from_his head like two fans . over his eyes, which were bright and twinkling, he wore big spectacles . it_was easy to_see that_the tinsmith was a kind hearted man, as_well as a merry and agreeable one ."Oh-ho ! " he cried in a joyous bass voice; " here are both my tin men come to visit me, and_they and their friends are welcome indeed .I'm very proud of you two characters, I assure you, for you_are so perfect that you_are proof that I'm a good workman . sit down . sit down, all of you -- if_you_can find anything to sit on -- and tell me why you_are here ."

so they found seats and told him all of_their adventures that_they thought he_would like to_know .Ku- Klip was glad to learn that nick chopper, the tin woodman, was now emperor of_the Winkies and a friend of Ozma of Oz, and_the tinsmith was also interested in_the Scarecrow and polychrome .

he turned the straw man around, examining him curiously, and patted him on all sides, and then said:

" you_are certainly wonderful, but i_think you_would_be more durable and steady on_your legs if_you were made of tin . would you like me to --"

" no, indeed ! " interrupted the Scarecrow hastily; "I like myself better as I_am ."

but to polychrome the tinsmith said:

" nothing could improve you, my dear, for you_are the most beautiful maiden I_have ever seen . it_is pure happiness just to look at you ."

" that_is praise, indeed, from so skillful a workman," returned the rainbow's daughter, laughing and dancing in and out the room .

" then it must_be this boy you wish me to help," said Ku-Klip, looking at Woot .

" no," said Woot, " we_are_not here to seek your skill, but have merely come to_you for information ."

then, between_them, they related their search for Nimmie Amee, whom the tin woodman explained he had resolved to marry, yet who had promised to_become the bride of_the tin soldier before he unfortunately became rusted . and when_the story was told, they asked Ku-Klip if he_knew what had become of Nimmie Amee .

" not exactly," replied the old

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