Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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the tin woodman of OZ

a faithful story of_the Astonishing adventure undertaken by_the tin woodman, assisted by Woot the wanderer, the Scarecrow of Oz, and polychrome, the rainbow's daughter

by L . frank BAUM " royal historian of Oz"

this book is dedicated to_the son of_my son frank Alden Baum

to my READERS

I_know that some of you_have_been waiting for_this story of_the tin woodman, because many of_my correspondents have asked me, time and again what ever became of_the " pretty Munchkin girl" whom nick chopper was engaged to marry before_the wicked witch enchanted his axe and he traded his flesh for tin .I, too, have wondered what became of her, but until Woot the wanderer interested himself in_the matter the tin woodman knew no more than we_did . however, he_found her, after many thrilling adventures, as_you_will discover when_you have read this story .

I_am delighted at_the continued interest of both young and old in_the Oz stories .a learned college professor recently wrote me to ask: " for readers of what age are your books intended ? " it puzzled me to answer that properly, until I had looked over some_of_the letters I_have received . one says: "I'm a little boy 5 years old, and I just love your Oz stories . my sister, who_is writing this for_me, reads me the Oz books, but i_wish I_could read them myself ." another letter says: "I'm a great girl 13 years old, so you'll be surprised when I tell you I_am not too old yet for_the Oz stories ." here's another letter: " since i_was a young girl I've never missed getting aBaum book for Christmas .I'm married, now, but am as eager to_get and read the Oz stories as ever ." and still another writes: " my good wife and I, both more than 70 years_of_age, believe that we_find more real enjoyment in your Oz books than in any_other books we read ." Considering these statements, i_wrote the college professor that my books are intended for all those whose hearts are young, no matter what their ages may_be .

i_think I_am justified in promising that there_will_be some astonishing revelations about_the magic of Oz in my book for 1919 . always your loving and grateful friend,

L . frank BAUM .

royal historian of Oz .

"OZCOT" at Hollywood in California

1918 .

list of CHAPTERS
1 Woot the wanderer
2 the heart of_the tin woodman
3 roundabout
4 the Loons of Loonville
5 Mrs Yoop, the Giantess
6 the magic of aYookoohoo
7 the lace apron
8 the menace of_the forest
9 the quarrelsome Dragons
10 Tommy Kwikstep
11 Jinjur's ranch
12 Ozma and Dorothy
13 the restoration
14 the green monkey
15 the man of tin
16 captain Fyter
17 the workshop of Ku-Klip
18 the tin woodman Talks to himself
19 the invisible country
20 over night
21 polychrome's magic
22 Nimmie Amee
23 through_the tunnel
24 the curtain Falls

chapter one

Woot the wanderer

the tin woodman sat on_his glittering tin throne in_the handsome tin hall of_his splendid tin castle in_the Winkie country of_the land of Oz . beside him, in a chair of woven straw, sat his best friend, the Scarecrow of Oz . at times they spoke to one another of curious things they had seen and strange adventures they had known since first they two had met and become comrades . but at times they were silent, for_these things had_been talked over many_times between_them, and_they found themselves contented in merely being together, speaking now_and_then a brief sentence to_prove they were wide awake and attentive . but then, these two quaint persons never slept . why should they sleep, when_they never tired ?

and now, as_the brilliant sun sank low over the Winkie country of Oz, tinting the glistening tin towers and tin minarets of_the tin castle with glorious sunset hues, there approached along awinding pathway Woot the wanderer, who met at_the castle entrance aWinkie servant .

the servants of_the tin woodman all wore tin helmets and tin breastplates and uniforms covered with tiny tin discs sewed closely together on silver cloth, so_that their bodies sparkled as beautifully as did the tin castle -- and almost as beautifully as did the tin woodman himself .

Woot the wanderer looked at_the man servant -- all bright and glittering -- and at_the magnificent castle -- all bright and glittering -- and as he looked his eyes grew big with wonder . for Woot was not very big and not very old and, wanderer though he_was, this proved the most gorgeous sight that had ever met his boyish gaze .

" who lives here ? " he asked .

" the emperor of_the Winkies, who is_the famous tin woodman of Oz," replied the servant, who had_been trained to treat all strangers with courtesy .

"A tin woodman ? how queer ! " exclaimed the little wanderer .

" well, perhaps our emperor is queer," admitted the servant; " but he_is a kind master and as honest and true as good tin can make him; so we, who gladly serve him, are apt to forget that he_is_not like other people ."

" may I_see him ? " asked Woot the wanderer, after a moment's thought .

" if_it please you to wait a moment, i_will go and ask him," said the servant, and then he went into_the hall where the tin woodman sat with_his friend the Scarecrow . both were glad to learn that a stranger had arrived at_the castle, for this_would give them something new to_talk about, so the servant was asked to admit the boy at once .

by_the_time Woot the wanderer had passed through_the grand corridors -- all lined with ornamental tin -- and under stately tin archways and through_the many tin rooms all set with beautiful tin furniture, his eyes had grown bigger than ever and_his whole little body thrilled with amazement . but, astonished though he_was, he_was able to_make a polite bow before_the throne and to_say in a respectful voice: "I salute your illustrious majesty and offer you my humble services ."

" very_good ! " answered the tin woodman in_his accustomed cheerful manner ." tell me who you_are, and whence you come ."

" I_am known as Woot the wanderer," answered the boy, " and I_have come, through many travels and by roundabout ways, from my former home in a far corner of_the Gillikin country of Oz ."

" to wander from one's home," remarked the Scarecrow, " is to encounter dangers and hardships, especially if one is made of meat and bone . had you no friends in_that corner of_the Gillikin country ? was_it not homelike and comfortable ? "

to hear a man stuffed with straw speak, and speak so_well, quite startled Woot, and perhaps he stared a bit rudely at_the Scarecrow . but after a moment he replied:

"I had home and friends, your honorable Strawness, but they were so quiet and happy and comfortable that I_found them dismally stupid . nothing in_that corner of Oz interested me, but I believed that in other parts of_the country i_would find strange people and_see new sights, and so I set out upon my wandering journey . I_have_been a wanderer for nearly a full year, and now my wanderings have brought me to_this splendid castle ."

"I suppose," said the tin woodman, " that in_this year you_have seen so_much that you_have become very wise ."

" no," replied Woot, thoughtfully, " I_am not at all wise, I beg to assure your majesty . the more I wander the less I_find that I_know, for in_the land of Oz much wisdom and many things may_be learned ."

" to learn is simple .Don't you ask questions ? " inquired the Scarecrow .

" yes; I ask as_many questions as I dare; but some people refuse to answer questions ."

" that_is_not kind of_them," declared the tin woodman ." if one does_not ask for information he seldom receives it; so I, for_my part, make it a rule to answer any civil question that_is asked me ."

" so do I," added the Scarecrow, nodding .

" I_am glad_to_hear this," said the wanderer, " for_it makes me bold to ask for something to eat ."

" bless the boy ! " cried the emperor of_the Winkies; " how careless of me not to remember that wanderers are usually hungry . i_will_have food brought you at once ."

Saying this he blew upon a tin whistle that was suspended from_his tin neck, and at_the summons a servant appeared and bowed low . the tin woodman ordered food for_the stranger, and in_a_few_minutes the servant brought in a tin tray heaped with a choice array of good things to eat, all neatly displayed on tin dishes that were polished till they shone like mirrors . the tray was set upon a tin table drawn before_the throne, and_the servant placed a tin chair before_the table for_the boy to seat himself .

" eat, friend wanderer," said the emperor cordially, " and I trust the feast will_be to your liking .I, myself, do_not eat, being made in_such manner that I require no food to_keep me alive . neither does my friend the Scarecrow . but all my Winkie people eat, being formed of flesh, as_you_are, and so my tin cupboard is never bare, and strangers are always welcome to whatever it contains ."

the boy ate in silence for a time, being really hungry, but after his appetite was somewhat satisfied, he_said:

" how happened your majesty to_be made of tin, and still be alive ? "

" that," replied the tin man, " is a long story ."

" the longer the better," said the boy ." won't you please tell me the story ? "

" if you_desire it," promised the tin woodman, leaning back in_his tin throne and crossing his tin legs ."I haven't related my history in a long while, because everyone here knows it nearly as_well as I_do . but you, being a stranger, are no_doubt curious to learn how I became so beautiful and prosperous, so i_will recite for your benefit my strange adventures ."

" thank_you," said Woot the wanderer, still eating .

" i_was not always made of tin," began the emperor, " for in_the beginning i_was a man of flesh and bone and blood and lived in_the Munchkin country of Oz . there i_was, by trade, awoodchopper, and contributed my share to_the comfort of_the Oz people by chopping up the trees of_the forest to_make firewood, with_which the women would cook their meals while the children warmed themselves about_the fires . for_my home I had a little hut by_the edge of_the forest, and my life was one of much content until I fell in love with a beautiful Munchkin girl who lived not far away ."

" what_was the Munchkin girl's name ? " asked Woot .

"Nimmie Amee . this girl, so fair that_the sunsets blushed when their rays fell upon her, lived with a powerful witch who wore silver shoes and who had made the poor child her slave .Nimmie Amee was obliged to work from morning till night for_the old witch of_the east, scrubbing and sweeping her hut and cooking her meals and washing her dishes . she had to cut firewood, too, until I_found her one day in_the forest and fell in love with her . after_that, I always brought plenty of firewood to Nimmie Amee and we became very friendly . finally I asked her to marry me, and she agreed to_do_so, but the witch happened to overhear our conversation and it made her very angry, for she did_not wish her slave to_be taken away from her . the witch commanded me never to_come near Nimmie Amee again, but i_told her i_was my own master and would do as I pleased, not realizing that_this was a careless way to_speak to a witch .

" the next_day, as i_was cutting wood in_the forest, the cruel witch enchanted my axe, so_that it slipped and cut off my right leg ."

" how dreadful ! " cried Woot the wanderer .

" yes, it_was aseeming misfortune," agreed the tin man, " for a one-legged woodchopper is of little use in_his trade . but i_would_not allow the witch to conquer me so easily . I_knew a very skillful mechanic at_the other side of_the forest, who was my friend, so I hopped on one leg to him and asked him to help me . he soon made me a new leg out of tin and fastened it cleverly to my meat body . it had joints at_the knee and at_the ankle and was almost as comfortable as_the leg I had lost ."

" your friend must_have been a wonderful workman ! " exclaimed Woot .

" he_was, indeed," admitted the emperor ." he_was a tinsmith by trade and could make anything out of tin . when I returned to Nimmie Amee, the girl was delighted and threw her arms around my neck and kissed me, declaring she was proud of me . the witch saw the kiss and was more angry than before . when I went to work in_the forest, next_day, my axe, being still enchanted, slipped and cut off my other leg . again I hopped -- on my tin leg -- to my friend the tinsmith, who kindly made me another tin leg and fastened it to my body . so I returned joyfully to Nimmie Amee, who was much pleased with my glittering legs and promised that when we were wed she_would always keep them oiled and polished . but the witch was more furious than ever, and as_soon_as I raised my axe to chop, it twisted around and cut off one of_my arms . the tinsmith made me a tin arm and i_was not much worried, because Nimmie Amee declared she still loved me ."

chapter two

the heart of_the tin woodman

the emperor of_the Winkies paused in_his story to reach for an oil- can, with_which he carefully oiled the joints in_his tin throat, for_his voice had begun to squeak a little .Woot the wanderer, having satisfied his hunger, watched this oiling process with much

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