Oz 01: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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to bite Toto ! you ought_to_be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog ! "

"I didn't bite him," said the lion, as he rubbed his nose with_his paw where Dorothy had hit it .

" no, but you tried to," she retorted ." you_are nothing but a big coward ."

" I_know it," said the lion, hanging his head in shame ."I've always known it . but how can I help it ? "

"I don't know, I'm sure . to_think of your striking a stuffed man, like the poor Scarecrow ! "

" is he stuffed ? " asked the lion in surprise, as he watched her pick up the Scarecrow and set him upon his feet, while she patted him into shape again .

" of_course he's stuffed," replied Dorothy, who was still angry .

" that's why he went over so easily," remarked the lion ." it astonished me to_see him whirl around so . is_the other one stuffed also ? "

" no," said Dorothy, " he's made of tin ." and she helped the woodman up again .

" that's why he nearly blunted my claws," said the lion ." when_they scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run down my back . what_is that little animal you_are so tender of ? "

" he_is my dog, Toto," answered Dorothy .

" is he_made of tin, or stuffed ? " asked the lion .

" neither . he's a--a--a meat dog," said the girl .

"Oh ! he's a curious animal and seems remarkably small, now that I look at him . no one would think of biting such a little thing, except a coward like me," continued the lion sadly .

" what makes you a coward ? " asked Dorothy, looking at_the great beast in wonder, for he_was as big as a small horse .

" it's a mystery," replied the lion ."I suppose i_was born that way . all the other animals in_the forest naturally expect me to_be brave, for_the lion is everywhere thought to_be the king of Beasts .I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing was frightened and got out of_my way . whenever I've met a man I've been awfully scared; but I just roared at him, and he has always run away as fast as he_could go . if_the elephants and_the tigers and_the bears had ever tried to fight me, i_should_have run myself--I'm such a coward; but just as_soon_as they hear me roar they all try to_get away from me, and of_course I let them go ."

" but that isn't right . the king of Beasts shouldn't be a coward," said the Scarecrow .

" I_know it," returned the lion, wiping a tear from_his eye with_the tip of_his tail ." it_is my great sorrow, and makes my life very unhappy . but whenever there_is danger, my heart begins to beat fast ."

" perhaps you_have heart disease," said the tin woodman .

" it may_be," said the lion .

" if_you_have," continued the tin woodman, " you ought_to_be glad, for_it proves you_have a heart . for_my part, I_have no heart; so I_cannot_have heart disease ."

" perhaps," said the lion thoughtfully, " if I had no heart I should_not_be a coward ."

" have_you brains ? " asked the Scarecrow .

"I suppose so .I've never looked to_see," replied the lion .

" I_am going to_the great Oz to ask him to_give_me some," remarked the Scarecrow, " for_my head is stuffed with straw ."

" and I_am going to ask him to_give_me a heart," said the woodman .

" and I_am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas," added Dorothy .

" do_you_think Oz could give_me courage ? " asked the cowardly lion .

" just as easily as he_could give_me brains," said the Scarecrow .

" or give_me a heart," said the tin woodman .

" or send me back to Kansas," said Dorothy .

" then, if_you don't mind, I'll go with_you," said the lion, " for_my life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage ."

" you_will_be very welcome," answered Dorothy, " for you_will help to_keep away the other wild beasts . it seems to_me they_must_be more cowardly than you_are if_they allow you to scare them so easily ."

" they really are," said the lion, " but that doesn't make me any braver, and as long as I_know myself to_be a coward I_shall_be unhappy ."

so once more the little company set off upon_the journey, the lion walking with stately strides at Dorothy's side .Toto did_not approve this new comrade at first, for he_could_not forget how nearly he had_been crushed between_the lion's great jaws . but after a time he became more at ease, and presently Toto and_the cowardly lion had grown to_be good friends .

during the rest of_that day there_was no other adventure to mar the peace of_their journey . once, indeed, the tin woodman stepped upon a beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little thing . this made the tin woodman very unhappy, for he_was always careful not to hurt any living creature; and as he walked along he wept several tears of sorrow and regret . these tears ran slowly down his face and over the hinges of_his jaw, and there they rusted . when Dorothy presently asked him a question the tin woodman could_not open his mouth, for_his jaws were tightly rusted together . he became greatly frightened at_this and made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but she_could_not understand . the lion was also puzzled to_know what_was wrong . but the Scarecrow seized the oil- can from Dorothy's basket and oiled the woodman's jaws, so_that after a few_moments he_could talk as_well as before .

" this_will serve me a lesson," said he, " to look where I step . for if i_should kill another bug or beetle i_should surely cry again, and crying rusts my jaws so_that I_cannot speak ."

thereafter he walked very carefully, with_his eyes on_the road, and when he_saw a tiny ant toiling by he_would step over it, so as not to harm it . the tin woodman knew very_well he had no heart, and therefore he_took great care never to_be cruel or unkind to anything .

" you people with hearts," he_said, " have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I_have no heart, and so I_must_be very careful . when Oz gives me a heart of_course I needn't mind so_much ."

7 . the journey to_the great Oz

they were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in_the forest, for there were no houses near . the tree made a good, thick covering to protect them from_the dew, and_the tin woodman chopped a great pile of wood with_his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that warmed her and made her feel less lonely . she and Toto ate the last of_their bread, and now she did_not know what they_would do for breakfast .

" if_you_wish," said the lion, " i_will go into_the forest and kill a deer for_you . you_can roast it by_the fire, since your tastes are so peculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you_will_have a very_good breakfast ."

"Don't ! please don't," begged the tin woodman ." i_should certainly weep if_you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again ."

but the lion went away into_the forest and found his own supper, and no one ever knew what it_was, for he didn't mention it . and_the Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with_them, so_that she would_not_be hungry for_a_long_time . she thought this_was very kind and thoughtful of_the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at_the awkward way in_which_the poor creature picked up the nuts . his padded hands were so clumsy and_the nuts were so small that he dropped almost as_many as he put in_the basket . but the Scarecrow did_not mind how long it took him to_fill the basket, for_it enabled him to_keep away from_the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up . so he kept a good distance away from_the flames, and only came near to_cover Dorothy with dry leaves when she lay down to sleep . these kept her very snug and warm, and she slept soundly until morning .

when it_was daylight, the girl bathed her face in a little rippling brook, and soon after they all started toward the emerald city .

this_was to_be an eventful day for_the travelers . they had hardly been walking an hour when_they saw before them a great ditch that crossed the road and divided the forest as far as they_could see on either side . it_was a very wide ditch, and when_they crept up_to_the edge and looked into_it they_could see it_was also very deep, and there were many big, jagged rocks at_the bottom . the sides were so steep that none_of_them could climb down, and for a moment it seemed that their journey must end .

" what shall we_do ? " asked Dorothy despairingly .

"I haven't the faintest idea," said the tin woodman, and_the lion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful .

but the Scarecrow said, " we_cannot fly, that_is certain . neither can we climb down into_this great ditch . therefore, if_we_cannot jump over it, we_must stop where we_are ."

" i_think I_could jump over it," said the cowardly lion, after measuring the distance carefully in_his mind .

" then we_are all right," answered the Scarecrow, " for you_can carry us all over on_your back, one at_a_time ."

" well, I'll try it," said the lion ." who_will go first ? "

" i_will," declared the Scarecrow, " for, if_you found that you_could_not jump over the gulf, Dorothy would_be killed, or the tin woodman badly dented on_the rocks below . but if I_am on_your back it_will_not matter so_much, for_the fall would_not hurt me at all ."

" I_am terribly afraid of falling, myself," said the cowardly lion, " but I suppose there_is nothing to_do but try it . so get on my back and we_will make_the attempt ."

the Scarecrow sat upon_the lion's back, and_the big beast walked to_the edge of_the gulf and crouched down .

" why don't you run and jump ? " asked the Scarecrow .

" because that isn't the way we Lions do these things," he replied . then giving a great spring, he shot through_the air and landed safely on_the other side . they were all greatly pleased to_see how easily he_did it, and after_the Scarecrow had got down from_his back the lion sprang across the ditch again .

Dorothy thought she_would go next; so she took Toto in her arms and climbed on_the lion's back, holding tightly to_his mane with one hand . the next moment it seemed as_if she were flying through_the air; and then, before she had time to_think about_it, she was safe on_the other side . the lion went back a third time and got the tin woodman, and then they all sat down for a few_moments to_give the beast a chance to rest, for_his great leaps had made his breath short, and he panted like a big dog that has_been running too long .

they found the forest very thick on_this side, and it looked dark and gloomy . after_the lion had rested they started along the road of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in_his own mind, if ever they_would come to_the end of_the woods and reach the bright sunshine again . to add to_their discomfort, they soon heard strange noises in_the depths of_the forest, and_the lion whispered to_them that_it_was in_this part of_the country that_the Kalidahs lived .

" what_are the Kalidahs ? " asked the girl .

" they_are monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers," replied the lion, " and with claws so_long and sharp that they_could tear me in two as easily as I_could kill Toto .I'm terribly afraid of_the Kalidahs ."

"I'm not surprised that you_are," returned Dorothy ." they_must_be dreadful beasts ."

the lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to another gulf across the road . but this_one was so broad and deep that_the lion knew at once he_could_not leap across it .

so they sat down to consider what they should do, and after serious thought the Scarecrow said:

" here_is a great tree, standing close to_the ditch . if_the tin woodman can chop it down, so that_it_will fall to_the other side, we_can walk across it easily ."

" that_is a first- rate idea," said the lion ." one would almost suspect you had brains in your head, instead of straw ."

the woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe that_the tree was soon chopped nearly through . then the lion put his strong front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might, and slowly the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across the ditch, with its top branches on_the other side .

they had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp growl made them all look up, and to_their horror they saw running toward them two great beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers .

" they_are the Kalidahs ! " said the cowardly lion, beginning to tremble .

" quick ! " cried the Scarecrow ." let_us cross over ."

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