"Your friend must wonderful workman ! " exclaimed Woot

" , indeed," admitted the Emperor " 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 forest, , 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 always keep them oiled and polished But the Witch was more furious than ever, and I raised my axe to chop, it twisted around and cut off one arms The tinsmith made me tin arm and not much worried, because Nimmie Amee declared she still loved me "

Chapter Two

The Heart Tin Woodman

The Emperor Winkies paused story to reach for an oil-can, he carefully oiled the joints tin throat, voice had begun to squeak little Woot the Wanderer, having satisfied his hunger, watched this oiling process with much curiosity, but begged the Tin Man on tale

"The Witch Silver Shoes hated me for having defied her," resumed the Emperor, his voice now sounding clear as bell, "and she insisted that Nimmie Amee should never marry me Therefore she made the enchanted axe cut off my other arm, tinsmith also replaced that member with tin, including these finely-jointed hands that me using But, alas ! , the axe, still enchanted cruel Witch, cut my body in two, I fell ground Then the Witch, who was watching from near-by bush, rushed up and seized the axe and chopped my body into several small pieces, after which, thinking that at last she had destroyed me, she ran away laughing in wicked glee

"But Nimmie Amee found me She picked up my arms and legs and head, and made bundle and carried them tinsmith, who set to work and made me fine body of pure tin When he had joined the arms and legs body, and set my head tin collar, much better man than ever, body ache or pain me, and so beautiful and bright that I had no need of clothing Clothing is always nuisance, because it soils and tears and be replaced; but my tin body only needs oiled and polished

"Nimmie Amee still declared marry me, as she still loved me Witch's evil deeds The girl declared brightest husband in all the world, quite true However, the Wicked Witch was not yet defeated When I returned to my work the axe slipped and cut off my head, the only meat part of me then remaining Moreover, the old woman grabbed up my severed head and carried it away with her and hid it But Nimmie Amee came forest and found me wandering around helplessly, because I where , and she led me to my friend the tinsmith The faithful fellow at once set to work me tin head, and he had just completed it when Nimmie Amee came running up with my old head, which she had stolen Witch But, on reflection, I considered the tin head far superior meat one -- wearing it yet, so you its beauty and grace of outline -- girl agreed with me that man all made of tin was far more perfect than one formed of different materials The tinsmith was as proud workmanship as , and for three whole days, all admired me and praised my beauty "Being now completely formed of tin, I had no more fear Wicked Witch, for she was powerless to injure me Nimmie Amee said married at once, for then come to my cottage and live with me and keep me bright and sparkling

"' , my dear Nick,' said the brave and beautiful girl -- my name was then Nick Chopper, told -- 'that best husband any girl obliged to cook , for now eat; I your bed, for tin tire or require sleep; when we go to dance, get weary music stops and say home All day long, while chopping wood forest, to amuse myself in my own way -- privilege few wives enjoy no temper in your new head, so get angry with me Finally, take pride in being the wife only live Tin Woodman in all the world ! ' Which shows that Nimmie Amee was as wise as she was brave and beautiful "

" she was very nice girl," said Woot the Wanderer "But, tell me, please, why were you not killed were chopped to pieces ? "

" Land of Oz," replied the Emperor, "no one can ever be killed man with wooden leg or tin leg is still the same man; and, as I lost parts meat body by degrees, I always remained the same person as beginning, even though end all tin and no meat "

" ," said the boy, thoughtfully "And did you marry Nimmie Amee ? "

"No," answered the Tin Woodman, " She said she still loved me, but that I no longer loved her My tin body contained no heart, and without heart no one can love So the Wicked Witch conquered end, and when I left the Munchkin Country of Oz, the poor girl was still the slave Witch and had her bidding day and night "

"Where did you go ? " asked Woot

"Well, I first started out heart, so love Nimmie Amee again; but hearts are more scarce than one would think One day, in big forest that was strange , my joints suddenly became rusted, because I had forgotten to oil them There I stood, unable to move hand or foot And there I continued to stand -- while days came and went -- until Dorothy Scarecrow came along and rescued me They oiled my joints and set me free, and I've taken good care never to rust again "

"Who Dorothy ? " questioned the Wanderer

"A little girl who happened in house when carried by cyclone all the way from Kansas Land of Oz house fell, Munchkin Country, it fortunately landed Wicked Witch and smashed her flat big house, and the Witch is under it yet "

"No," said the Scarecrow, correcting him, "Dorothy says the Witch turned to dust, wind scattered the dust in every direction "

"Well," continued the Tin Woodman, "after meeting the Scarecrow and Dorothy, I went Emerald City, where the Wizard of Oz heart But the Wizard's stock of hearts was low, and he Kind Heart instead of Loving Heart, love Nimmie Amee any more than when heartless "

"Couldn't the Wizard heart that was both Kind and Loving ? " asked the boy

"No; that was what I asked for, but so short on hearts, just then, that but one in stock, and take that or none at all So I accepted it, and say that for its kind heart indeed "

"It seems ," said Woot, musingly, " Wizard fooled you It can't be very Kind Heart, "

" ? " demanded the Emperor

"Because unkind of you to desert the girl who loved you, and who faithful and true were in trouble Had the heart the Wizard been Kind Heart, gone back home and made the beautiful Munchkin girl your wife, and then brought her here an Empress and live in your splendid tin castle "

The Tin Woodman was so surprised frank speech that for time nothing but stare hard boy Wanderer But the Scarecrow wagged his stuffed head and said in positive tone:

"This boy is right I've often wondered, myself, why you didn't go back and find that poor Munchkin girl "

Then the Tin Woodman stared hard at his friend the Scarecrow But finally in serious tone of voice:

" admit that never before have thing as finding Nimmie Amee and making her Empress Winkies But surely not too late, even now, to , girl must still be living Munchkin Country And, strange Wanderer has reminded me of Nimmie Amee, I believe my duty to set out and find her Surely the girl's fault that I no longer love her, and so, if make her happy, proper that , and reward her for her faithfulness "

"Quite right, my friend ! " agreed the Scarecrow

" accompany me errand ? " asked the Tin Emperor

" ," said the Scarecrow

"And take me along ? " pleaded Woot the Wanderer in an eager voice

" ," said the Tin Woodman, " care to join our party you who first told me my duty and marry Nimmie Amee, and I'd like you that Nick Chopper, the Tin Emperor Winkies, is man who never shirks his duty, once pointed out to him "

"It pleasure, as duty, girl is so beautiful," said Woot, well pleased idea adventure