Oz 12: The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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.Then he_said in avoice 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 aminute ! "

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 ahigh, thin voice:

"The Soldier is asplendid 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 asoldier ? " asked Woot, when_they had all watched this strange tin person parade up and down the path and proudly flourish his sword .

" i_was asoldier," was_the reply, "but I've been aprisoner 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 asad, sad story i_was in love with abeautiful Munchkin girl, who lived with aWicked 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 agood 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 atime, 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, awoodman whose name was Nick Chopper ."

" that_is me," said the Tin Woodman .

"She told me he_was nicer than asoldier, because he_was all made of tin and shone beautifully in_the sun .She said atin 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 arainy 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 asound 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 astuffy, 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 atin 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 aheart that could love .

" if_you_have found such aheart, 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 avery 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 atwo 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 ayoung girl to live all alone in aforest," 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 astranger 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 him what has become of_the girl ? " proposed Polychrome .

That struck them all as being agood 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 apretty place, all painted dark blue with trimmings of lighter blue . there_was aneat 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 ablue lawn before_the house, which_was agood 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 alean-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 acheerful 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 aleg, 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 abarrel -- i_think that_is_the same barrel, still standing in_the corner yonder -- and then at once he began to_make atin leg for_me

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