" true," said the Scarecrow " ," he continued confidentially, "I don't mind my legs and arms and body being stuffed, because get hurt If anyone treads on my toes or sticks pin into me, it doesn't matter, for 't feel it But want people me fool, and head stays stuffed with straw instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever anything ? "

"I understand how you feel," said the little girl, who was truly sorry for him " come with me I'll ask Oz all "

" ," he answered gratefully

They walked back road Dorothy helped him over the fence, started along the path of yellow brick Emerald City

Toto like this addition party at first He smelled around the stuffed man he suspected nest of rats straw, and he often growled in an unfriendly way Scarecrow

"Don't mind Toto," said Dorothy to her new friend "He never bites "

"Oh, I'm not afraid," replied the Scarecrow " 't hurt the straw Do let me carry that basket mind it, for 't get tired I'll tell you secret," he continued, as he walked along " only afraid of "

"What ? " asked Dorothy; "the Munchkin farmer you ? "

"No," answered the Scarecrow; "it's lighted match "

4 The Road Forest

After few hours the road began rough, walking grew so difficult Scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow bricks, which were here very uneven Sometimes, indeed, they were broken or missing altogether, leaving holes that Toto jumped across and Dorothy walked around As Scarecrow, having no brains, he walked straight ahead, and so stepped holes and fell at full length hard bricks It never hurt him, however, and Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon his feet again, while he joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap

The farms nearly cared for here were farther back There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees, farther they went the more dismal and lonesome the country became

At noon they sat down roadside, near little brook, and Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread She offered piece Scarecrow, but he refused

" never hungry," , "and lucky thing not, mouth is only painted, and if cut hole so eat, the straw stuffed with would come out, and spoil the shape head "

Dorothy saw at once was true, so she only nodded and went on eating her bread

"Tell me something about yourself country you came from," said the Scarecrow, when she had finished her dinner So she told him all about Kansas, and how gray everything was there, and how the cyclone had carried her queer Land of Oz

The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, " understand why wish to leave this beautiful country and go back dry, gray place you call Kansas "

" because no brains" answered the girl "No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in country, be it ever so beautiful no place like home "

The Scarecrow sighed

" understand it," "If your heads were stuffed with straw, like mine, probably all live beautiful places, and then Kansas no people at all fortunate for Kansas that brains "

"Won't you tell me story, while resting ? " asked the child

The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully, and answered:

"My life so short that I really know nothing whatever only made day before yesterday What happened is all unknown Luckily, farmer made my head, first things was to paint my ears, I heard going on another Munchkin , first thing I heard farmer saying, `How like those ears ? '

"`They aren't straight,'" answered the other

"`Never mind,'" said the farmer "` ears just the same,'" true enough

"`Now I'll eyes,'" said the farmer So he painted my right eye, and finished myself looking at him and at everything around me with great deal of curiosity, for my first glimpse world

"`That's rather pretty eye,'" remarked the Munchkin who was watching the farmer "`Blue paint is just the color for eyes '

"` I'll other little bigger,'" said the farmer And second eye I much better than before Then my nose and my mouth But speak, because I didn't know what mouth was for I had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs; and fastened on my head, at last, very proud, for just as good man as anyone

"`This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,' said the farmer `He looks just like man '

"`Why, man,' said the other, and I quite agreed The farmer carried me under his arm cornfield, and set me up on tall stick, where you found me He friend soon after walked away and left me alone

" like deserted So I tried to walk after them But my feet touch the ground, and forced to stay pole lonely life to lead, for I had nothing of, having been made such little while before Many crows and other birds flew cornfield, but they saw me they flew away again, thinking Munchkin; and this pleased me and made me feel that quite an important person By and by an old crow flew near me, and after looking at me carefully he perched upon my shoulder and said:

"`I wonder farmer thought to fool me clumsy manner Any crow of sense that only stuffed with straw ' Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn The other birds, seeing not harmed by me, came to eat the corn too, so in short time great flock about me

" sad , showed not such good Scarecrow after all; but the old crow comforted me, saying, ` only had brains in your head as good man as any , and better man than Brains are the only things worth having world, no matter whether one is crow or man '

" crows had gone this over, and decided try hard some brains By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake, and from what you say the Great Oz will brains we get Emerald City "

" so," said Dorothy earnestly, "since you seem anxious them "

"Oh, yes; anxious," returned the Scarecrow " such an uncomfortable feeling one is fool "

"Well," said the girl, " go " And she handed the basket Scarecrow

There were no fences at all roadside now, land was rough and untilled Toward evening they came to great forest, where the trees grew so big and close together that their branches met over the road of yellow brick almost dark under the trees, branches shut out the daylight; but the travelers stop, and went on forest

" road goes in, it must come out," said the Scarecrow, "and Emerald City is other end road, go wherever it leads us "

"Anyone would know that," said Dorothy

"Certainly; why it," returned the Scarecrow " required brains to figure it out, I never said it "

After an hour or so the light faded away, found themselves stumbling along darkness Dorothy at all, but Toto could, for some dogs see dark; Scarecrow declared he as by day So she took hold arm and managed along fairly well