English
TheTinWoodmanreceivedPrincessDorothy’spartywithmuchgraceandcordiality,yetthelittlegirldecidedthatsomethingmustbeworryingwithheroldfriend,becausehewasnotsomerryasusual.
Butatfirstshesaidnothingaboutthis,forUncleHenryandAuntEmwerefairlybubblingoverwithadmirationforthebeautifultincastleanditspolishedtinowner.
Sohersuspicionthatsomethingunpleasanthadhappenedwasforatimeforgotten.
“WhereistheScarecrow?”sheasked,whentheyhadallbeenusheredintothebigtindrawing-roomofthecastle,theSawhorsebeingledaroundtothetinstableintherear.
“Why,ouroldfriendhasjustmovedintohisnewmansion,”explainedtheTinWoodman.
“Ithasbeenalongtimeinbuilding,althoughmyWinkiesandmanyotherpeoplefromallpartsofthecountryhavebeenbusilyworkinguponit.
Atlast,however,itiscompleted,andtheScarecrowtookpossessionofhisnewhomejusttwodaysago.”
“Ihadn’theardthathewantedahomeofhisown,”saidDorothy.“Whydoesn’thelivewithOzmaintheEmeraldCity?Heusedto,youknow;andIthoughthewashappythere.”
“Itseems,”saidtheTinWoodman,“thatourdearScarecrowcannotbecontentedwithcitylife,howeverbeautifulhissurroundingsmightbe.
Originallyhewasafarmer,forhepassedhisearlylifeinacornfield,wherehewassupposedtofrightenawaythecrows.”
“Iknow,”saidDorothy,nodding.“Ifoundhim,andliftedhimdownfromhispole.”
“Sonow,afteralongresidenceintheEmeraldCity,histasteshaveturnedtofarmlifeagain,”continuedtheTinMan.
“Hefeelsthathecannotbehappywithoutafarmofhisown,soOzmagavehimsomelandandeveryonehelpedhimbuildhismansion,andnowheissettledthereforgood.”
“Whodesignedhishouse?”askedtheShaggyMan.
“IbelieveitwasJackPumpkinhead,whoisalsoafarmer,”wasthereply.
Theywerenowinvitedtoenterthetindiningroom,whereluncheonwasserved.
AuntEmfound,tohersatisfaction,thatDorothy’spromisewasmorethanfulfilled;for,althoughtheTinWoodmanhadnoappetiteofhisown,herespectedtheappetitesofhisguestsandsawthattheywerebountifullyfed.
Theypassedtheafternooninwanderingthroughthebeautifulgardensandgroundsofthepalace.
Thewalkswereallpavedwithsheetsoftin,brightlypolished,andthereweretinfountainsandtinstatueshereandthereamongthetrees.
Theflowersweremostlynaturalflowersandgrewintheregularway;buttheirhostshowedthemoneflowerbedwhichwashisespecialpride.
“Yousee,allcommonflowersfadeanddieintime,”heexplained,“andsothereareseasonswhentheprettybloomsarescarce.
ThereforeIdecidedtomakeonetinflowerbedalloftinflowers,andmyworkmenhavecreatedthemwithrareskill.
Hereyouseetincamellias,tinmarigolds,tincarnations,tinpoppiesandtinhollyhocksgrowingasnaturallyasiftheywerereal.”
Indeed,theywereaprettysight,andglistenedunderthesunlightlikespunsilver.“Isn’tthistinhollyhockgoingtoseed?”askedtheWizard,bendingovertheflowers.
“Why,Ibelieveitis!”exclaimedtheTinWoodman,asifsurprised.“Ihadn’tnoticedthatbefore.ButIshallplantthetinseedsandraiseanotherbedoftinhollyhocks.”
InonecornerofthegardensNickChopperhadestablishedafish-pondinwhichtheysawswimminganddisportingthemselvesmanyprettytinfishes.
“Wouldtheybiteonhooks?”askedAuntEm,curiously.
TheTinWoodmanseemedhurtatthisquestion.
“Madam,”saidhe,“doyousupposeIwouldallowanyonetocatchmybeautifulfishes,eveniftheywerefoolishenoughtobiteonhooks?No,indeed!
Everycreatedthingissafefromharminmydomain,andIwouldassoonthinkofkillingmylittlefriendDorothyaskillingoneofmytinfishes.”
“TheEmperorisverykind-hearted,ma’am,”explainedtheWizard.
“Ifaflyhappenstolightuponhistinbodyhedoesn’trudelybrushitoff,assomepeoplemightdo;heasksitpolitelytofindsomeotherrestingplace.”
“Whatdoestheflydothen?”enquiredAuntEm.
“Usuallyitbegshispardonandgoesaway,”saidtheWizard,gravely.
“Fliesliketobetreatedpolitelyaswellasothercreatures,andhereinOztheyunderstandwhatwesaytothem,andbehaveverynicely.”
“Well,”saidAuntEm,“thefliesinKansas,whereIcamefrom,don’tunderstandanythingbutaswat.
Youhavetosmash‘emtomake‘embehave;andit’sthesamewaywith‘skeeters.Doyouhave‘skeetersinOz?”
“Wehavesomeverylargemosquitoeshere,whichsingasbeautifullyassongbirds,”repliedtheTinWoodman.
“Buttheyneverbiteorannoyourpeople,becausetheyarewellfedandtakencareof.
Thereasontheybitepeopleinyourcountryisbecausetheyarehungry—poorthings!”
“Yes,”agreedAuntEm;“they’rehungry,allright.An’theyain’tveryparticularwhotheyfeedon.I’mgladyou’vegotthe‘skeeterseducatedinOz.”
ThateveningafterdinnertheywereentertainedbytheEmperor’sTinCornetBand,whichplayedforthemseveralsweetmelodies.
AlsotheWizarddidafewsleight-of-handtrickstoamusethecompany;afterwhichtheyallretiredtotheircozytinbedroomsandsleptsoundlyuntilmorning.
AfterbreakfastDorothysaidtotheTinWoodman:
“Ifyou’lltelluswhichwaytogowe’llvisittheScarecrowonourwayhome.”
“Iwillgowithyou,andshowyoutheway,”repliedtheEmperor;“forImustjourneyto-daytotheEmeraldCity.”
Helookedsoanxious,ashesaidthis,thatthelittlegirlasked:
“Thereisn’tanythingwrongwithOzma,isthere?”
“Notyet,”saidhe;“butI’mafraidthetimehascomewhenImusttellyousomeverybadnews,littlefriend.”
“Oh,whatisit?”criedDorothy.
“DoyouremembertheNomeKing?”askedtheTinWoodman.
“Irememberhimverywell,”shereplied.
“TheNomeKinghasnotakindheart,”saidtheEmperor,sadly,“andhehasbeenharboringwickedthoughtsofrevenge,becauseweoncedefeatedhimandliberatedhisslavesandyoutookawayhisMagicBelt.
SohehasorderedhisNomestodigalongtunnelunderneaththedeadlydesert,sothathemaymarchhishostsrightintotheEmeraldCity.
Whenhegetsthereheintendstodestroyourbeautifulcountry.”
Dorothywasmuchsurprisedtohearthis.
“HowdidOzmafindoutaboutthetunnel?”sheasked.
“ShesawitinherMagicPicture.”
“Ofcourse,”saidDorothy;“Imighthaveknownthat.Andwhatisshegoingtodo?”
“Icannottell,”wasthereply.
“Pooh!”criedtheYellowHen.“We’renotafraidoftheNomes.Ifwerollafewofoureggsdownthetunnelthey’llrunawaybackhomeasfastastheycango.”
“Why,that’strueenough!”exclaimedDorothy.“TheScarecrowonceconqueredalltheNomeKing’sarmywithsomeofBillina’seggs.”
“Butyoudonotunderstandallofthedreadfulplot,”continuedtheTinWoodman.
“TheNomeKingisclever,andheknowshisNomeswouldrunfromeggs;sohehasbargainedwithmanyterriblecreaturestohelphim.
Theseevilspiritsarenotafraidofeggsoranythingelse,andtheyareverypowerful.
SotheNomeKingwillsendthemthroughthetunnelfirst,toconqueranddestroy,andthentheNomeswillfollowaftertogettheirshareoftheplunderandslaves.”
Theywereallstartledtohearthis,andeveryfaceworeatroubledlook.
“Isthetunnelallready?”askedDorothy.
“Ozmasentmewordyesterdaythatthetunnelwasallcompletedexceptforathincrustofearthattheend.
Whenourenemiesbreakthroughthiscrust,theywillbeinthegardensoftheroyalpalace,intheheartoftheEmeraldCity.
IofferedtoarmallmyWinkiesandmarchtoOzma’sassistance;butshesaidno.”
“Iwonderwhy?”askedDorothy.
“SheansweredthatalltheinhabitantsofOz,gatheredtogether,werenotpowerfulenoughtofightandovercometheevilforcesoftheNomeKing.Thereforesherefusestofightatall.”
“Buttheywillcaptureandenslaveus,andplunderandruinallourlovelyland!”exclaimedtheWizard,greatlydisturbedbythisstatement.
“Ifeartheywill,”saidtheTinWoodman,sorrowfully.
“AndIalsofearthatthosewhoarenotfairies,suchastheWizard,andDorothy,andheruncleandaunt,aswellasTotoandBillina,willbespeedilyputtodeathbytheconquerors.”
“Whatcanbedone?”askedDorothy,shudderingalittleattheprospectofthisawfulfate.
“Nothingcanbedone!”gloomilyrepliedtheEmperoroftheWinkies.“ButsinceOzmarefusesmyarmyIwillgomyselftotheEmeraldCity.TheleastImaydoistoperishbesidemybelovedRuler.”‘
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