“Well,is‘hee-haw’allyouareabletosay?”inquiredtheSawhorse,asheexaminedHankwithhisknoteyesandslowlywaggedthebranchthatservedhimforatail. TheywereinabeautifulstableintherearofOzma’spalace,wherethewoodenSawhorse—verymuchalive—livedinagold-paneledstall,andwheretherewereroomsfortheCowardlyLionandtheHungryTiger,whichwerefilledwithsoftcushionsforthemtolieuponandgoldentroughsforthemtoeatfrom. BesidethestalloftheSawhorsehadbeenplacedanotherforHank,themule. Thiswasnotquitesobeautifulastheother,fortheSawhorsewasOzma’sfavoritesteed;butHankhadasupplyofcushionsforabed(whichtheSawhorsedidnotneedbecauseheneverslept)andallthisluxurywassostrangetothelittlemulethathecouldonlystandstillandregardhissurroundingsandhisstrangecompanionswithwonderandamazement. TheCowardlyLion,lookingverydignified,wasstretchedoutuponthemarblefloorofthestable,eyeingHankwithacalmandcriticalgaze,whilenearbycrouchedthehugeHungryTiger,whoseemedequallyinterestedinthenewanimalthathadjustarrived. TheSawhorse,standingstifflybeforeHank,repeatedhisquestion: “Is‘hee-haw’allyouareabletosay?” Hankmovedhisearsinanembarrassedmanner. “Ihaveneversaidanythingelse,untilnow,”hereplied;andthenhebegantotremblewithfrighttohearhimselftalk. “Icanwellunderstandthat,”remarkedtheLion,wagginghisgreatheadwithaswayingmotion. “StrangethingshappeninthisLandofOz,astheydoeverywhereelse. Ibelieveyoucameherefromthecold,civilized,outsideworld,didyounot?” “Idid,”repliedHank.“OneminuteIwasoutsideofOz—andthenextminuteIwasinside! Thatwasenoughtogivemeanervousshock,asyoumayguess;buttofindmyselfabletotalk,asBetsydoes,isamarvelthatstaggersme.” “ThatisbecauseyouareintheLandofOz,”saidtheSawhorse. “Allanimalstalk,inthisfavoredcountry,andyoumustadmititismoresociablethantobrayyourdreadful‘hee-haw,’whichnobodycanunderstand.” “Mulesunderstanditverywell,”declaredHank. “Oh,indeed!Thentheremustbeothermulesinyouroutsideworld,”saidtheTiger,yawningsleepily. “ThereareagreatmanyinAmerica,”saidHank.“AreyoutheonlyTigerinOz?” “No,”acknowledgedtheTiger,“IhavemanyrelativeslivingintheJungleCountry;butIamtheonlyTigerlivingintheEmeraldCity.” “ThereareotherLions,too,”saidtheSawhorse;“butIamtheonlyhorse,ofanydescription,inthisfavoredLand.” “ThatiswhythisLandisfavored,”saidtheTiger. “Youmustunderstand,friendHank,thattheSawhorseputsonairsbecauseheisshodwithplatesofgold,andbecauseourbelovedRuler,OzmaofOz,likestorideuponhisback.” “Betsyridesuponmyback,”declaredHankproudly. “Thedearest,sweetestgirlinalltheworld!” TheSawhorsegaveanangrysnortandstampedhisgoldenfeet.TheTigercrouchedandgrowled.SlowlythegreatLionrosetohisfeet,hismanebristling. “FriendHank,”saidhe,“eitheryouaremistakeninjudgmentoryouarewillfullytryingtodeceiveus. Thedearest,sweetestgirlintheworldisourDorothy,andIwillfightanyone—animalorhuman—whodarestodenyit!” “SowillI!”snarledtheTiger,showingtworowsofenormouswhiteteeth. “Youareallwrong!”assertedtheSawhorseinavoiceofscorn.“Nogirllivingcancomparewithmymistress,OzmaofOz!” Hankslowlyturnedarounduntilhisheelsweretowardtheothers.Thenhesaidstubbornly: “Iamnotmistakeninmystatement,norwillIadmittherecanbeasweetergirlalivethanBetsyBobbin.Ifyouwanttofight,comeon—I’mreadyforyou!” Whiletheyhesitated,eyeingHank’sheelsdoubtfully,amerrypealoflaughterstartledtheanimalsandturningtheirheadstheybeheldthreelovelygirlsstandingjustwithintherichlycarvedentrancetothestable. InthecenterwasOzma,herarmsencirclingthewaistsofDorothyandBetsy,whostoodoneithersideofher. Ozmawasnearlyhalfaheadtallerthanthetwoothergirls,whowerealmostofonesize. Unobserved,theyhadlistenedtothetalkoftheanimals,whichwasaverystrangeexperienceindeedtolittleBetsyBobbin. “Youfoolishbeasts!”exclaimedtheRulerofOz,inagentlebutchidingvoice. “Whyshouldyoufighttodefendus,whoareallthreelovingfriendsandinnosenserivals?Answerme!” shecontinued,astheybowedtheirheadssheepishly. “Ihavetherighttoexpressmyopinion,yourHighness,”pleadedtheLion. “Andsohavetheothers,”repliedOzma.“IamgladyouandtheHungryTigerloveDorothybest,forshewasyourfirstfriendandcompanion. AlsoIampleasedthatmySawhorselovesmebest,fortogetherwehaveenduredbothjoyandsorrow. Hankhasprovedhisfaithandloyaltybydefendinghisownlittlemistress;andsoyouareallrightinoneway,butwronginanother. OurLandofOzisaLandofLove,andherefriendshipoutrankseveryotherquality. Unlessyoucanallbefriends,youcannotretainourlove.” Theyacceptedthisrebukeverymeekly. “Allright,”saidtheSawhorse,quitecheerfully;“shakehoofs,friendMule.” Hanktouchedhishooftothatofthewoodenhorse. “Letusbefriendsandrubnoses,”saidtheTiger.SoHankmodestlyrubbednoseswiththebigbeast. TheLionmerelynoddedandsaid,ashecrouchedbeforethemule: “AnyfriendofafriendofourbelovedRulerisafriendoftheCowardlyLion.Thatseemstocoveryourcase.Ifeveryouneedhelporadvice,friendHank,callonme.” “Why,thisisasitshouldbe,”saidOzma,highlypleasedtoseethemsofullyreconciled.Thensheturnedtohercompanions:“Come,mydears,letusresumeourwalk.” AstheyturnedawayBetsysaidwonderingly: “DoalltheanimalsinOztalkaswedo?” “Almostall,”answeredDorothy.“There’saYellowHenhere,andshecantalk,andsocanherchickens;andthere’saPinkKittenupstairsinmyroomwhotalksverynicely;butI’vealittlefuzzyblackdog,namedToto,whohasbeenwithmeinOzalongtime,andhe’sneversaidasinglewordbut‘Bow-wow!’” “Doyouknowwhy?”askedOzma. “Why,he’saKansasdog;soIs’posehe’sdifferentfromthesefairyanimals,”repliedDorothy. “Hankisn’tafairyanimal,anymorethanToto,”saidOzma,“yetassoonashecameunderthespellofourfairylandhefoundhecouldtalk. ItwasthesamewaywithBillina,theYellowHenwhomyoubroughthereatonetime. ThesamespellhasaffectedToto,Iassureyou;buthe’sawiselittledogandwhileheknowseverythingthatissaidtohimheprefersnottotalk.” “Goodnessme!”exclaimedDorothy. “Inevers’pectedTotowasfoolingmeallthistime.” Thenshedrewasmallsilverwhistlefromherpocketandblewashrillnoteuponit. Amomentlatertherewasasoundofscurryingfootsteps,andashaggyblackdogcamerunningupthepath. Dorothykneltdownbeforehimandshakingherfingerjustabovehisnoseshesaid: “Toto,haven’tIalwaysbeengoodtoyou?” Totolookedupatherwithhisbrightblackeyesandwaggedhistail. “Bow-wow!”hesaid,andBetsyknewatoncethatmeantyes,aswellasDorothyandOzmaknewit,fortherewasnomistakingthetoneofToto’svoice. “That’sadoganswer,”saidDorothy.“Howwouldyoulikeit,Toto,ifIsaidnothingtoyoubut‘bow-wow’?” Toto’stailwaswaggingfuriouslynow,butotherwisehewassilent. “Really,Dorothy,”saidBetsy,“hecantalkwithhisbarkandhistailjustaswellaswecan.Don’tyouunderstandsuchdoglanguage?” “OfcourseIdo,”repliedDorothy.“ButToto’sgottobemoresociable.Seehere,sir!” shecontinued,addressingthedog,“I’vejustlearned,forthefirsttime,thatyoucansaywords—ifyouwantto.Don’tyouwantto,Toto?” “Woof!”saidToto,andthatmeant“no.” “Notjustoneword,Toto,toproveyou’reasanyotheranimalinOz?” “Justoneword,Toto—andthenyoumayrunaway.” Helookedathersteadilyamoment. “Allright.HereIgo!”hesaid,anddartedawayasswiftasanarrow. Dorothyclappedherhandsindelight,whileBetsyandOzmabothlaughedheartilyatherpleasureandthesuccessofherexperiment. Arminarmtheysaunteredawaythroughthebeautifulgardensofthepalace,wheremagnificentflowersbloomedinabundanceandfountainsshottheirsilveryspraysfarintotheair. Andbyandby,astheyturnedacorner,theycameuponShaggyManandhisbrother,whowereseatedtogetheruponagoldenbench. ThetwoarosetobowrespectfullyastheRulerofOzapproachedthem. “HowareyouenjoyingourLandofOz?”Ozmaaskedthestranger. “Iamveryhappyhere,YourHighness,”repliedShaggy’sbrother.“AlsoIamverygratefultoyouforpermittingmetoliveinthisdelightfulplace.” “YoumustthankShaggyforthat,”saidOzma.“Beinghisbrother,Ihavemadeyouwelcomehere.” “WhenyouknowBrotherbetter,”saidShaggyearnestly,“youwillbegladhehasbecomeoneofyourloyalsubjects. IamjustgettingacquaintedwithhimmyselfandIfindmuchinhischaractertoadmire.” Leavingthebrothers,Ozmaandthegirlscontinuedtheirwalk.PresentlyBetsyexclaimed: “Shaggy’sbrothercan’teverbeashappyinOzasIam.Doyouknow,Dorothy,Ididn’tbelieveanygirlcouldeverhavesuchagoodtime—anywhere—asI’mhavingnow?” “Iknow,”answeredDorothy.“I’vefeltthatwaymyself,lotsoftimes.” “Iwish,”continuedBetsy,dreamily,“thateverylittlegirlintheworldcouldliveintheLandofOz;andeverylittleboy,too!” “Itisquitefortunateforus,Betsy,thatyourwishcannotbegranted,”saidshe,“forallthatarmyofgirlsandboyswouldcrowdussothatwewouldhavetomoveaway.” “Yes,”agreedBetsy,afteralittlethought,“Iguessthat’strue.” 
