English
TheTinWoodmansatonhisglitteringtinthroneinthehandsometinhallofhissplendidtincastleintheWinkieCountryoftheLandofOz.
Besidehim,inachairofwovenstraw,sathisbestfriend,theScarecrowofOz.
Attimestheyspoketooneanotherofcuriousthingstheyhadseenandstrangeadventurestheyhadknownsincefirsttheytwohadmetandbecomecomrades.
Butattimestheyweresilent,forthesethingshadbeentalkedovermanytimesbetweenthem,andtheyfoundthemselvescontentedinmerelybeingtogether,speakingnowandthenabriefsentencetoprovetheywerewideawakeandattentive.
Butthen,thesetwoquaintpersonsneverslept.
Whyshouldtheysleep,whentheynevertired?
Andnow,asthebrilliantsunsanklowovertheWinkieCountryofOz,tintingtheglisteningtintowersandtinminaretsofthetincastlewithglorioussunsethues,thereapproachedalongawindingpathwayWoottheWanderer,whometatthecastleentranceaWinkieservant.
TheservantsoftheTinWoodmanallworetinhelmetsandtinbreastplatesanduniformscoveredwithtinytindiscssewedcloselytogetheronsilvercloth,sothattheirbodiessparkledasbeautifullyasdidthetincastle—andalmostasbeautifullyasdidtheTinWoodmanhimself.
WoottheWandererlookedatthemanservant—allbrightandglittering—andatthemagnificentcastle—allbrightandglittering—andashelookedhiseyesgrewbigwithwonder.
ForWootwasnotverybigandnotveryoldand,wandererthoughhewas,thisprovedthemostgorgeoussightthathadevermethisboyishgaze.
“Wholiveshere?”heasked.
“TheEmperoroftheWinkies,whoisthefamousTinWoodmanofOz,”repliedtheservant,whohadbeentrainedtotreatallstrangerswithcourtesy.
“ATinWoodman?Howqueer!”exclaimedthelittlewanderer.
“Well,perhapsourEmperorisqueer,”admittedtheservant;“butheisakindmasterandashonestandtrueasgoodtincanmakehim;sowe,whogladlyservehim,areapttoforgetthatheisnotlikeotherpeople.”
“MayIseehim?”askedWoottheWanderer,afteramoment’sthought.
“Ifitpleaseyoutowaitamoment,Iwillgoandaskhim,”saidtheservant,andthenhewentintothehallwheretheTinWoodmansatwithhisfriendtheScarecrow.
Bothweregladtolearnthatastrangerhadarrivedatthecastle,forthiswouldgivethemsomethingnewtotalkabout,sotheservantwasaskedtoadmittheboyatonce.
BythetimeWoottheWandererhadpassedthroughthegrandcorridors—alllinedwithornamentaltin—andunderstatelytinarchwaysandthroughthemanytinroomsallsetwithbeautifultinfurniture,hiseyeshadgrownbiggerthaneverandhiswholelittlebodythrilledwithamazement.
But,astonishedthoughhewas,hewasabletomakeapolitebowbeforethethroneandtosayinarespectfulvoice:“IsaluteyourIllustriousMajestyandofferyoumyhumbleservices.”
“Verygood!”answeredtheTinWoodmaninhisaccustomedcheerfulmanner.“Tellmewhoyouare,andwhenceyoucome.”
“IamknownasWoottheWanderer,”answeredtheboy,“andIhavecome,throughmanytravelsandbyroundaboutways,frommyformerhomeinafarcorneroftheGillikinCountryofOz.”
“Towanderfromone’shome,”remarkedtheScarecrow,“istoencounterdangersandhardships,especiallyifoneismadeofmeatandbone.
HadyounofriendsinthatcorneroftheGillikinCountry?Wasitnothomelikeandcomfortable?”
Tohearamanstuffedwithstrawspeak,andspeaksowell,quitestartledWoot,andperhapshestaredabitrudelyattheScarecrow.Butafteramomenthereplied:
“Ihadhomeandfriends,yourHonorableStrawness,buttheyweresoquietandhappyandcomfortablethatIfoundthemdismallystupid.
NothinginthatcornerofOzinterestedme,butIbelievedthatinotherpartsofthecountryIwouldfindstrangepeopleandseenewsights,andsoIsetoutuponmywanderingjourney.
Ihavebeenawandererfornearlyafullyear,andnowmywanderingshavebroughtmetothissplendidcastle.”
“Isuppose,”saidtheTinWoodman,“thatinthisyearyouhaveseensomuchthatyouhavebecomeverywise.”
“No,”repliedWoot,thoughtfully,“Iamnotatallwise,IbegtoassureyourMajesty.ThemoreIwanderthelessIfindthatIknow,forintheLandofOzmuchwisdomandmanythingsmaybelearned.”
“Tolearnissimple.Don’tyouaskquestions?”inquiredtheScarecrow.
“Yes;IaskasmanyquestionsasIdare;butsomepeoplerefusetoanswerquestions.”
“Thatisnotkindofthem,”declaredtheTinWoodman.“Ifonedoesnotaskforinformationheseldomreceivesit;soI,formypart,makeitaruletoansweranycivilquestionthatisaskedme.”
“SodoI,”addedtheScarecrow,nodding.
“Iamgladtohearthis,”saidtheWanderer,“foritmakesmeboldtoaskforsomethingtoeat.”
“Blesstheboy!”criedtheEmperoroftheWinkies;“howcarelessofmenottorememberthatwanderersareusuallyhungry.Iwillhavefoodbroughtyouatonce.”
Sayingthisheblewuponatinwhistlethatwassuspendedfromhistinneck,andatthesummonsaservantappearedandbowedlow.
TheTinWoodmanorderedfoodforthestranger,andinafewminutestheservantbroughtinatintrayheapedwithachoicearrayofgoodthingstoeat,allneatlydisplayedontindishesthatwerepolishedtilltheyshonelikemirrors.
Thetraywassetuponatintabledrawnbeforethethrone,andtheservantplacedatinchairbeforethetablefortheboytoseathimself.
“Eat,friendWanderer,”saidtheEmperorcordially,“andItrustthefeastwillbetoyourliking.
I,myself,donoteat,beingmadeinsuchmannerthatIrequirenofoodtokeepmealive.NeitherdoesmyfriendtheScarecrow.
ButallmyWinkiepeopleeat,beingformedofflesh,asyouare,andsomytincupboardisneverbare,andstrangersarealwayswelcometowhateveritcontains.”
Theboyateinsilenceforatime,beingreallyhungry,butafterhisappetitewassomewhatsatisfied,hesaid:
“HowhappenedyourMajestytobemadeoftin,andstillbealive?”
“That,”repliedthetinman,“isalongstory.”
“Thelongerthebetter,”saidtheboy.“Won’tyoupleasetellmethestory?”
“Ifyoudesireit,”promisedtheTinWoodman,leaningbackinhistinthroneandcrossinghistinlegs.
“Ihaven’trelatedmyhistoryinalongwhile,becauseeveryonehereknowsitnearlyaswellasIdo.
Butyou,beingastranger,arenodoubtcurioustolearnhowIbecamesobeautifulandprosperous,soIwillreciteforyourbenefitmystrangeadventures.”
“Thankyou,”saidWoottheWanderer,stilleating.
“Iwasnotalwaysmadeoftin,”begantheEmperor,“forinthebeginningIwasamanoffleshandboneandbloodandlivedintheMunchkinCountryofOz.
ThereIwas,bytrade,awoodchopper,andcontributedmysharetothecomfortoftheOzpeoplebychoppingupthetreesoftheforesttomakefirewood,withwhichthewomenwouldcooktheirmealswhilethechildrenwarmedthemselvesaboutthefires.
FormyhomeIhadalittlehutbytheedgeoftheforest,andmylifewasoneofmuchcontentuntilIfellinlovewithabeautifulMunchkingirlwholivednotfaraway.”
“WhatwastheMunchkingirl’sname?”askedWoot.
“NimmieAmee.Thisgirl,sofairthatthesunsetsblushedwhentheirraysfelluponher,livedwithapowerfulwitchwhoworesilvershoesandwhohadmadethepoorchildherslave.
NimmieAmeewasobligedtoworkfrommorningtillnightfortheoldWitchoftheEast,scrubbingandsweepingherhutandcookinghermealsandwashingherdishes.
Shehadtocutfirewood,too,untilIfoundheronedayintheforestandfellinlovewithher.
Afterthat,IalwaysbroughtplentyoffirewoodtoNimmieAmeeandwebecameveryfriendly.
FinallyIaskedhertomarryme,andsheagreedtodoso,buttheWitchhappenedtooverhearourconversationanditmadeherveryangry,forshedidnotwishherslavetobetakenawayfromher.
TheWitchcommandedmenevertocomenearNimmieAmeeagain,butItoldherIwasmyownmasterandwoulddoasIpleased,notrealizingthatthiswasacarelesswaytospeaktoaWitch.
“Thenextday,asIwascuttingwoodintheforest,thecruelWitchenchantedmyaxe,sothatitslippedandcutoffmyrightleg.”
“Howdreadful!”criedWoottheWanderer.
“Yes,itwasaseemingmisfortune,”agreedtheTinMan,“foraone-leggedwoodchopperisoflittleuseinhistrade.
ButIwouldnotallowtheWitchtoconquermesoeasily.
Iknewaveryskillfulmechanicattheothersideoftheforest,whowasmyfriend,soIhoppedononelegtohimandaskedhimtohelpme.
Hesoonmademeanewlegoutoftinandfasteneditcleverlytomymeatbody.
IthadjointsatthekneeandattheankleandwasalmostascomfortableasthelegIhadlost.”
“Yourfriendmusthavebeenawonderfulworkman!”exclaimedWoot.
“Hewas,indeed,”admittedtheEmperor.“Hewasatinsmithbytradeandcouldmakeanythingoutoftin.
WhenIreturnedtoNimmieAmee,thegirlwasdelightedandthrewherarmsaroundmyneckandkissedme,declaringshewasproudofme.
TheWitchsawthekissandwasmoreangrythanbefore.
WhenIwenttoworkintheforest,nextday,myaxe,beingstillenchanted,slippedandcutoffmyotherleg.
AgainIhopped—onmytinleg—tomyfriendthetinsmith,whokindlymademeanothertinlegandfastenedittomybody.
SoIreturnedjoyfullytoNimmieAmee,whowasmuchpleasedwithmyglitteringlegsandpromisedthatwhenwewerewedshewouldalwayskeepthemoiledandpolished.
ButtheWitchwasmorefuriousthanever,andassoonasIraisedmyaxetochop,ittwistedaroundandcutoffoneofmyarms.
ThetinsmithmademeatinarmandIwasnotmuchworried,becauseNimmieAmeedeclaredshestilllovedme.”
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