English
TheEmperoroftheWinkiespausedinhisstorytoreachforanoil-can,withwhichhecarefullyoiledthejointsinhistinthroat,forhisvoicehadbeguntosqueakalittle.
WoottheWanderer,havingsatisfiedhishunger,watchedthisoilingprocesswithmuchcuriosity,butbeggedtheTinMantogoonwithhistale.
“TheWitchwiththeSilverShoeshatedmeforhavingdefiedher,”resumedtheEmperor,hisvoicenowsoundingclearasabell,“andsheinsistedthatNimmieAmeeshouldnevermarryme.
Thereforeshemadetheenchantedaxecutoffmyotherarm,andthetinsmithalsoreplacedthatmemberwithtin,includingthesefinely-jointedhandsthatyouseemeusing.But,alas!
afterthat,theaxe,stillenchantedbythecruelWitch,cutmybodyintwo,sothatIfelltotheground.
ThentheWitch,whowaswatchingfromanear-bybush,rushedupandseizedtheaxeandchoppedmybodyintoseveralsmallpieces,afterwhich,thinkingthatatlastshehaddestroyedme,sheranawaylaughinginwickedglee.
“ButNimmieAmeefoundme.Shepickedupmyarmsandlegsandhead,andmadeabundleofthemandcarriedthemtothetinsmith,whosettoworkandmademeafinebodyofpuretin.
Whenhehadjoinedthearmsandlegstothebody,andsetmyheadinthetincollar,Iwasamuchbettermanthanever,formybodycouldnotacheorpainme,andIwassobeautifulandbrightthatIhadnoneedofclothing.
Clothingisalwaysanuisance,becauseitsoilsandtearsandhastobereplaced;butmytinbodyonlyneedstobeoiledandpolished.
“NimmieAmeestilldeclaredshewouldmarryme,asshestilllovedmeinspiteoftheWitch’sevildeeds.
ThegirldeclaredIwouldmakethebrightesthusbandinalltheworld,whichwasquitetrue.
However,theWickedWitchwasnotyetdefeated.
WhenIreturnedtomyworktheaxeslippedandcutoffmyhead,whichwastheonlymeatpartofmethenremaining.
Moreover,theoldwomangrabbedupmyseveredheadandcarrieditawaywithherandhidit.
ButNimmieAmeecameintotheforestandfoundmewanderingaroundhelplessly,becauseIcouldnotseewheretogo,andsheledmetomyfriendthetinsmith.
Thefaithfulfellowatoncesettoworktomakemeatinhead,andhehadjustcompleteditwhenNimmieAmeecamerunningupwithmyoldhead,whichshehadstolenfromtheWitch.
But,onreflection,Iconsideredthetinheadfarsuperiortothemeatone—Iamwearingityet,soyoucanseeitsbeautyandgraceofoutline—andthegirlagreedwithmethatamanallmadeoftinwasfarmoreperfectthanoneformedofdifferentmaterials.
ThetinsmithwasasproudofhisworkmanshipasIwas,andforthreewholedays,alladmiredmeandpraisedmybeauty.
“Beingnowcompletelyformedoftin,IhadnomorefearoftheWickedWitch,forshewaspowerlesstoinjureme.
NimmieAmeesaidwemustbemarriedatonce,forthenshecouldcometomycottageandlivewithmeandkeepmebrightandsparkling.
“‘Iamsure,mydearNick,’saidthebraveandbeautifulgirl—mynamewasthenNickChopper,youshouldbetold—‘thatyouwillmakethebesthusbandanygirlcouldhave.
Ishallnotbeobligedtocookforyou,fornowyoudonoteat;Ishallnothavetomakeyourbed,fortindoesnottireorrequiresleep;whenwegotoadance,youwillnotgetwearybeforethemusicstopsandsayyouwanttogohome.
Alldaylong,whileyouarechoppingwoodintheforest,Ishallbeabletoamusemyselfinmyownway—aprivilegefewwivesenjoy.
Thereisnotemperinyournewhead,soyouwillnotgetangrywithme.
Finally,IshalltakeprideinbeingthewifeoftheonlyliveTinWoodmaninalltheworld!’
WhichshowsthatNimmieAmeewasaswiseasshewasbraveandbeautiful.”
“Ithinkshewasaverynicegirl,”saidWoottheWanderer.“But,tellme,please,whywereyounotkilledwhenyouwerechoppedtopieces?”
“IntheLandofOz,”repliedtheEmperor,“noonecaneverbekilled.
Amanwithawoodenlegoratinlegisstillthesameman;and,asIlostpartsofmymeatbodybydegrees,Ialwaysremainedthesamepersonasinthebeginning,eventhoughintheendIwasalltinandnomeat.”
“Isee,”saidtheboy,thoughtfully.“AnddidyoumarryNimmieAmee?”
“No,”answeredtheTinWoodman,“Ididnot.
Shesaidshestilllovedme,butIfoundthatInolongerlovedher.
Mytinbodycontainednoheart,andwithoutaheartnoonecanlove.
SotheWickedWitchconqueredintheend,andwhenIlefttheMunchkinCountryofOz,thepoorgirlwasstilltheslaveoftheWitchandhadtodoherbiddingdayandnight.”
“Wheredidyougo?”askedWoot.
“Well,Ifirststartedouttofindaheart,soIcouldloveNimmieAmeeagain;butheartsaremorescarcethanonewouldthink.
Oneday,inabigforestthatwasstrangetome,myjointssuddenlybecamerusted,becauseIhadforgottentooilthem.
ThereIstood,unabletomovehandorfoot.
AndthereIcontinuedtostand—whiledayscameandwent—untilDorothyandtheScarecrowcamealongandrescuedme.
Theyoiledmyjointsandsetmefree,andI’vetakengoodcarenevertorustagain.”
“WhowasthisDorothy?”questionedtheWanderer.
“AlittlegirlwhohappenedtobeinahousewhenitwascarriedbyacycloneallthewayfromKansastotheLandofOz.
Whenthehousefell,intheMunchkinCountry,itfortunatelylandedontheWickedWitchandsmashedherflat.
Itwasabighouse,andIthinktheWitchisunderityet.”
“No,”saidtheScarecrow,correctinghim,“DorothysaystheWitchturnedtodust,andthewindscatteredthedustineverydirection.”
“Well,”continuedtheTinWoodman,“aftermeetingtheScarecrowandDorothy,IwentwiththemtotheEmeraldCity,wheretheWizardofOzgavemeaheart.
ButtheWizard’sstockofheartswaslow,andhegavemeaKindHeartinsteadofaLovingHeart,sothatIcouldnotloveNimmieAmeeanymorethanIdidwhenIwasheartless.”
“Couldn’ttheWizardgiveyouaheartthatwasbothKindandLoving?”askedtheboy.
“No;thatwaswhatIaskedfor,buthesaidhewassoshortonhearts,justthen,thattherewasbutoneinstock,andIcouldtakethatornoneatall.
SoIacceptedit,andImustsaythatforitskinditisaverygoodheartindeed.”
“Itseemstome,”saidWoot,musingly,“thattheWizardfooledyou.Itcan’tbeaveryKindHeart,youknow.”
“Whynot?”demandedtheEmperor.
“Becauseitwasunkindofyoutodesertthegirlwholovedyou,andwhohadbeenfaithfulandtruetoyouwhenyouwereintrouble.
HadthehearttheWizardgaveyoubeenaKindHeart,youwouldhavegonebackhomeandmadethebeautifulMunchkingirlyourwife,andthenbroughtherheretobeanEmpressandliveinyoursplendidtincastle.”
TheTinWoodmanwassosurprisedatthisfrankspeechthatforatimehedidnothingbutstarehardattheboyWanderer.ButtheScarecrowwaggedhisstuffedheadandsaidinapositivetone:
“Thisboyisright.I’veoftenwondered,myself,whyyoudidn’tgobackandfindthatpoorMunchkingirl.”
ThentheTinWoodmanstaredhardathisfriendtheScarecrow.Butfinallyhesaidinaserioustoneofvoice:
“ImustadmitthatneverbeforehaveIthoughtofsuchathingasfindingNimmieAmeeandmakingherEmpressoftheWinkies.
Butitissurelynottoolate,evennow,todothis,forthegirlmuststillbelivingintheMunchkinCountry.
And,sincethisstrangeWandererhasremindedmeofNimmieAmee,Ibelieveitismydutytosetoutandfindher.
Surelyitisnotthegirl’sfaultthatInolongerloveher,andso,ifIcanmakeherhappy,itisproperthatIshoulddoso,andinthiswayrewardherforherfaithfulness.”
“Quiteright,myfriend!”agreedtheScarecrow.
“Willyouaccompanymeonthiserrand?”askedtheTinEmperor.
“Ofcourse,”saidtheScarecrow.
“Andwillyoutakemealong?”pleadedWoottheWandererinaneagervoice.
“Tobesure,”saidtheTinWoodman,“ifyoucaretojoinourparty.
ItwasyouwhofirsttoldmeitwasmydutytofindandmarryNimmieAmee,andI’dlikeyoutoknowthatNickChopper,theTinEmperoroftheWinkies,isamanwhonevershirkshisduty,onceitispointedouttohim.”
“Itoughttobeapleasure,aswellasaduty,ifthegirlissobeautiful,”saidWoot,wellpleasedwiththeideaoftheadventure.
“Beautifulthingsmaybeadmired,ifnotloved,”assertedtheTinMan.
“Flowersarebeautiful,forinstance,butwearenotinclinedtomarrythem.
Duty,onthecontrary,isabuglecalltoaction,whetheryouareinclinedtoact,ornot.
Inthiscase,Iobeythebuglecallofduty.”
“Whenshallwestart?”inquiredtheScarecrow,whowasalwaysgladtoembarkuponanewadventure.“Idon’thearanybugle,butwhendowego?”
“Assoonaswecangetready,”answeredtheEmperor.“I’llcallmyservantsatonceandorderthemtomakepreparationsforourjourney.”
Share this article to
FINISH