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“Ourbestplan,”saidtheScarecrowBear,whentheGreenMonkeyhadrelatedthestoryofhisadventurewiththeDragons,“istogetoutofthisGillikinCountryassoonaswecanandtrytofindourwaytothecastleofGlinda,theGoodSorceress.
Therearetoomanydangerslurkingheretosuitme,andGlindamaybeabletorestoreustoourproperforms.”
“Ifweturnsouthnow,”theTinOwlreplied,“wemightgostraightintotheEmeraldCity.
That’saplaceIwishtoavoid,forI’dhatetohavemyfriendsseemeinthissadplight,”andheblinkedhiseyesandflutteredhistinwingsmournfully.
“ButIamcertainwehavepassedbeyondEmeraldCity,”theCanaryassuredhim,sailinglightlyaroundtheirheads.
“So,shouldweturnsouthfromhere,wewouldpassintotheMunchkinCountry,andcontinuingsouthwewouldreachtheQuadlingCountrywhereGlinda’scastleislocated.”
“Well,sinceyou’resureofthat,let’sstartrightaway,”proposedtheBear.“It’salongjourney,atthebest,andI’mgettingtiredofwalkingonfourlegs.”
“Ithoughtyounevertired,beingstuffedwithstraw,”saidWoot.
“Imeanthatitannoysme,tobeobligedtogoonallfours,whentwolegsaremyproperwalkingequipment,”repliedtheScarecrow.“Iconsideritbeneathmydignity.
Inotherwords,myremarkablebrainscantire,throughhumiliation,althoughmybodycannottire.”
“Thatisoneofthepenaltiesofhavingbrains,”remarkedtheTinOwlwithasigh.
“IhavehadnobrainssinceIwasamanofmeat,andsoIneverworry.
Nevertheless,Iprefermyformermanlyformtothisowl’sshapeandwouldbegladtobreakMrs.Yoop’senchantmentassoonaspossible.
Iamsonoisy,justnow,thatIdisturbmyself,”andheflutteredhiswingswithaclatterthatechoedthroughouttheforest.
So,beingallofonemind,theyturnedsouthward,travelingsteadilyonuntilthewoodswereleftbehindandthelandscapeturnedfrompurpletintstobluetints,whichassuredthemtheyhadenteredtheCountryoftheMunchkins.
“NowIfeelmyselfmoresafe,”saidtheScarecrowBear.
“Iknowthiscountryprettywell,havingbeenmadeherebyaMunchkinfarmerandhavingwanderedovertheselovelybluelandsmanytimes.
Seemstome,indeed,thatIevenrememberthatgroupofthreetalltreesaheadofus;and,ifIdo,wearenotfarfromthehomeofmyfriendJinjur.”
“WhoisJinjur?”askedWoot,theGreenMonkey.
“Haven’tyouheardofJinjur?”exclaimedtheScarecrow,insurprise.
“No,”saidWoot.“IsJinjuraman,awoman,abeastorabird?”
“Jinjurisagirl,”explainedtheScarecrowBear.
“She’safinegirl,too,althoughabitrestlessandliabletogetexcited.
Once,alongtimeago,sheraisedanarmyofgirlsandcalledherself‘GeneralJinjur.’
WithherarmyshecapturedtheEmeraldCity,anddrovemeoutofit,becauseIinsistedthatanarmyinOzwashighlyimproper.
ButOzmapunishedtherashgirl,andafterwardJinjurandIbecamefastfriends.
NowJinjurlivespeacefullyonafarm,nearhere,andraisesfieldsofcream-puffs,chocolate-caramelsandmacaroons.
Theysayshe’saprettygoodfarmer,andinadditiontothatshe’sanartist,andpaintspicturessoperfectthatonecanscarcelytellthemfromnature.
Sheoftenrepaintsmyfaceforme,whenitgetswornormussy,andthelovelyexpressionIworewhentheGiantesstransformedmewaspaintedbyJinjuronlyamonthorsoago.”
“Itwascertainlyapleasantexpression,”agreedWoot.
“Jinjurcanpaintanything,”continuedtheScarecrowBear,withenthusiasm,astheywalkedalongtogether.
“Once,whenIcametoherhouse,mystrawwasoldandcrumpled,sothatmybodysaggeddreadfully.
Ineedednewstrawtoreplacetheold,butJinjurhadnostrawonallherranchandIwasreallyunabletotravelfartheruntilIhadbeenrestuffed.
WhenIexplainedthistoJinjur,thegirlatoncepaintedastraw-stackwhichwassonaturalthatIwenttoitandsecuredenoughstrawtofillallmybody.
Itwasagoodqualityofstraw,too,andlastedmealongtime.”
ThisseemedverywonderfultoWoot,whoknewthatsuchathingcouldneverhappeninanyplacebutafairycountrylikeOz.
TheMunchkinCountrywasmuchnicerthantheGillikinCountry,andallthefieldswereseparatedbybluefences,withgrassylanesandpathsofblueground,andthelandseemedwellcultivated.
Theywereonalittlehilllookingdownuponthisfavoredcountry,buthadnotquitereachedthesettledparts,whenonturningabendinthepaththeywerehaltedbyaformthatbarredtheirway.
Amorecuriouscreaturetheyhadseldomseen,evenintheLandofOz,wherecuriouscreaturesabound.
Ithadtheheadofayoungman—evidentlyaMunchkin—withapleasantfaceandhairneatlycombed.
Butthebodywasverylong,forithadtwentylegs—tenlegsoneachside—andthiscausedthebodytostretchoutandlieinahorizontalposition,sothatallthelegscouldtouchthegroundandstandfirm.
Fromtheshouldersextendedtwosmallarms;atleast,theyseemedsmallbesidesomanylegs.
ThisoddcreaturewasdressedintheregulationclothingoftheMunchkinpeople,adarkbluecoatneatlyfittingthelongbodyandeachpairoflegshavingapairofsky-bluetrousers,withblue-tintedstockingsandblueleathershoesturnedupatthepointedtoes.
“Iwonderwhoyouare?”saidPolychrometheCanary,flutteringabovethestrangecreature,whohadprobablybeenasleeponthepath.
“Isometimeswonder,myself,whoIam,”repliedthemany-leggedyoungman;“but,inreality,IamTommyKwikstep,andIliveinahollowtreethatfelltothegroundwithage.
Ihavepolishedtheinsideofit,andmadeadoorateachend,andthat’saverycomfortableresidenceformebecauseitjustfitsmyshape.”
“Howdidyouhappentohavesuchashape?”askedtheScarecrowBear,sittingonhishaunchesandregardingTommyKwikstepwithaseriouslook.“Istheshapenatural?”
“No;itwaswishedonme,”repliedTommy,withasigh.
“Iusedtobeveryactiveandlovedtorunerrandsforanyonewhoneededmyservices.
ThatwashowIgotmynameofTommyKwikstep.
Icouldrunanerrandmorequicklythananyotherboy,andsoIwasveryproudofmyself.
Oneday,however,Imetanoldladywhowasafairy,orawitch,orsomethingofthesort,andshesaidifIwouldrunanerrandforher—tocarrysomemagicmedicinetoanotheroldwoman—shewouldgrantmejustoneWish,whatevertheWishhappenedtobe.
OfcourseIconsentedand,takingthemedicine,Ihurriedaway.
Itwasalongdistance,mostlyuphill,andmylegsbegantogrowweary.
WithoutthinkingwhatIwasdoingIsaidaloud:‘Dearme;IwishIhadtwentylegs!’
andinaninstantIbecametheunusualcreatureyouseebesideyou.Twentylegs!Twentyononeman!
Youmaycountthem,ifyoudoubtmyword.”
“You’vegot‘em,allright,”saidWoottheMonkey,whohadalreadycountedthem.
“AfterIhaddeliveredthemagicmedicinetotheoldwoman,Ireturnedandtriedtofindthewitch,orfairy,orwhatevershewas,whohadgivenmetheunluckywish,soshecouldtakeitawayagain.
I’vebeensearchingforhereversince,butnevercanIfindher,”continuedpoorTommyKwikstep,sadly.
“Isuppose,”saidtheTinOwl,blinkingathim,“youcantravelveryfast,withthosetwentylegs.”
“AtfirstIwasableto,”wasthereply;“butItraveledsomuch,searchingforthefairy,orwitch,orwhatevershewas,thatIsoongotcornsonmytoes.
Now,acornononetoeisnotsobad,butwhenyouhaveahundredtoes—asIhave—andgetcornsonmostofthem,itisfarfrompleasant.
Insteadofrunning,Inowpainfullycrawl,andalthoughItrynottobediscouragedIdohopeIshallfindthatwitchorfairy,orwhatevershewas,beforelong.”
“Ihopeso,too,”saidtheScarecrow.“But,afterall,youhavethepleasureofknowingyouareunusual,andthereforeremarkableamongthepeopleofOz.
Tobejustlikeotherpersonsissmallcredittoone,whiletobeunlikeothersisamarkofdistinction.”
“Thatsoundsverypretty,”returnedTommyKwikstep,“butifyouhadtoputontenpairoftrouserseverymorning,andtieuptwentyshoes,youwouldprefernottobesodistinguished.”
“Wasthewitch,orfairy,orwhatevershewas,anoldperson,withwrinkledskinandhalfherteethgone?”inquiredtheTinOwl.
“No,”saidTommyKwikstep.
“Thenshewasn’tOldMombi,”remarkedthetransformedEmperor.
“I’mnotinterestedinwhoitwasn’t,somuchasIaminwhoitwas,”saidthetwenty-leggedyoungman.“And,whateverorwhomsoevershewas,shehasmanagedtokeepoutofmyway.”
“Ifyoufoundher,doyousupposeshe’dchangeyoubackintoatwo-leggedboy?”askedWoot.
“Perhapsso,ifIcouldrunanothererrandforherandsoearnanotherwish.”
“Wouldyoureallyliketobeasyouwerebefore?”askedPolychrometheCanary,perchingupontheGreenMonkey’sshouldertoobserveTommyKwikstepmoreattentively.
“Iwould,indeed,”wastheearnestreply.
“ThenIwillseewhatIcandoforyou,”promisedtheRainbow’sDaughter,andflyingtothegroundshetookasmalltwiginherbillandwithitmadeseveralmysticfiguresoneachsideofTommyKwikstep.
“Areyouawitch,orfairy,orsomethingofthesort?”heaskedashewatchedherwonderingly.
TheCanarymadenoanswer,forshewasbusy,buttheScarecrowBearreplied:“Yes;she’ssomethingofthesort,andabirdofamagician.”
Thetwenty-leggedboy’stransformationhappenedsoqueerlythattheywereallsurprisedatitsmethod.
First,TommyKwikstep’slasttwolegsdisappeared;thenthenexttwo,andthenext,andaseachpairoflegsvanishedhisbodyshortened.
AllthiswhilePolychromewasrunningaroundhimandchirpingmysticalwords,andwhenalltheyoungman’slegshaddisappearedbuttwohenoticedthattheCanarywasstillbusyandcriedoutinalarm:
“Stop—stop!Leavemetwoofmylegs,orIshallbeworseoffthanbefore.”
“Iknow,”saidtheCanary.“I’monlyremovingwithmymagicthecornsfromyourlasttentoes.”
“Thankyouforbeingsothoughtful,”hesaidgratefully,andnowtheynoticedthatTommyKwikstepwasquiteanicelookingyoungfellow.
“Whatwillyoudonow?”askedWoottheMonkey.
“First,”heanswered,“ImustdeliveranotewhichI’vecarriedinmypocketeversincethewitch,orfairy,orwhatevershewas,grantedmyfoolishwish.
AndIamresolvednevertospeakagainwithouttakingtimetothinkcarefullyonwhatIamgoingtosay,forIrealizethatspeechwithoutthoughtisdangerous.
AndafterI’vedeliveredthenote,Ishallrunerrandsagainforanyonewhoneedsmyservices.”
SohethankedPolychromeagainandstartedawayinadifferentdirectionfromtheirown,andthatwasthelasttheysawofTommyKwikstep.
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