“Areyoureallyasoldier?”askedWoot,whentheyhadallwatchedthisstrangetinpersonparadeupanddownthepathandproudlyflourishhissword. “Iwasasoldier,”wasthereply,“butI’vebeenaprisonertoMr.RustsolongthatIdon’tknowexactlywhatIam.” “But—dearme!”criedtheTinWoodman,sadlyperplexed;“howcameyoutobemadeoftin?” “That,”answeredtheSoldier,“isasad,sadstory. IwasinlovewithabeautifulMunchkingirl,wholivedwithaWickedWitch. TheWitchdidnotwishmetomarrythegirl,sosheenchantedmysword,whichbeganhackingmetopieces. WhenIlostmylegsIwenttothetinsmith,Ku-Klip,andhemademesometinlegs. WhenIlostmyarms,Ku-Klipmademetinarms,andwhenIlostmyheadhemademethisfineoneoutoftin. Itwasthesamewaywithmybody,andfinallyIwasalltin. ButIwasnotunhappy,forKu-Klipmadeagoodjobofme,havinghadexperienceinmakinganothertinmanbeforeme.” “Yes,”observedtheTinWoodman,“itwasKu-Klipwhomademe. But,tellme,whatwasthenameoftheMunchkingirlyouwereinlovewith?” “SheiscalledNimmieAmee,”saidtheTinSoldier. Hearingthis,theywereallsoastonishedthattheyweresilentforatime,regardingthestrangerwithwonderinglooks. FinallytheTinWoodmanventuredtoask: “AnddidNimmieAmeereturnyourlove?” “Notatfirst,”admittedtheSoldier.“WhenfirstImarchedintotheforestandmether,shewasweepingoverthelossofherformersweetheart,awoodmanwhosenamewasNickChopper.” “Thatisme,”saidtheTinWoodman. “Shetoldmehewasnicerthanasoldier,becausehewasallmadeoftinandshonebeautifullyinthesun. Shesaidatinmanappealedtoherartisticinstinctsmorethananordinarymeatman,asIwasthen. ButIdidnotdespair,becausehertinsweethearthaddisappeared,andcouldnotbefound. AndfinallyNimmieAmeepermittedmetocalluponherandwebecamefriends. ItwasthenthattheWickedWitchdiscoveredmeandbecamefuriouslyangrywhenIsaidIwantedtomarrythegirl. Sheenchantedmysword,asIsaid,andthenmytroublesbegan. WhenIgotmytinlegs,NimmieAmeebegantotakeaninterestinme;whenIgotmytinarms,shebegantolikemebetterthanever,andwhenIwasallmadeoftin,shesaidIlookedlikeherdearNickChopperandshewouldbewillingtomarryme. “Thedayofourweddingwasset,anditturnedouttobearainyday. NeverthelessIstartedouttogetNimmieAmee,becausetheWitchhadbeenabsentforsometime,andwemeanttoelopebeforeshegotback. AsItraveledtheforestpathstherainwettedmyjoints,butIpaidnoattentiontothisbecausemythoughtswereallonmyweddingwithbeautifulNimmieAmeeandIcouldthinkofnothingelseuntilsuddenlymylegsstoppedmoving. ThenmyarmsrustedatthejointsandIbecamefrightenedandcriedforhelp,fornowIwasunabletooilmyself. Nooneheardmycallsandbeforelongmyjawsrusted,andIwasunabletoutteranothersound. SoIstoodhelplessinthisspot,hopingsomewandererwouldcomemywayandsaveme. Butthisforestpathisseldomused,andIhavebeenstandingheresolongthatIhavelostalltrackoftime. InmymindIcomposedpoetryandsangsongs,butnotasoundhaveIbeenabletoutter. ButthisdesperateconditionhasnowbeenrelievedbyyourcomingmywayandImustthankyouformyrescue.” “Thisiswonderful!”saidtheScarecrow,heavingastuffy,longsigh. “IthinkKu-Klipwaswrongtomaketwotinmen,justalike,andthestrangestthingofallisthatbothyoutinmenfellinlovewiththesamegirl.” “Asforthat,”returnedtheSoldier,seriously,“ImustadmitIlostmyabilitytolovewhenIlostmymeatheart. Ku-Klipgavemeatinheart,tobesure,butitdoesn’tloveanything,asfarasIcandiscover,andmerelyrattlesagainstmytinribs,whichmakesmewishIhadnoheartatall.” “Yet,inspiteofthiscondition,youweregoingtomarryNimmieAmee?” “Well,youseeIhadpromisedtomarryher,andIamanhonestmanandalwaystrytokeepmypromises.Ididn’tliketodisappointthepoorgirl,whohadbeendisappointedbyonetinmanalready.” “Thatwasnotmyfault,”declaredtheEmperoroftheWinkies,andthenherelatedhowhe,also,hadrustedintheforestandafteralongtimehadbeenrescuedbyDorothyandtheScarecrowandhadtraveledwiththemtotheEmeraldCityinsearchofaheartthatcouldlove. “Ifyouhavefoundsuchaheart,sir,”saidtheSoldier,“IwillgladlyallowyoutomarryNimmieAmeeinmyplace.” “Ifshelovesyoubest,sir,”answeredtheWoodman,“Ishallnotinterferewithyourweddingher.For,tobequitefrankwithyou,IcannotyetloveNimmieAmeeasIdidbeforeIbecametin.” “Still,oneofyououghttomarrythepoorgirl,”remarkedWoot;“and,ifshelikestinmen,thereisnotmuchchoicebetweenyou.Whydon’tyoudrawlotsforher?” “Thatwouldn’tberight,”saidtheScarecrow. “Thegirlshouldbepermittedtochooseherownhusband,”assertedPolychrome.“Youshouldbothgotoherandallowhertotakeherchoice.Thenshewillsurelybehappy.” “That,tome,seemsaveryfairarrangement,”saidtheTinSoldier. “Iagreetoit,”saidtheTinWoodman,shakingthehandofhistwintoshowthematterwassettled.“MayIaskyourname,sir?”hecontinued. “BeforeIwassocutup,”repliedtheother,“IwasknownasCaptainFyter,butafterwardIwasmerelycalled‘TheTinSoldier.’” “Well,Captain,ifyouareagreeable,letusnowgotoNimmieAmee’shouseandletherchoosebetweenus.” “Verywell;andifwemeettheWitch,wewillbothfighther—youwithyouraxeandIwithmysword.” “TheWitchisdestroyed,”announcedtheScarecrow,andastheywalkedawayhetoldtheTinSoldierofmuchthathadhappenedintheLandofOzsincehehadstoodrustedintheforest. “ImusthavestoodtherelongerthanIhadimagined,”hesaidthoughtfully. 
