English
TheTinWoodmanhadjustnoticedthecupboardsandwascurioustoknowwhattheycontained,sohewenttooneofthemandopenedthedoor.
Therewereshelvesinside,andupononeoftheshelveswhichwasaboutonalevelwithhistinchintheEmperordiscoveredaHead—itlookedlikeadoll’shead,onlyitwaslarger,andhesoonsawitwastheHeadofsomeperson.
ItwasfacingtheTinWoodmanandasthecupboarddoorswungback,theeyesoftheHeadslowlyopenedandlookedathim.
TheTinWoodmanwasnotatallsurprised,forintheLandofOzonerunsintomagicateveryturn.“Dearme!”saidtheTinWoodman,staringhard.
“ItseemsasifIhadmetyou,somewhere,before.Goodmorning,sir!”
“Youhavetheadvantageofme,”repliedtheHead.“Ineversawyoubeforeinmylife.”
“Still,yourfaceisveryfamiliar,”persistedtheTinWoodman.“Pardonme,butmayIaskifyou—eh—eh—ifyoueverhadaBody?”
“Yes,atonetime,”answeredtheHead,“butthatissolongagoIcan’trememberit.
Didyouthink,”hesaidwithapleasantsmile,“thatIwasbornjustasIam?
ThataHeadwouldbecreatedwithoutaBody?”
“No,ofcoursenot,”saidtheother.“Buthowcameyoutoloseyourbody?”
“Well,Ican’trecollectthedetails;you’llhavetoaskKu-Klipaboutit,”returnedtheHead.
“For,curiousasitmayseemtoyou,mymemoryisnotgoodsincemyseparationfromtherestofme.
Istillpossessmybrainsandmyintellectisasgoodasever,butmymemoryofsomeoftheeventsIformerlyexperiencedisquitehazy.”
“Howlonghaveyoubeeninthiscupboard?”askedtheEmperor.
“Idon’tknow.”
“Haven’tyouaname?”
“Oh,yes,”saidtheHead;“IusedtobecalledNickChopper,whenIwasawoodmanandcutdowntreesforaliving.”
“Goodgracious!”criedtheTinWoodmaninastonishment.“IfyouareNickChopper’sHead,thenyouareMe—orI’mYou—or—or—Whatrelationarewe,anyhow?”
“Don’taskme,”repliedtheHead.“Formypart,I’mnotanxioustoclaimrelationshipwithanycommon,manufacturedarticle,likeyou.
Youmaybeallrightinyourclass,butyourclassisn’tmyclass.You’retin.”
ThepoorEmperorfeltsobewilderedthatforatimehecouldonlystareathisoldHeadinsilence.
Thenhesaid:“ImustadmitthatIwasn’tatallbadlookingbeforeIbecametin.You’realmosthandsome—formeat.
Ifyourhairwascombed,you’dbequiteattractive.”
“Howdoyouexpectmetocombmyhairwithouthelp?”demandedtheHead,indignantly.
“Iusedtokeepitsmoothandneat,whenIhadarms,butafterIwasremovedfromtherestofme,myhairgotmussed,andoldKu-Klipneverhascombeditforme.”
“I’llspeaktohimaboutit,”saidtheTinWoodman.“DoyourememberlovingaprettyMunchkingirlnamedNimmieAmee?”
“No,”answeredtheHead.“Thatisafoolishquestion.Theheartinmybody—whenIhadabody—mighthavelovedsomeone,forallIknow,butaheadisn’tmadetolove;it’smadetothink.”
“Oh;doyouthink,then?”
“Iusedtothink.”
“Youmusthavebeenshutupinthiscupboardforyearsandyears.Whathaveyouthoughtabout,inallthattime?”
“Nothing.That’sanotherfoolishquestion.
AlittlereflectionwillconvinceyouthatIhavehadnothingtothinkabout,excepttheboardsontheinsideofthecupboarddoor,anditdidn’ttakemelongtothinkofeverythingaboutthoseboardsthatcouldbethoughtof.Then,ofcourse,Iquitthinking.”
“Andareyouhappy?”
“Happy?What’sthat?”
“Don’tyouknowwhathappinessis?”inquiredtheTinWoodman.
“Ihaven’tthefaintestideawhetherit’sroundorsquare,orblackorwhite,orwhatitis.And,ifyouwillpardonmylackofinterestinit,IwillsaythatIdon’tcare.”
TheTinWoodmanwasmuchpuzzledbytheseanswers.
Histravelingcompanionshadgroupedthemselvesathisback,andhadfixedtheireyesontheHeadandlistenedtotheconversationwithmuchinterest,butuntilnow,theyhadnotinterruptedbecausetheythoughttheTinWoodmanhadthebestrighttotalktohisownheadandrenewacquaintancewithit.
ButnowtheTinSoldierremarked:
“Iwonderifmyoldheadhappenstobeinanyofthesecupboards,”andheproceededtoopenallthecupboarddoors.Butnootherheadwastobefoundonanyoftheshelves.
“Oh,well;nevermind,”saidWoottheWanderer;“Ican’timaginewhatanyonewantsofacast-offhead,anyhow.”
“IcanunderstandtheSoldier’sinterest,”assertedPolychrome,dancingaroundthegrimyworkshopuntilherdraperiesformedacloudaroundherdaintyform.
“Forsentimentalreasonsamanmightliketoseehisoldheadoncemore,justasonelikestorevisitanoldhome.”
“Andthentokissitgood-bye,”addedtheScarecrow.
“Ihopethattinthingwon’ttrytokissmegood-bye!”exclaimedtheTinWoodman’sformerhead.“AndIdon’tseewhatrightyoufolkshavetodisturbmypeaceandcomfort,either.”
“Youbelongtome,”theTinWoodmandeclared.
“Idonot!”
“YouandIareone.”
“We’vebeenparted,”assertedtheHead.“Itwouldbeunnaturalformetohaveanyinterestinamanmadeoftin.Pleaseclosethedoorandleavemealone.”
“IdidnotthinkthatmyoldHeadcouldbesodisagreeable,”saidtheEmperor.“I—I’mquiteashamedofmyself;meaningyou.”
“YououghttobegladthatI’veenoughsensetoknowwhatmyrightsare,”retortedtheHead.
“InthiscupboardIamleadingasimplelife,peacefulanddignified,andwhenamobofpeopleinwhomIamnotinteresteddisturbme,theyarethedisagreeableones;notI.”
WithasightheTinWoodmanclosedandlatchedthecupboarddoorandturnedaway.
“Well,”saidtheTinSoldier,“ifmyoldheadwouldhavetreatedmeascoldlyandinsounfriendlyamannerasyouroldheadhastreatedyou,friendChopper,I’mgladIcouldnotfindit.”
“Yes;I’mrathersurprisedatmyhead,myself,”repliedtheTinWoodman,thoughtfully.
“IthoughtIhadamorepleasantdispositionwhenIwasmadeofmeat.”
ButjustthenoldKu-KliptheTinsmitharrived,andheseemedsurprisedtofindsomanyvisitors.
Ku-Klipwasastoutmanandashortman.
Hehadhissleevesrolledabovehiselbows,showingmusculararms,andheworealeathernapronthatcoveredallthefrontofhim,andwassolongthatWootwassurprisedhedidn’tsteponitandtripwheneverhewalked.
AndKu-Kliphadagraybeardthatwasalmostaslongashisapron,andhisheadwasbaldontopandhisearsstuckoutfromhisheadliketwofans.
Overhiseyes,whichwerebrightandtwinkling,heworebigspectacles.
Itwaseasytoseethatthetinsmithwasakindheartedman,aswellasamerryandagreeableone.“Oh-ho!”
hecriedinajoyousbassvoice;“herearebothmytinmencometovisitme,andtheyandtheirfriendsarewelcomeindeed.
I’mveryproudofyoutwocharacters,Iassureyou,foryouaresoperfectthatyouareproofthatI’magoodworkman.Sitdown.
Sitdown,allofyou—ifyoucanfindanythingtositon—andtellmewhyyouarehere.”
Sotheyfoundseatsandtoldhimalloftheiradventuresthattheythoughthewouldliketoknow.
Ku-KlipwasgladtolearnthatNickChopper,theTinWoodman,wasnowEmperoroftheWinkiesandafriendofOzmaofOz,andthetinsmithwasalsointerestedintheScarecrowandPolychrome.
Heturnedthestrawmanaround,examininghimcuriously,andpattedhimonallsides,andthensaid:“Youarecertainlywonderful,butIthinkyouwouldbemoredurableandsteadyonyourlegsifyouweremadeoftin.Wouldyoulikemeto—”
“No,indeed!”interruptedtheScarecrowhastily;“IlikemyselfbetterasIam.”
ButtoPolychromethetinsmithsaid:
“Nothingcouldimproveyou,mydear,foryouarethemostbeautifulmaidenIhaveeverseen.Itispurehappinessjusttolookatyou.”
“Thatispraise,indeed,fromsoskillfulaworkman,”returnedtheRainbow’sDaughter,laughinganddancinginandouttheroom.
“Thenitmustbethisboyyouwishmetohelp,”saidKu-Klip,lookingatWoot.
“No,”saidWoot,“wearenotheretoseekyourskill,buthavemerelycometoyouforinformation.”
Then,betweenthem,theyrelatedtheirsearchforNimmieAmee,whomtheTinWoodmanexplainedhehadresolvedtomarry,yetwhohadpromisedtobecomethebrideoftheTinSoldierbeforeheunfortunatelybecamerusted.
Andwhenthestorywastold,theyaskedKu-KlipifheknewwhathadbecomeofNimmieAmee.
“Notexactly,”repliedtheoldman,“butIknowthatsheweptbitterlywhentheTinSoldierdidnotcometomarryher,ashehadpromisedtodo.
TheoldWitchwassoprovokedatthegirl’stearsthatshebeatNimmieAmeewithhercrookedstickandthenhobbledawaytogathersomemagicherbs,withwhichsheintendedtotransformthegirlintoanoldhag,sothatnoonewouldagainloveherorcaretomarryher.
ItwaswhileshewasawayonthiserrandthatDorothy’shousefellontheWickedWitch,andsheturnedtodustandblewaway.
WhenIheardthisgoodnews,IsentNimmieAmeetofindtheSilverShoeswhichtheWitchhadworn,butDorothyhadtakenthemwithhertotheEmeraldCity.”
“Yes,weknowallaboutthoseSilverShoes,”saidtheScarecrow.
“Well,”continuedKu-Klip,“afterthat,NimmieAmeedecidedtogoawayfromtheforestandlivewithsomepeopleshewasacquaintedwithwhohadahouseonMountMunch.Ihaveneverseenthegirlsince.”
“DoyouknowthenameofthepeopleonMountMunch,withwhomshewenttolive?”askedtheTinWoodman.
“No,NimmieAmeedidnotmentionherfriend’sname,andIdidnotaskher.
ShetookwithherallthatshecouldcarryofthegoodsthatwereintheWitch’shouse,andshetoldmeIcouldhavetherest.
ButwhenIwentthereIfoundnothingworthtakingexceptsomemagicpowdersthatIdidnotknowhowtouse,andabottleofMagicGlue.”
“WhatisMagicGlue?”askedWoot.
“Itisamagicpreparationwithwhichtomendpeoplewhentheycutthemselves.
Onetime,longago,Icutoffoneofmyfingersbyaccident,andIcarriedittotheWitch,whotookdownherbottleandglueditonagainforme.See!”
showingthemhisfinger,“itisasgoodaseveritwas.
NooneelsethatIeverheardofhadthisMagicGlue,andofcoursewhenNickChoppercuthimselftopieceswithhisenchantedaxeandCaptainFytercuthimselftopieceswithhisenchantedsword,theWitchwouldnotmendthem,orallowmetogluethemtogether,becauseshehadherselfwickedlyenchantedtheaxeandsword.
Nothingremainedbutformetomakethemnewpartsoutoftin;but,asyousee,tinansweredthepurposeverywell,andIamsuretheirtinbodiesareagreatimprovementontheirmeatbodies.”
“Verytrue,”saidtheTinSoldier.
“Iquiteagreewithyou,”saidtheTinWoodman.“Ihappenedtofindmyoldheadinyourcupboard,awhileago,andcertainlyitisnotasdesirableaheadasthetinoneInowwear.”
“Bytheway,”saidtheTinSoldier,“whateverbecameofmyoldhead,Ku-Klip?”
“Andofthedifferentpartsofourbodies?”addedtheTinWoodman.
“Letmethinkaminute,”repliedKu-Klip.
“IfIrememberright,youtwoboysusedtobringmemostofyourparts,whentheywerecutoff,andIsavedtheminthatbarrelinthecorner.
Youmustnothavebroughtmealltheparts,forwhenImadeChopfytIhadhardworkfindingenoughpiecestocompletethejob.
Ifinallyhadtofinishhimwithonearm.”
“WhoisChopfyt?”inquiredWoot.
“Oh,haven’tItoldyouaboutChopfyt?”exclaimedKu-Klip.“Ofcoursenot!Andhe’squiteacuriosity,too.You’llbeinterestedinhearingaboutChopfyt.Thisishowhehappened:
“Oneday,aftertheWitchhadbeendestroyedandNimmieAmeehadgonetolivewithherfriendsonMountMunch,IwaslookingaroundtheshopforsomethingandcameuponthebottleofMagicGluewhichIhadbroughtfromtheoldWitch’shouse.
Itoccurredtometopiecetogethertheoddsandendsofyoutwopeople,whichofcoursewerejustasgoodasever,andseeifIcouldn’tmakeamanoutofthem.
IfIsucceeded,Iwouldhaveanassistanttohelpmewithmywork,andIthoughtitwouldbeacleverideatoputtosomepracticalusethescrapsofNickChopperandCaptainFyter.
Thereweretwoperfectlygoodheadsinmycupboard,andalotoffeetandlegsandpartsofbodiesinthebarrel,soIsettoworktoseewhatIcoulddo.
“First,Ipiecedtogetherabody,gluingitwiththeWitch’sMagicGlue,whichworkedperfectly.
Thatwasthehardestpartofmyjob,however,becausethebodiesdidn’tmatchupwellandsomepartsweremissing.
ButbyusingapieceofCaptainFyterhereandapieceofNickChopperthere,Ifinallygottogetheraverydecentbody,withheartandallthetrimmingscomplete.”
“Whoseheartdidyouuseinmakingthebody?”askedtheTinWoodmananxiously.
“Ican’ttell,forthepartshadnotagsonthemandoneheartlooksmuchlikeanother.
Afterthebodywascompleted,Igluedtwofinelegsandfeetontoit.
OnelegwasNickChopper’sandonewasCaptainFyter’sand,findingoneleglongerthantheother,Itrimmeditdowntomakethemmatch.
IwasmuchdisappointedtofindthatIhadbutonearm.
Therewasanextraleginthebarrel,butIcouldfindonlyonearm.
Havinggluedthisontothebody,Iwasreadyforthehead,andIhadsomedifficultyinmakingupmymindwhichheadtouse.
FinallyIshutmyeyesandreachedoutmyhandtowardthecupboardshelf,andthefirstheadItouchedIglueduponmynewman.”
“Itwasmine!”declaredtheTinSoldier,gloomily.
“No,itwasmine,”assertedKu-Klip,“forIhadgivenyouanotherinexchangeforit—thebeautifultinheadyounowwear.
Whenthegluehaddried,mymanwasquiteaninterestingfellow.
InamedhimChopfyt,usingapartofNickChopper’snameandapartofCaptainFyter’sname,becausehewasamixtureofbothyourcast-offparts.
Chopfytwasinteresting,asIsaid,buthedidnotproveaveryagreeablecompanion.
HecomplainedbitterlybecauseIhadgivenhimbutonearm—asifitweremyfault!
—andhegrumbledbecausethesuitofblueMunchkinclothes,whichIgotforhimfromaneighbor,didnotfithimperfectly.”
“Ah,thatwasbecausehewaswearingmyoldhead,”remarkedtheTinSoldier.“Irememberthatheadusedtobeveryparticularaboutitsclothes.”
“Asanassistant,”theoldtinsmithcontinued,“Chopfytwasnotasuccess.
Hewasawkwardwithtoolsandwasalwayshungry.
Hedemandedsomethingtoeatsixoreighttimesaday,soIwonderedifIhadfittedhisinsidesproperly.
Indeed,Chopfytatesomuchthatlittlefoodwasleftformyself;so,whenheproposed,oneday,togooutintotheworldandseekadventures,Iwasdelightedtoberidofhim.
Ievenmadehimatinarmtotaketheplaceofthemissingone,andthatpleasedhimverymuch,sothatwepartedgoodfriends.”
“WhatbecameofChopfytafterthat?”theScarecrowinquired.
“Ineverheard.Hestartedofftowardtheeast,intotheplainsoftheMunchkinCountry,andthatwasthelastIeversawofhim.”
“Itseemstome,”saidtheTinWoodmanreflectively,“thatyoudidwronginmakingamanoutofourcast-offparts.ItisevidentthatChopfytcould,withjustice,claimrelationshipwithbothofus.”
“Don’tworryaboutthat,”advisedKu-Klipcheerfully;“itisnotlikelythatyouwillevermeetthefellow.
And,ifyoushouldmeethim,hedoesn’tknowwhoheismadeof,forInevertoldhimthesecretofhismanufacture.
Indeed,youaretheonlyoneswhoknowofit,andyoumaykeepthesecrettoyourselves,ifyouwishto.”
“NevermindChopfyt,”saidtheScarecrow.
“OurbusinessnowistofindpoorNimmieAmeeandletherchoosehertinhusband.
Todothat,itseems,fromtheinformationKu-Kliphasgivenus,wemusttraveltoMountMunch.”
“Ifthat’stheprogramme,letusstartatonce,”suggestedWoot.
Sotheyallwentoutside,wheretheyfoundPolychromedancingaboutamongthetreesandtalkingwiththebirdsandlaughingasmerrilyasifshehadnotlostherRainbowandsobeenseparatedfromallherfairysisters.
TheytoldhertheyweregoingtoMountMunch,andshereplied:
“Verywell;IamaslikelytofindmyRainbowthereashere,andanyotherplaceisaslikelyasthere.Italldependsontheweather.Doyouthinkitlookslikerain?”
Theyshooktheirheads,andPolychromelaughedagainanddancedonafterthemwhentheyresumedtheirjourney.
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