English
TheLandoftheMunchkinsisfullofsurprises,asourtravelershadalreadylearned,andalthoughMountMunchwasconstantlygrowinglargerastheyadvancedtowardit,theyknewitwasstillalongwayoffandwerenotcertain,byanymeans,thattheyhadescapedalldangerorencounteredtheirlastadventure.
Theplainwasbroad,andasfarastheeyecouldsee,thereseemedtobealevelstretchofcountrybetweenthemandthemountain,buttowardeveningtheycameuponahollow,inwhichstoodatinyblueMunchkindwellingwithagardenarounditandfieldsofgrainfillinginalltherestofthehollow.
Theydidnotdiscoverthisplaceuntiltheycameclosetotheedgeofit,andtheywereastonishedatthesightthatgreetedthembecausetheyhadimaginedthatthispartoftheplainhadnoinhabitants.
“It’saverysmallhouse,”Wootdeclared.“Iwonderwholivesthere?”
“Thewaytofindoutistoknockonthedoorandask,”repliedtheTinWoodman.“PerhapsitisthehomeofNimmieAmee.”
“Issheadwarf?”askedtheboy.
“No,indeed;NimmieAmeeisafullsizedwoman.”
“ThenI’msureshecouldn’tliveinthatlittlehouse,”saidWoot.
“Let’sgodown,”suggestedtheScarecrow.“I’malmostsureIcanseeastraw-stackinthebackyard.”
Theydescendedthehollow,whichwasrathersteepatthesides,andsooncametothehouse,whichwasindeedrathersmall.
Wootknockeduponadoorthatwasnotmuchhigherthanhiswaist,butgotnoreply.
Heknockedagain,butnotasoundwasheard.
“Smokeiscomingoutofthechimney,”announcedPolychrome,whowasdancinglightlythroughthegarden,wherecabbagesandbeetsandturnipsandthelikeweregrowingfinely.
“Thensomeonesurelyliveshere,”saidWoot,andknockedagain.
Nowawindowatthesideofthehouseopenedandaqueerheadappeared.Itwaswhiteandhairyandhadalongsnoutandlittleroundeyes.Theearswerehiddenbyabluesunbonnettiedunderthechin.
“Oh;it’sapig!”exclaimedWoot.
“Pardonme;IamMrs.SquealinaSwyne,wifeofProfessorGrunterSwyne,andthisisourhome,”saidtheoneinthewindow.“Whatdoyouwant?”
“WhatsortofaProfessorisyourhusband?”inquiredtheTinWoodmancuriously.
“HeisProfessorofCabbageCultureandCornPerfection.
Heisveryfamousinhisownfamily,andwouldbethewonderoftheworldifhewentabroad,”saidMrs.Swyneinavoicethatwashalfproudandhalfirritable.
“ImustalsoinformyouintrudersthattheProfessorisadangerousindividual,forhefileshisteetheverymorninguntiltheyaresharpasneedles.
Ifyouarebutchers,you’dbetterrunawayandavoidtrouble.”
“Wearenotbutchers,”theTinWoodmanassuredher.
“Thenwhatareyoudoingwiththataxe?Andwhyhastheothertinmanasword?”
“Theyaretheonlyweaponswehavetodefendourfriendsfromtheirenemies,”explainedtheEmperoroftheWinkies,andWootadded:
“Donotbeafraidofus,Mrs.Swyne,forweareharmlesstravelers.
ThetinmenandtheScarecrownevereatanythingandPolychromefeastsonlyondewdrops.
Asforme,I’mratherhungry,butthereisplentyoffoodinyourgardentosatisfyme.”
ProfessorSwynenowjoinedhiswifeatthewindow,lookingratherscaredinspiteoftheboy’sassuringspeech.
HeworeablueMunchkinhat,withpointedcrownandbroadbrim,andbigspectaclescoveredhiseyes.
Hepeekedaroundfrombehindhiswifeandafterlookinghardatthestrangers,hesaid:
“Mywisdomassuresmethatyouaremerelytravelers,asyousay,andnotbutchers.
Butchershavereasontobeafraidofme,butyouaresafe.
Wecannotinviteyouin,foryouaretoobigforourhouse,buttheboywhoeatsiswelcometoallthecarrotsandturnipshewants.
Makeyourselvesathomeinthegardenandstayallnight,ifyoulike;butinthemorningyoumustgoaway,forwearequietpeopleanddonotcareforcompany.”
“MayIhavesomeofyourstraw?”askedtheScarecrow.
“Helpyourself,”repliedProfessorSwyne.
“Forpigs,they’requiterespectable,”remarkedWoot,astheyallwenttowardthestraw-stack.
“I’mgladtheydidn’tinviteusin,”saidCaptainFyter.“IhopeI’mnottooparticularaboutmyassociates,butIdrawthelineatpigs.”
TheScarecrowwasgladtoberidofhishay,forduringthelongwalkithadsaggeddownandmadehimfatandsquattyandmorebumpythanatfirst.
“I’mnotspeciallyproud,”hesaid,“butIloveamanlyfigure,suchasonlystrawstuffingcancreate.
I’venotfeltlikemyselfsincethathungryHip-poatemylaststraw.”
PolychromeandWootsettoworkremovingthehayandthentheyselectedthefineststraw,crispandgolden,andwithitstuffedtheScarecrowanew.
Hecertainlylookedbetteraftertheoperation,andhewassopleasedatbeingreformedthathetriedtodancealittlejig,andalmostsucceeded.
“Ishallsleepunderthestraw-stacktonight,”Wootdecided,afterhehadeatensomeofthevegetablesfromthegarden,andinfacthesleptverywell,withthetwotinmenandtheScarecrowsittingsilentlybesidehimandPolychromeawaysomewhereinthemoonlightdancingherfairydances.
AtdaybreaktheTinWoodmanandtheTinSoldiertookoccasiontopolishtheirbodiesandoiltheirjoints,forbothwereexceedinglycarefuloftheirpersonalappearance.
Theyhadforgottenthequarrelduetotheiraccidentalbumpingofoneanotherintheinvisiblecountry,andbeingnowgoodfriendstheTinWoodmanpolishedtheTinSoldier’sbackforhimandthentheTinSoldierpolishedtheTinWoodman’sback.
ForbreakfasttheWandereratecrisplettuceandradishes,andtheRainbow’sDaughter,whohadnowreturnedtoherfriends,sippedthedewdropsthathadformedonthepetalsofthewild-flowers.
Astheypassedthelittlehousetorenewtheirjourney,Wootcalledout:
“Good-bye,Mr.andMrs.Swyne!”Thewindowopenedandthetwopigslookedout.
“Apleasantjourney,”saidtheProfessor.
“Haveyouanychildren?”askedtheScarecrow,whowasagreatfriendofchildren.
“Wehavenine,”answeredtheProfessor;“buttheydonotlivewithus,forwhentheyweretinypigletstheWizardofOzcamehereandofferedtocareforthemandtoeducatethem.
Sowelethimhaveourninetinypiglets,forhe’sagoodWizardandcanbereliedupontokeephispromises.”
“IknowtheNineTinyPiglets,”saidtheTinWoodman.
“SodoI,”saidtheScarecrow.“TheystillliveintheEmeraldCity,andtheWizardtakesgoodcareofthemandteachesthemtodoallsortsoftricks.”
“Didtheyevergrowup?”inquiredMrs.SquealinaSwyne,inananxiousvoice.
“No,”answeredtheScarecrow;“likeallotherchildrenintheLandofOz,theywillalwaysremainchildren,andinthecaseofthetinypigletsthatisagoodthing,becausetheywouldnotbenearlysocuteandcunningiftheywerebigger.”
“Butaretheyhappy?”askedMrs.Swyne.
“EveryoneintheEmeraldCityishappy,”saidtheTinWoodman.“Theycan’thelpit.”
Thenthetravelerssaidgood-bye,andclimbedthesideofthebasinthatwastowardMountMunch.
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