The Cowardly
Lion.
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[Illustration: "_You ought to be ashamed of yourself!_"]
[Illustration]
All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the
thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick, but these
were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees,
and the walking was not at all good.
There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love the
open country where there is plenty of sunshine; but now and then
there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees.
These sounds made the little girl's heart beat fast, for she did not
know what made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to Dorothy's
side, and did not even bark in return.
"How long will it be," the child asked of the Tin Woodman, "before we
are out of the forest?"
"I cannot tell," was the answer, "for I have never been to the
Emerald City. But my father went there once, when I was a boy, and
he said it was a long journey through a dangerous country, although
nearer to the city where Oz dwells the country is beautiful. But I
am not afraid so long as I have my oil-can, and nothing can hurt the
Scarecrow, while you bear upon your forehead the mark of the good
Witch's kiss, and that will protect you from harm."
"But Toto!" said the girl, anxiously; "what will protect him?"
"We must protect him ourselves, if he is in danger," replied the Tin
Woodman.
Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar, and the
next moment a great Lion bounded into the road. With one blow of his
paw he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the
road, and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws.
But, to the Lion's surprise, he could make no impression on the tin,
although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still.
Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking toward the
Lion, and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog, when
Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed
forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could,
while she cried out:
"Don't you dare to bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a
big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!"
"I didn't bite him," said the Lion, as he rubbed his nose with his
paw where Dorothy had hit it.
"No, but you tried to," she retorted. "You are nothing but a big
coward."
"I know it," said the Lion, hanging his head in shame; "I've always
known it. But how can I help it?"
"I don't know, I'm sure. To think of your striking a stuffed man,
like the poor Scarecrow!"
"Is he stuffed?" asked the Lion, in surprise, as he watched her pick
up the Scarecrow and set him upon his feet, while she patted him into
shape again.
"Of course he's stuffed," replied Dorothy, who was still angry.
"That's why he went over so easily," remarked the Lion. "It astonished
me to see him whirl around so. Is the other one stuffed, also?"
"No," said Dorothy, "he's made of tin." And she helped the Woodman up
again.
"That's why he nearly blunted my claws," said the Lion. "When they
scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run down my back.
What is that little animal you are so tender of?"
"He is my dog, Toto," answered Dorothy.
"Is he made of tin, or stuffed?" asked the Lion.
"Neither. He's a--a--a meat dog," said the girl.
"Oh. He's a curious animal, and seems remarkably small, now that I
look at him. No one would think of biting such a little thing except
a coward like me," continued the Lion, sadly.
"What makes you a coward?" asked Dorothy, looking at the great beast
in wonder, for he was as big as a small horse.
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"It's a mystery," replied the Lion. "I suppose I was born that
way. All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be
brave, for the Lion is everywhere thought to be the King of Beasts.
I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing was
frightened and got out of my way. Whenever I've met a man I've been
awfully scared; but I just roared at him, and he has always run away
as fast as he could go. If the elephants and the tigers and the bears
had ever tried to fight me, I should have run myself--I'm such a
coward; but just as soon as they hear me roar they all try to get
away from me, and of course I let them go."
"But that isn't right. The King of Beasts shouldn't be a coward,"
said the Scarecrow.
"I know it," returned the Lion, wiping a tear from his eye with the
tip of his tail; "it is my great sorrow, and makes my life very
unhappy. But whenever there is danger my heart begins to beat fast."
"Perhaps you have heart disease," said the Tin Woodman.
"It may be," said the Lion.
"If you have," continued the Tin Woodman, "you ought to be glad, for
it proves you have a heart. For my part, I have no heart; so I cannot
have heart disease."
"Perhaps," said the Lion, thoughtfully, "if I had no heart I should
not be a coward."
"Have you brains?" asked the Scarecrow.
"I suppose so. I've never looked to see," replied the Lion.
"I am going to the great Oz to ask him to give me some," remarked the
Scarecrow, "for my head is stuffed with straw."
"And I am going to ask him to give me a heart," said the Woodman.
"And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas," added
Dorothy.
"Do you think Oz could give me courage?" asked the cowardly Lion.
"Just as easily as he could give me brains," said the Scarecrow.
"Or give me a heart," said the Tin Woodman.
"Or send me back to Kansas," said Dorothy.
"Then, if you don't mind, I'll go with you," said the Lion, "for my
life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage."
"You will be very welcome," answered Dorothy, "for you will help to
keep away the other wild beasts. It seems to me they must be more
cowardly than you are if they allow you to scare them so easily."
"They really are," said the Lion; "but that doesn't make me any braver,
and as long as I know myself to be a coward I shall be unhappy."
So once more the little company set off upon the journey, the Lion
walking with stately strides at Dorothy's side. Toto did not approve
this new comrade at first, for he could not forget how nearly he
had been crushed between the Lion's great jaws; but after a time he
became more at ease, and presently Toto and the Cowardly Lion had
grown to be good friends.
During the rest of that day there was no other adventure to mar the
peace of their journey. Once, indeed, the Tin Woodman stepped upon a
beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little
thing. This made the Tin Woodman very unhappy, for he was always
careful not to hurt any living creature; and as he walked along he
wept several tears of sorrow and regret. These tears ran slowly down
his face and over the hinges of his jaw, and there they rusted.
When Dorothy presently asked him a question the Tin Woodman could
not open his mouth, for his jaws were tightly rusted together. He
became greatly frightened at this and made many motions to Dorothy to
relieve him, but she could not understand. The Lion was also puzzled
to know what was wrong. But the Scarecrow seized the oil-can from
Dorothy's basket and oiled the Woodman's jaws, so that after a few
moments he could talk as well as before.
[Illustration]
"This will serve me a lesson," said he, "to look where I step. For if
I should kill another bug or beetle I should surely cry again, and
crying rusts my jaw so that I cannot speak."
Thereafter he walked very carefully, with his eyes on the road,
and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it, so as
not to harm it. The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and
therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.
"You people with hearts," he said, "have something to guide you,
and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very
careful. When Oz gives me a heart of course I needn't mind so much."