The Journey to
The Great Oz.
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They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in the
forest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thick
covering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped a
great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that
warmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last of
their bread, and now she did not know what they would do for breakfast.
"If you wish," said the Lion, "I will go into the forest and kill a
deer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since your tastes are so
peculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you will have a very
good breakfast."
"Don't! please don't," begged the Tin Woodman. "I should certainly
weep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again."
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But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper, and no
one ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the Scarecrow
found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them, so
that she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this was very
kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily at the
awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His padded
hands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he dropped almost
as many as he put in the basket. But the Scarecrow did not mind how
long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away
from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn
him up. So he kept a good distance away from the flames, and only came
near to cover Dorothy with dry leaves when she lay down to sleep. These
kept her very snug and warm and she slept soundly until morning.
When it was daylight the girl bathed her face in a little rippling
brook and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City.
This was to be an eventful day for the travellers. They had hardly
been walking an hour when they saw before them a great ditch that
crossed the road and divided the forest as far as they could see on
either side. It was a very wide ditch, and when they crept up to the
edge and looked into it they could see it was also very deep, and
there were many big, jagged rocks at the bottom. The sides were so
steep that none of them could climb down, and for a moment it seemed
that their journey must end.
"What shall we do?" asked Dorothy, despairingly.
"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Tin Woodman; and the Lion
shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful. But the Scarecrow said:
"We cannot fly, that is certain; neither can we climb down into this
great ditch. Therefore, if we cannot jump over it, we must stop where
we are."
"I think I could jump over it," said the Cowardly Lion, after
measuring the distance carefully in his mind.
"Then we are all right," answered the Scarecrow, "for you can carry
us all over on your back, one at a time."
"Well, I'll try it," said the Lion. "Who will go first?"
"I will," declared the Scarecrow; "for, if you found that you could
not jump over the gulf, Dorothy would be killed, or the Tin Woodman
badly dented on the rocks below. But if I am on your back it will not
matter so much, for the fall would not hurt me at all."
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"I am terribly afraid of falling, myself," said the Cowardly Lion,
"but I suppose there is nothing to do but try it. So get on my back
and we will make the attempt."
The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beast walked to
the edge of the gulf and crouched down.
"Why don't you run and jump?" asked the Scarecrow.
"Because that isn't the way we Lions do these things," he replied.
Then giving a great spring, he shot through the air and landed safely
on the other side. They were all greatly pleased to see how easily he
did it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from his back the Lion
sprang across the ditch again.
Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her arms and
climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane with one
hand. The next moment it seemed as if she was flying through the air;
and then, before she had time to think about it, she was safe on the
other side. The Lion went back a third time and got the Tin Woodman,
and then they all sat down for a few moments to give the beast a
chance to rest, for his great leaps had made his breath short, and he
panted like a big dog that has been running too long.
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They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked dark
and gloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along the road
of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, if ever
they would come to the end of the woods and reach the bright sunshine
again. To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange noises in
the depths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to them that it was
in this part of the country that the Kalidahs lived.
"What are the Kalidahs?" asked the girl.
"They are monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like
tigers," replied the Lion; "and with claws so long and sharp that
they could tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto. I'm
terribly afraid of the Kalidahs."
"I'm not surprised that you are," returned Dorothy "They must be
dreadful beasts."
The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to another gulf
across the road; but this one was so broad and deep that the Lion
knew at once he could not leap across it.
So they sat down to consider what they should do, and after serious
thought the Scarecrow said,
"Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If the Tin
Woodman can chop it down, so that it will fall to the other side, we
can walk across it easily."
"That is a first rate idea," said the Lion. "One would almost suspect
you had brains in your head, instead of straw."
The Woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe that the
tree was soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lion put his strong
front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might, and slowly
the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across the ditch, with its
top branches on the other side.
They had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp growl
made them all look up, and to their horror they saw running toward
them two great beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers.
"They are the Kalidahs!" said the Cowardly Lion, beginning to tremble.
"Quick!" cried the Scarecrow, "let us cross over."
[Illustration: "_The tree fell with a crash into the gulf._"]
So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms; the Tin Woodman
followed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, although he was
certainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then he gave so
loud and terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the Scarecrow fell
over backwards, while even the fierce beasts stopped short and looked
at him in surprise.
But, seeing they were bigger than the Lion, and remembering that
there were two of them and only one of him, the Kalidahs again rushed
forward, and the Lion crossed over the tree and turned to see what
they would do next. Without stopping an instant the fierce beasts
also began to cross the tree, and the Lion said to Dorothy,
"We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with their sharp
claws. But stand close behind me, and I will fight them as long as I
am alive."
"Wait a minute!" called the Scarecrow. He had been thinking what was
best to be done, and now he asked the Woodman to chop away the end
of the tree that rested on their side of the ditch. The Tin Woodman
began to use his axe at once, and, just as the two Kalidahs were
nearly across, the tree fell with a crash into the gulf, carrying the
ugly, snarling brutes with it, and both were dashed to pieces on the
sharp rocks at the bottom.
"Well," said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of relief, "I
see we are going to live a little while longer, and I am glad of it,
for it must be a very uncomfortable thing not to be alive. Those
creatures frightened me so badly that my heart is beating yet."
"Ah." said the Tin Woodman, sadly, "I wish I had a heart to beat."
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This adventure made the travellers more anxious than ever to get out of
the forest, and they walked so fast that Dorothy became tired, and had
to ride on the Lion's back. To their great joy the trees became thinner
the further they advanced, and in the afternoon they suddenly came upon
a broad river, flowing swiftly just before them. On the other side of
the water they could see the road of yellow brick running through a
beautiful country, with green meadows dotted with bright flowers and
all the road bordered with trees hanging full of delicious fruits. They
were greatly pleased to see this delightful country before them.
"How shall we cross the river?" asked Dorothy.
"That is easily done," replied the Scarecrow. "The Tin Woodman must
build us a raft, so we can float to the other side."
So the Woodman took his axe and began to chop down small trees to make
a raft, and while he was busy at this the Scarecrow found on the river
bank a tree full of fine fruit. This pleased Dorothy, who had eaten
nothing but nuts all day, and she made a hearty meal of the ripe fruit.
But it takes time to make a raft, even when one is as industrious and
untiring as the Tin Woodman, and when night came the work was not done.
So they found a cozy place under the trees where they slept well until
the morning; and Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City, and of the good
Wizard Oz, who would soon send her back to her own home again.
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