The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
7. The Journey to the Great Oz
They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in theforest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thickcovering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped agreat pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire thatwarmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last oftheir 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 adeer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since your tastes are sopeculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you will have a verygood breakfast.”
”Don't! Please don't,” begged the Tin Woodman. ”I should certainlyweep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again.”
But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper, and noone ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the Scarecrowfound a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them, sothat she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this wasvery kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily atthe awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. Hispadded hands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he droppedalmost as many as he put in the basket. But the Scarecrow did not mindhow long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keepaway from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw andburn him up. So he kept a good distance away from the flames, and onlycame 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 ripplingbrook, and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City.
This was to be an eventful day for the travelers. They had hardly beenwalking an hour when they saw before them a great ditch that crossedthe road and divided the forest as far as they could see on eitherside. It was a very wide ditch, and when they crept up to the edge andlooked into it they could see it was also very deep, and there weremany big, jagged rocks at the bottom. The sides were so steep thatnone of them could climb down, and for a moment it seemed that theirjourney must end.
”What shall we do?” asked Dorothy despairingly.
”I haven't the faintest idea,” said the Tin Woodman, and the Lion shookhis shaggy mane and looked thoughtful.
But the Scarecrow said, ”We cannot fly, that is certain. Neither canwe climb down into this great ditch. Therefore, if we cannot jump overit, we must stop where we are.”
”I think I could jump over it,” said the Cowardly Lion, after measuringthe distance carefully in his mind.
”Then we are all right,” answered the Scarecrow, ”for you can carry usall 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 notjump over the gulf, Dorothy would be killed, or the Tin Woodman badlydented on the rocks below. But if I am on your back it will not matterso much, for the fall would not hurt me at all.”
”I am terribly afraid of falling, myself,” said the Cowardly Lion, ”butI suppose there is nothing to do but try it. So get on my back and wewill make the attempt.”
The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beast walked to theedge 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 safelyon the other side. They were all greatly pleased to see how easily hedid it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from his back the Lionsprang across the ditch again.
Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her arms andclimbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane with one hand.The next moment it seemed as if she were flying through the air; andthen, before she had time to think about it, she was safe on the otherside. The Lion went back a third time and got the Tin Woodman, andthen they all sat down for a few moments to give the beast a chance torest, for his great leaps had made his breath short, and he panted likea big dog that has been running too long.
They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked dark andgloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along the road ofyellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, if ever theywould come to the end of the woods and reach the bright sunshine again.To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange noises in thedepths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to them that it was inthis 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 liketigers,” replied the Lion, ”and with claws so long and sharp that theycould tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto. I'm terriblyafraid of the Kalidahs.”
”I'm not surprised that you are,” returned Dorothy. ”They must bedreadful beasts.”
The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to another gulfacross the road. But this one was so broad and deep that the Lion knewat once he could not leap across it.
So they sat down to consider what they should do, and after seriousthought the Scarecrow said:
”Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If the Tin Woodmancan chop it down, so that it will fall to the other side, we can walkacross it easily.”
”That is a first-rate idea,” said the Lion. ”One would almost suspectyou had brains in your head, instead of straw.”
The Woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe that the treewas soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lion put his strong frontlegs against the tree and pushed with all his might, and slowly the bigtree tipped and fell with a crash across the ditch, with its topbranches on the other side.
They had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp growlmade them all look up, and to their horror they saw running toward themtwo 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.”
So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms, the Tin Woodmanfollowed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, although he wascertainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then he gave so loudand terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the Scarecrow fell overbackward, while even the fierce beasts stopped short and looked at himin surprise.
But, seeing they were bigger than the Lion, and remembering that therewere two of them and only one of him, the Kalidahs again rushedforward, and the Lion crossed over the tree and turned to see what theywould do next. Without stopping an instant the fierce beasts alsobegan to cross the tree. And the Lion said to Dorothy:
”We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with their sharpclaws. But stand close behind me, and I will fight them as long as Iam alive.”
”Wait a minute!” called the Scarecrow. He had been thinking what wasbest to be done, and now he asked the Woodman to chop away the end ofthe tree that rested on their side of the ditch. The Tin Woodman beganto use his axe at once, and, just as the two Kalidahs were nearlyacross, the tree fell with a crash into the gulf, carrying the ugly,snarling brutes with it, and both were dashed to pieces on the sharprocks at the bottom.
”Well,” said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of relief, ”I seewe are going to live a little while longer, and I am glad of it, for itmust be a very uncomfortable thing not to be alive. Those creaturesfrightened me so badly that my heart is beating yet.”
”Ah,” said the Tin Woodman sadly, ”I wish I had a heart to beat.”
This adventure made the travelers more anxious than ever to get out ofthe forest, and they walked so fast that Dorothy became tired, and hadto ride on the Lion's back. To their great joy the trees becamethinner the farther they advanced, and in the afternoon they suddenlycame upon a broad river, flowing swiftly just before them. On theother side of the water they could see the road of yellow brick runningthrough a beautiful country, with green meadows dotted with brightflowers and all the road bordered with trees hanging full of deliciousfruits. They were greatly pleased to see this delightful countrybefore them.
”How shall we cross the river?” asked Dorothy.
”That is easily done,” replied the Scarecrow. ”The Tin Woodman mustbuild 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 makea raft, and while he was busy at this the Scarecrow found on theriverbank a tree full of fine fruit. This pleased Dorothy, who hadeaten nothing but nuts all day, and she made a hearty meal of the ripefruit.
But it takes time to make a raft, even when one is as industrious anduntiring 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 untilthe morning; and Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City, and of the goodWizard Oz, who would soon send her back to her own home again.
They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in theforest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thickcovering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped agreat pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire thatwarmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last oftheir 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 adeer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since your tastes are sopeculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you will have a verygood breakfast.”
”Don't! Please don't,” begged the Tin Woodman. ”I should certainlyweep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again.”
But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper, and noone ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the Scarecrowfound a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them, sothat she would not be hungry for a long time. She thought this wasvery kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow, but she laughed heartily atthe awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. Hispadded hands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he droppedalmost as many as he put in the basket. But the Scarecrow did not mindhow long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keepaway from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw andburn him up. So he kept a good distance away from the flames, and onlycame 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 ripplingbrook, and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City.
This was to be an eventful day for the travelers. They had hardly beenwalking an hour when they saw before them a great ditch that crossedthe road and divided the forest as far as they could see on eitherside. It was a very wide ditch, and when they crept up to the edge andlooked into it they could see it was also very deep, and there weremany big, jagged rocks at the bottom. The sides were so steep thatnone of them could climb down, and for a moment it seemed that theirjourney must end.
”What shall we do?” asked Dorothy despairingly.
”I haven't the faintest idea,” said the Tin Woodman, and the Lion shookhis shaggy mane and looked thoughtful.
But the Scarecrow said, ”We cannot fly, that is certain. Neither canwe climb down into this great ditch. Therefore, if we cannot jump overit, we must stop where we are.”
”I think I could jump over it,” said the Cowardly Lion, after measuringthe distance carefully in his mind.
”Then we are all right,” answered the Scarecrow, ”for you can carry usall 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 notjump over the gulf, Dorothy would be killed, or the Tin Woodman badlydented on the rocks below. But if I am on your back it will not matterso much, for the fall would not hurt me at all.”
”I am terribly afraid of falling, myself,” said the Cowardly Lion, ”butI suppose there is nothing to do but try it. So get on my back and wewill make the attempt.”
The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beast walked to theedge 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 safelyon the other side. They were all greatly pleased to see how easily hedid it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from his back the Lionsprang across the ditch again.
Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her arms andclimbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane with one hand.The next moment it seemed as if she were flying through the air; andthen, before she had time to think about it, she was safe on the otherside. The Lion went back a third time and got the Tin Woodman, andthen they all sat down for a few moments to give the beast a chance torest, for his great leaps had made his breath short, and he panted likea big dog that has been running too long.
They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked dark andgloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along the road ofyellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, if ever theywould come to the end of the woods and reach the bright sunshine again.To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange noises in thedepths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to them that it was inthis 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 liketigers,” replied the Lion, ”and with claws so long and sharp that theycould tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto. I'm terriblyafraid of the Kalidahs.”
”I'm not surprised that you are,” returned Dorothy. ”They must bedreadful beasts.”
The Lion was about to reply when suddenly they came to another gulfacross the road. But this one was so broad and deep that the Lion knewat once he could not leap across it.
So they sat down to consider what they should do, and after seriousthought the Scarecrow said:
”Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If the Tin Woodmancan chop it down, so that it will fall to the other side, we can walkacross it easily.”
”That is a first-rate idea,” said the Lion. ”One would almost suspectyou had brains in your head, instead of straw.”
The Woodman set to work at once, and so sharp was his axe that the treewas soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lion put his strong frontlegs against the tree and pushed with all his might, and slowly the bigtree tipped and fell with a crash across the ditch, with its topbranches on the other side.
They had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp growlmade them all look up, and to their horror they saw running toward themtwo 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.”
So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms, the Tin Woodmanfollowed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lion, although he wascertainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then he gave so loudand terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the Scarecrow fell overbackward, while even the fierce beasts stopped short and looked at himin surprise.
But, seeing they were bigger than the Lion, and remembering that therewere two of them and only one of him, the Kalidahs again rushedforward, and the Lion crossed over the tree and turned to see what theywould do next. Without stopping an instant the fierce beasts alsobegan to cross the tree. And the Lion said to Dorothy:
”We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with their sharpclaws. But stand close behind me, and I will fight them as long as Iam alive.”
”Wait a minute!” called the Scarecrow. He had been thinking what wasbest to be done, and now he asked the Woodman to chop away the end ofthe tree that rested on their side of the ditch. The Tin Woodman beganto use his axe at once, and, just as the two Kalidahs were nearlyacross, the tree fell with a crash into the gulf, carrying the ugly,snarling brutes with it, and both were dashed to pieces on the sharprocks at the bottom.
”Well,” said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of relief, ”I seewe are going to live a little while longer, and I am glad of it, for itmust be a very uncomfortable thing not to be alive. Those creaturesfrightened me so badly that my heart is beating yet.”
”Ah,” said the Tin Woodman sadly, ”I wish I had a heart to beat.”
This adventure made the travelers more anxious than ever to get out ofthe forest, and they walked so fast that Dorothy became tired, and hadto ride on the Lion's back. To their great joy the trees becamethinner the farther they advanced, and in the afternoon they suddenlycame upon a broad river, flowing swiftly just before them. On theother side of the water they could see the road of yellow brick runningthrough a beautiful country, with green meadows dotted with brightflowers and all the road bordered with trees hanging full of deliciousfruits. They were greatly pleased to see this delightful countrybefore them.
”How shall we cross the river?” asked Dorothy.
”That is easily done,” replied the Scarecrow. ”The Tin Woodman mustbuild 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 makea raft, and while he was busy at this the Scarecrow found on theriverbank a tree full of fine fruit. This pleased Dorothy, who hadeaten nothing but nuts all day, and she made a hearty meal of the ripefruit.
But it takes time to make a raft, even when one is as industrious anduntiring 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 untilthe morning; and Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City, and of the goodWizard Oz, who would soon send her back to her own home again.