Chapters 17-20

<body><style type="text/css">
@import url(https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Kalam|Allura|Pinyon+Script|Kotta+One|Philosopher|Oswald|);
::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:vertical { background:#900;border-radius:0px;box-shadow: 0px 33px 33px #ff0; }
::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:horizontal { background:#f00;border-radius:20px;box-shadow: 0px 11px 11px #fff; }
::-webkit-scrollbar { width:31px; height:11px; background:#00f;border-radius:0px; }

 body { background-size:100%; background:#0d0; background-repeat:no-repeat;width:99%; }

 .poem { margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left; }

 .poem br { display: none; }

 .poem .stanza { margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em; }

 .poem span.i0     {display:block; margin-left:0em; padding-left:3em; text-indent:-3em;}
 .poem span.i2     {display:block; margin-left:1em; padding-left:3em; text-indent:-3em;}
 .poem span.i3     {display:block; margin-left:1.5em; padding-left:3em; text-indent:-3em;}

</style>

<div id="1" class="genealogy"> </style>  <style type="text/css">
   #box1 { width:40%; height:10%; left:1%; top:2%; position:fixed; overflow:hidden; transition:3s ease; padding:1px; background:#ffc; border:dotted 1.4px #f0f; border-radius:50px; font-family:oswald, kalam, times; color:#088; font-size:44px;
font-style:italic; line-height:70px; text-align:center; }
   #box1:hover { width:99.9%; height:99.9%; transition:3s ease; left:0%; top:0%; z-index:1; background:#ffc; border-radius:0px; border:dotted 0px #f0f; box-shadow:0px 0px 20px 300px #802,inset 0px 0px 444px 11px #985; overflow:auto; color:transparent; padding:1px; }
</style> <div id="box1"> Chapters list, Introduction

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i004_edit.jpg  " style="width:28%;"></center>
<div style="color:#30b;"><center><h1>LIST OF CHAPTERS</h2></center></div>
<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i005_edit.jpg  " style="width:22%;"></center>

<table style="width:100%;color:#40a;padding:20px 33px 22px 6px;text-align:left;margin-top:22px;
font-family:oswald, arial;font-size:46px;line-height:50px;"><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER I:</td><td>The Cyclone      <br></td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER II:</td><td>The Council With the Munchkins        </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER III:</td><td>How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow      </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER IV:</td><td>The Road Through the Forest           </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER V:</td><td>The Rescue of the Tin Woodman          </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER VI:</td><td>The Cowardly Lion                     </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER VII:</td><td>The Journey to the Great Oz          </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER VIII:</td><td>The Deadly Poppy Field              </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER IX:</td><td>The Queen of the Field Mice           </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER X:</td><td>The Guardian of the Gates               </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XI:</td><td>The Wonderful Emerald City of Oz       </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XII:</td><td>The Search for the Wicked Witch       </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XIII:</td><td>How the Four were Rescued            </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XIV:</td><td>The Winged Monkeys                    </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XV:</td><td>The Discovery of Oz the Terrible       </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XVI:</td><td>The Magic Art of the Great Humbug     </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XVII:</td><td>How the Balloon Was Launched         </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XVIII:</td><td>Away to the South                   </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XIX:</td><td>Attacked by the Fighting Trees        </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XX:</td><td>The Dainty China Country               </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XXI:</td><td>The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts   </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XXII:</td><td>The Country of the Quadlings         </td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XXIII:</td><td>The Good Witch Grants Dorothy's Wish</td></tr><tr>
 <td style="color:#f37;" valign="top">CHAPTER XXIV:</td><td>Home Again                           </td></tr><tr>
</td></tr></table>

<div style="font-family:kotta one, kalam, arial;color:#30b;text-align:left;text-indent:66px;font-size:44px;
line-height:50px;word-spacing:0px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;padding:22px 33px 22px 44px;">

<center><h1><i>Introduction</i></h1></center>

<p>Folk lore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal. The winged fairies of Grimm and Andersen have brought more happiness to childish hearts than all other human creations.</p> <p>Yet the old-time fairy tale, having served for generations,
may now be classed as "historical" in the children's library; for the time has come for a series of newer "wonder tales" in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and blood-curdling incident devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale. Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder-tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident.</p> <p>Having this thought in mind, the story of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was written solely to pleasure children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heart-aches and nightmares are left out.</p>

<center>L. Frank Baum.</center>
<br><center>Chicago, April, 1900.</center> </div></div></div>


<div id="6" class="genealogy"> </style>  <style type="text/css">
   #box6 { width:40%; height:10%; left:1%; top:62%; position:fixed; overflow:hidden; transition:3s ease; padding:1px; background:#ffc; border:dotted 1.4px #f0f; border-radius:50px; font-family:oswald, kalam, times; color:#088; font-size:44px;
font-style:italic; line-height:70px; text-align:center; }
   #box6:hover { width:99.9%; height:99.9%; transition:3s ease; left:0%; top:0%; z-index:1; background:#ffc; border-radius:20px; border:dotted 0px #f0f; box-shadow:0px 0px 20px 300px #874,inset 0px 0px 444px 11px #985; overflow:auto; color:transparent; padding:1px; } </style> <div id="box6"> Chapters XVII Thru XX

<div style="font-family:kotta one, kalam, arial;text-align:left;text-indent:58px;color:#007;margin-top:0px;
font-size:30px;line-height:34px;word-spacing:1.5px;letter-spacing:-1.3px;padding:0px 28px 0px 38px;">

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i234_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><h1><i>Chapter XVII</i></h1></center>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i236_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>Dorothy watching the balloon fly away</i></center>

<p><b>For </b>three days Dorothy heard nothing from Oz. These were sad days for the little girl, although her friends were all quite happy and contented. The Scarecrow told them there were wonderful thoughts in his head; but he would not say what they were because he knew no one could understand them but himself. When the Tin Woodman walked about he felt his heart rattling around in his breast; and he told Dorothy he had discovered it to be a kinder and more tender heart than the one he had owned when he was made of flesh. The Lion declared he was afraid of nothing on earth, and would gladly face an army of men or a dozen of the fierce Kalidahs.</p>
<p>Thus each of the little party was satisfied except Dorothy, who longed more than ever to get back to Kansas. On the fourth day, to her great joy, Oz sent for her, and when she entered the Throne Room he said, pleasantly: "Sit down, my dear; I think I have found the way to get you out of this country." "And back to Kansas?" she asked, eagerly. "Well, I'm not sure about Kansas," said Oz; "for I
haven't the faintest notion which way it lies. But the first thing to do is to cross the desert, and then it should be easy to find your way home." "How can I cross the desert?" she enquired.
<p>"Well, I'll tell you what I think," said the little man. "You see, when I came to this country it was in a balloon. You also came through the air, being carried by a cyclone. So I believe the best way to get across the desert will be through the air. Now, it is quite beyond my powers to make a cyclone; but I've been thinking the matter over, and I believe I can make a balloon." "How?" asked Dorothy. "A balloon," said Oz, "is made of silk, which is coated with glue to keep the gas in it. I have plenty of silk in the Palace, so it will be no trouble for us to make the balloon. But in all this country there is no gas to fill the balloon with, to make it float." "If it won't float," remarked Dorothy, "it will be of no use to us." "True," answered Oz. "But there is another way to make it float, which is to fill it with hot air. Hot air isn't as good as gas, for if the air should get cold the balloon would come down in the desert, and we should be lost."</p>
<p>"We!" exclaimed the girl; "are you going with me?"</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i238_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>Toto scaring the wizard</i></center>

<p>"Yes, of course," replied Oz. "I am tired of being such a humbug. If I should go out of this Palace my people would soon discover I am not a Wizard, and then they would be vexed with me for having deceived them. So I have to stay shut up in these rooms all day, and it gets tiresome. I'd much rather go back to Kansas with you and be in a circus again." "I shall be glad to have your company,"
said Dorothy. "Thank you," he answered. "Now, if you will help me sew the silk together, we will begin to work on our balloon."</p>
 <p>So Dorothy took a needle and thread, and as fast as Oz cut the strips of silk into proper shape the girl sewed them neatly together. First there was a strip of light green silk, then a strip of dark green and then a strip of emerald green; for Oz had a fancy to make the balloon in different shades of the color about them. It took three days to sew all the strips together, but when it was finished they had a big bag of green silk more than twenty feet long. Then Oz painted it on the inside with a coat of thin glue, to make it air-tight, after which he announced that the balloon was ready.</p>
 <p>"But we must have a basket to ride in," he said. So he sent the soldier with the green whiskers for a big clothes basket, which he fastened with many ropes to the bottom of the balloon. When it was all ready, Oz sent word to his people that he was going to make a visit to a great brother Wizard who lived in the clouds. The news spread rapidly throughout the city and everyone came to see the wonderful sight. Oz ordered the balloon carried out in front of the Palace, and the people gazed upon it with much curiosity. The Tin Woodman had chopped a big pile of wood, and now he made a fire of it, and Oz held the bottom of the balloon over the fire so that the hot air that arose from it would be caught in the silken bag. Gradually the balloon swelled out and rose into the air, until finally the basket just touched the ground.</p>
 <p>Then Oz got into the basket and said to all the people in a loud voice: "I am now going away to make a visit. While I am
gone the Scarecrow will rule over you. I command you to obey him as you would me."</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i240_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>Soldier saluting Oz and Scarecrow</i></center>

<p>The balloon was by this time tugging hard at the rope that held it to the ground, for the air within it was hot, and this made it so much lighter in weight than the air without that it pulled hard to rise into the sky. "Come, Dorothy!" cried the Wizard; "hurry up, or the balloon will fly away." "I can't find Toto anywhere," replied Dorothy, who did not wish to leave her little dog behind. Toto had run into the crowd to bark at a kitten, and Dorothy at last found him. She picked him up and ran toward the balloon. She was within a few steps of it, and Oz was holding out his hands to help her into the basket, when, crack! went the ropes, and the balloon rose into the air without her. "Come back!" she screamed; "I want to go, too!" "I can't come back, my dear," called Oz from the basket. "Good-bye!" "Good-bye!" shouted everyone, and all eyes were turned upward to where the Wizard was riding in the basket, rising every moment farther and farther into the sky.</p>
<p>And that was the last any of them ever saw of Oz, the Wonderful Wizard, though he may have reached Omaha safely, and be there now, for all we know. But the people remembered him lovingly, and said to one another, "Oz was always our friend. When he was here he
built for us this beautiful Emerald City, and now he is gone he has left the Wise Scarecrow to rule over us." Still, for many days they grieved over the loss of the Wonderful Wizard, and would not be comforted.</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i242_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><h1><i>Chapter XVIII</center></h1></i>
<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i244_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>Scarecrow thinking</i></center>

<p><b>Dorothy </b>wept bitterly at the passing of her hope to get home to Kansas again; but when she thought it all over she was glad she had not gone up in a balloon. And she also felt sorry at losing Oz, and so did her companions.<br> The Tin Woodman came to her and said, "Truly I should be ungrateful if I failed to mourn for the man who gave me my lovely heart. I should like to cry a little because Oz is gone, if you will kindly wipe away my tears, so that I shall not rust." "With pleasure," she answered, and brought a towel at once. Then the Tin Woodman wept for several minutes, and she watched the tears carefully and wiped them away with the towel. When he had finished he thanked her kindly and oiled himself thoroughly with his jewelled oil-can, to guard against mishap.</p>
 <p>The Scarecrow was now the ruler of the Emerald City, and although he was not a Wizard the people were proud of him. "For," they said, "there is not another city in all the world that is ruled by a stuffed man." And, so far as they knew, they were quite right.</p>
<p>The morning after the balloon had gone up with Oz the four travellers met in the Throne Room and talked matters over. The Scarecrow sat in the big throne and the others stood respectfully before him. "We are not so unlucky," said the new ruler; "for this
Palace and the Emerald City belong to us, and we can do just as we please. When I remember that a short time ago I was up on a pole in a farmer's cornfield, and that I am now the ruler of this beautiful City, I am quite satisfied with my lot." "I also," said the Tin Woodman, "am well pleased with my new heart; and, really, that was the only thing I wished in all the world." "For my part, I am content in knowing I am as brave as any beast that ever lived, if not braver," said the Lion, modestly,</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i246_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%"></center>
<center><i>The Scarecrow sat on the big throne.</i></center>

<p>"If Dorothy would only be contented to live in the Emerald City," continued the Scarecrow, "we might all be happy together." "But I don't want to live here," cried Dorothy. "I want to go to Kansas, and live with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry." "Well, then, what can be done?" enquired the Woodman. The Scarecrow decided to think, and he thought so hard that the pins and needles began to stick out of his brains. Finally he said: "Why not call the Winged Monkeys, and asked them to carry you over the desert?" "I never thought of that!" said Dorothy, joyfully. "It's just the thing. I'll go at once for the Golden Cap." When she brought it into the Throne Room she spoke the magic words, and soon the band of Winged Monkeys flew in through an open window and stood beside her.</p>
<p>"This is the second time you have called us," said the Monkey King, bowing before the little girl. "What do you wish?" "I want you to fly with me to Kansas," said Dorothy. But the Monkey King shook his head.</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i249_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%"></center>
<center><i>Oz soldier pointing the way</i></center>

<p>"That cannot be done," he said. "We belong to this country alone, and cannot leave it. There has never been a Winged Monkey in Kansas yet, and I suppose there never will be, for they don't belong there. We shall be glad to serve you in any way in our power, but we cannot cross the desert. Good-bye." And with another bow the Monkey King spread his wings and flew away through the window, followed by all his band.</p>
<p>Dorothy was almost ready to cry with disappointment. "I have wasted the charm of the Golden Cap to no purpose," she said, "for the Winged Monkeys cannot help me." "It is certainly too bad!" said the tender hearted Woodman. The Scarecrow was thinking again, and his head bulged out so horribly that Dorothy feared it would burst. "Let us call in the soldier with the green whiskers," he said, "and ask his advice." So the soldier was summoned and entered the Throne Room timidly, for while Oz was alive he never was allowed to come further than the door. "This little girl," said the Scarecrow to the soldier, "wishes to cross the desert. How can she do so?" "I cannot tell," answered the soldier; "for nobody has ever crossed the desert, unless it is Oz himself." "Is there no one who can help me?" asked Dorothy, earnestly. "Glinda might," he suggested. "Who is Glinda?" enquired the Scarecrow. "The Witch of the South. She is the most powerful of all the Witches, and rules over the Quadlings. Besides, her castle stands on the edge of the desert, so she may
know a way to cross it."</p>
<p>"Glinda is a good Witch, isn't she?" asked the child. "The Quadlings think she is good," said the soldier, "and she is kind to everyone. I have heard that Glinda is a beautiful woman, who knows how to keep young in spite of the many years she has lived." "How can I get to her castle?" asked Dorothy. "The road is straight to the South," he answered, but it is said to be full of dangers to travellers. There are wild beasts in the woods, and a race of queer men who do not like strangers to cross their country. For this
reason none of the Quadlings ever come to the Emerald City."</p>
<p>The soldier then left them and the Scarecrow said, "It seems, in spite of dangers, that the best thing Dorothy can do is to travel to the Land of the South and ask Glinda to help her. For, of course, if Dorothy stays here she will never get back to Kansas."</p>
<p>"You must have been thinking again," remarked the Tin Woodman. "I have," said the Scarecrow. "I shall go with Dorothy," declared the Lion, "for I am tired of your city and long for the woods and the country again. I am really a wild beast, you know. Besides,
Dorothy will need someone to protect her." "That is true," agreed the Woodman. "My axe may be of service to her; so I, also, will go with her to the Land of the South." "When shall we start?" asked the Scarecrow. "Are you going?" they asked, in surprise. "Certainly. If it wasn't for Dorothy I should never have had brains. She lifted me from the pole in the cornfield and brought me to the Emerald City. So my good luck is all due to her, and I shall never leave her until she starts back to Kansas for good and all."</p>
<p>"Thank you," said Dorothy, gratefully. "You are all very kind to me. But I should like to start as soon as possible." "We shall go to-morrow morning," returned the Scarecrow. "So now let us all get ready, for it will be a long journey."</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i251_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>Ruby cap with 2 wishes used</i></center>
<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i252_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><h1><i>Chapter XIX</i></h1></center>
<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i254_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>Dorothy meeting Glinda</i></center>

<p><b>The </b>next morning Dorothy kissed the pretty green girl good-bye, and they all shook hands with the soldier with the green whiskers, who had walked with them as far as the gate. When the Guardian of the Gate saw them again he wondered greatly that they could leave the beautiful City to get into new trouble. But he at once unlocked their spectacles, which he put back into the green box, and gave them many good wishes to carry with them. "You are now our ruler," he said to the Scarecrow; "so you must come back to us as soon as possible." "I certainly shall if I am able," the Scarecrow replied; "but I must help Dorothy to get home, first." As Dorothy bade the good-natured Guardian a last farewell she said, "I have been very kindly treated in your lovely City, and everyone has been good to me. I cannot tell you how grateful I am." "Don't try, my dear," he answered. "We should like to keep you with us, but if it is your wish to return to Kansas I hope you will find a way." He then opened the gate of the outer wall and they walked forth and started upon their journey.</p>

<p>The sun shone brightly as our friends turned their faces toward the Land of the South. They were all in the best of spirits, and laughed and chatted together. Dorothy was once more filled with the hope of getting home, and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were
glad to be of use to her. As for the Lion, he sniffed the fresh air with delight and whisked his tail from side to side in pure joy at being in the country again, while Toto ran around them and chased the moths and butterflies, barking merrily all the time. "City life does not agree with me at all," remarked the Lion, as they walked along at a brisk pace. "I have lost much flesh since I lived there, and now I am anxious for a chance to show the other beasts how courageous I have grown."</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i256_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>The branches bent down and twined around him.</i></center>

<p>They now turned and took a last look at the Emerald City. All they could see was a mass of towers and steeples behind the green walls, and high up above everything the spires and dome of the Palace of Oz. "Oz was not such a bad Wizard, after all," said the
Tin Woodman, as he felt his heart rattling around in his breast. "He knew how to give me brains, and very good brains, too," said the Scarecrow. "If Oz had taken a dose of the same courage he gave me," added the Lion, "he would have been a brave man."</p>
<p>Dorothy said nothing. Oz had not kept the promise he made her, but he had done his best, so she forgave him. As he said, he was a good man, even if he was a bad Wizard.</p>
<p>The first day's journey was through the green fields and bright flowers that stretched about the Emerald City on every side. They slept that night on the grass, with nothing but the stars over them; and they rested very well indeed. In the morning they travelled on until they came to a thick wood. There was no way of going around it, for it seemed to extend to the right and left as far as they
could see; and, besides, they did not dare change the direction of their journey for fear of getting lost. So they looked for the place where it would be easiest to get into the forest.</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i259_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>Tinman attacking a tree</i></center>

<p>The Scarecrow, who was in the lead, finally discovered a big tree with such wide spreading-branches that there was room for the party to pass underneath. So he walked forward to the tree, but just as he came under the first branches they bent down and twined around him, and the next minute he was raised from the ground and flung headlong among his fellow travellers. This did not hurt the Scarecrow, but it surprised him, and he looked rather dizzy when Dorothy picked him up. "Here is another space between the trees," called the Lion. "Let me try it first," said the Scarecrow, "for it doesn't hurt me to get thrown about." He walked up to another
tree, as he spoke, but its branches immediately seized him and tossed him back again. "This is strange," exclaimed Dorothy; "what shall we do?" "The trees seem to have made up their minds to fight us, and stop our journey," remarked the Lion.</p>
<p>"I believe I will try it myself," said the Woodman, and shouldering his axe he marched up to the first tree that had handled the Scarecrow so roughly. When a big branch bent down to seize him the Woodman chopped at it so fiercely that he cut it in two. At once the tree began shaking all its branches as if in pain, and the Tin Woodman passed safely under it. "Come on!" he shouted to the others; "be quick!" They all ran forward and passed under the tree without injury, except Toto, who was caught by a small branch
and shaken until he howled. But the Woodman promptly chopped off the branch and set the little dog free. The other trees of the forest did nothing to keep them back, so they made up their minds that only the first row of trees could bend down their branches, and that probably these were the policemen of the forest, and given this wonderful power in order to keep strangers out of it.</p>
<p>The four travellers walked with ease through the trees until they came to the further edge of the wood. Then, to their surprise, they found before them a high wall, which seemed to be made of white china. It was smooth, like the surface of a dish, and higher than their heads. "What shall we do now?" asked Dorothy. "I will make a ladder," said the Tin Woodman, "for we certainly must climb over the wall."</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i262_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><h1><i>Chapter XX</i></h1></center>
<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i264_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>Dorothy in the China country</i></center>

<p><b>While </b>the Woodman was making a ladder from wood which he found in the forest Dorothy lay down and slept, for she was tired by the long walk. The Lion also curled himself up to sleep and Toto lay beside him. The Scarecrow watched the Woodman while he worked, and said to him: "I cannot think why this wall is here, nor what it is made of." "Rest your brains and do not worry about the
wall," replied the Woodman; "when we have climbed over it we shall know what is on the other side." After a time the ladder was finished. It looked clumsy, but the Tin Woodman was sure it was strong and would answer their purpose. The Scarecrow waked Dorothy
and the Lion and Toto, and told them that the ladder was ready. The Scarecrow climbed up the ladder first, but he was so awkward that Dorothy had to follow close behind and keep him from falling off. When he got his head over the top of the wall the Scarecrow said "Oh, my!" Go on," exclaimed Dorothy.</p>
<p>So the Scarecrow climbed further up and sat down on the top of the wall, and Dorothy put her head over and cried, "Oh, my!" just as the Scarecrow had done. Then Toto came up, and immediately began to bark, but Dorothy made him be still. The Lion climbed the ladder next, and the Tin Woodman came last; but both of them cried, "Oh, my!" as soon as they looked over the wall. When they were
all sitting in a row on the top of the wall they looked down and saw a strange sight.</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i266_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>These people were all made of china.</i></center>

<p>Before them was a great stretch of country having a floor as smooth and shining and white as the bottom of a big platter. Scattered around were many houses made entirely of china and painted in the brightest colours. These houses were quite small, the biggest of them reaching only as high as Dorothy's waist. There were also pretty little barns, with china fences around them, and many cows and sheep and horses and pigs and chickens, all made of china, were standing about in groups. But the strangest of all were the people who lived in this queer country. There were milk-maids and shepherdesses, with bright-colored bodices and golden spots all
over their gowns; and princesses with most gorgeous frocks of silver and gold and purple; and shepherds dressed in knee-breeches with pink and yellow and blue stripes down them, and golden buckles on their shoes; and princes with jewelled crowns upon their heads, wearing ermine robes and satin doublets; and funny clowns in ruffled gowns, with round red spots upon their cheeks and tall pointed caps. And, strangest of all, these people were all made of china, even to their clothes, and were so small that the tallest of them was no higher than Dorothy's knee.</p>
<p>No one did so much as look at the travellers at first, except one little purple china dog with an extra-large head, which came to the wall and barked at them in a tiny voice, afterwards running away again. "How shall we get down?" asked Dorothy. They found the ladder so heavy they could not pull it up, so the Scarecrow fell off the wall and the others jumped down upon him so that the hard floor would not hurt their feet. Of course they took pains not to light on his head and get the pins in their feet. When all were
safely down they picked up the Scarecrow, whose body was quite flattened out, and patted his straw into shape again. We must cross this strange place in order to get to the other side," said Dorothy; "for it would be unwise for us to go any other way except due South." They began walking through the country of the china people, and the first thing they came to was a china milk-maid milking a china cow. As they drew near the cow suddenly gave a kick and kicked over the stool, the pail, and even the milk-maid herself, all falling on the china ground with a great clatter.</p>
<p>Dorothy was shocked to see that the cow had broken her leg short off, and that the pail was lying in several small pieces, while the poor milk-maid had a nick in her left elbow."There!" cried the milk-maid, angrily; "see what you have done! My cow has broken her leg, and I must take her to the mender's shop and have it glued on again. What do you mean by coming here and frightening my cow?" "I'm very sorry," returned Dorothy; "please forgive us." But the pretty milk-maid was much too vexed to make any answer. She picked up the leg sulkily and led her cow away, the poor animal limping on three legs. As she left them the milk-maid cast many reproachful glances over her shoulder at the clumsy strangers, holding her nicked elbow close to her side.</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i270_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>China people</i></center>

<p>Dorothy was quite grieved at this mishap. "We must be very careful here," said the kind-hearted Woodman, "or we may hurt these pretty little people so they will never get over it." A little farther on Dorothy met a most beautiful dressed young princess, who stopped short as she saw the strangers and started to run away. Dorothy wanted to see more of the Princess, so she ran after her; but the china girl cried out,"Don't chase me! don't chase me!" She had such a frightened little voice that Dorothy stopped and said, "Why not?" "Because," answered the princess, also stopping, a safe distance away, "if I run I may fall down and break myself." "But couldn't you be mended?" asked the girl. "Oh, yes; but one is never so pretty after being mended, you know," replied the princess. "I suppose not," said Dorothy. "Now there is Mr. Joker, one of our clowns," continued the china lady, "who is always trying to stand upon his head. He has broken himself so often that he is mended in a hundred places, and doesn't look at all pretty. Here he comes now, so you can see for yourself." Indeed, a jolly little Clown now came walking toward them, and Dorothy could see that in spite of his pretty clothes of red and yellow and green he was completely covered with cracks, running every which way and showing plainly that he had been mended in many places.</p>
<p>The Clown put his hands in his pockets, and after puffing out his cheeks and nodding his head at them saucily he said,</p>

<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i2">"My lady fair,<br /></span>
<span class="i3">Why do you stare<br /></span>
<span class="i0">At poor old Mr. Joker?<br /></span>
<span class="i3">You're quite as stiff<br /></span>
<span class="i3">And prim as if<br /></span>
<span class="i0">You'd eaten up a poker!"<br /></span>
</div></div>

<p>"Be quiet, sir!" said the princess; "can't you see these are strangers, and should be treated with respect?" "Well, that's respect, I expect," declared the Clown, and immediately stood upon his head. "Don't mind Mr. Joker," said the princess to Dorothy; "he is considerably cracked in his head, and that makes him foolish."</p>

<center><img src="  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43936/43936-h/images/i272_edit.jpg  " style="width:29%;"></center>
<center><i>The group climbing the wall" title="The group climbing the wall</i></center>

<p>"Oh, I don't mind him a bit," said Dorothy. "But you are so beautiful," she continued, "that I am sure I could love you dearly.
Won't you let me carry you back to Kansas and stand you on Aunt Em's mantle-shelf? I could carry you in my basket." "That would make me very unhappy," answered the china princess. "You see, here in our own country we live contentedly, and can talk and move around as we please. But whenever any of us are taken away our joints at once stiffen, and we can only stand straight and look pretty. Of course that is all that is expected of us when we are on mantle-shelves and cabinets and drawing-room tables, but our lives are much pleasanter here in our own country." "I would not make you unhappy for all the world!" exclaimed Dorothy; "so I'll just say good-bye." "Good-bye," replied the princess.</p>
<p>They walked carefully through the china country. The little animals and all the people scampered out of their way, fearing the strangers would break them, and after an hour or so the travellers reached the other side of the country and came to another china wall. It was not as high as the first, however, and by standing upon the Lion's back they all managed to scramble to the top. Then the Lion gathered his legs under him and jumped on the wall; but just as he jumped he upset a china church with his tail and smashed it all to pieces. "That was too bad," said Dorothy, "but really I think we were lucky in not doing these little people more harm than breaking a cow's leg and a church. They are all so brittle!" "They are, indeed," said the Scarecrow, "and I am thankful I am made of straw and cannot be easily damaged. There are worse things in the world than being a Scarecrow."</p>

<p><br>
</div></div></div>