Chapter XVIII.
Away to the South.
Dorothy wept bitterly at the passing of her hope to get home toKansas again; but when she thought it all over she was glad she hadnot gone up in a balloon. And she also felt sorry at losing Oz, andso did her companions.
The Tin Woodman came to her and said,
"Truly I should be ungrateful if I failed to mourn for the man who gaveme 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. Thenthe Tin Woodman wept for several minutes, and she watched the tearscarefully and wiped them away with the towel. When he had finishedhe thanked her kindly and oiled himself thoroughly with his jewelledoil-can, to guard against mishap.
The Scarecrow was now the ruler of the Emerald City, and althoughhe 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 astuffed man." And, so far as they knew, they were quite right.
The morning after the balloon had gone up with Oz the four travellersmet in the Throne Room and talked matters over. The Scarecrow sat inthe big throne and the others stood respectfully before him.
"We are not so unlucky," said the new ruler; "for this Palace andthe Emerald City belong to us, and we can do just as we please. WhenI remember that a short time ago I was up on a pole in a farmer'scornfield, and that I am now the ruler of this beautiful City, I amquite 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 thatever lived, if not braver," said the Lion, modestly,
"_The Scarecrow sat on the big throne._"]
"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 toKansas, 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 pinsand needles began to stick out of his brains. Finally he said:
"Why not call the Winged Monkeys, and asked them to carry you overthe desert?"
"I never thought of that!" said Dorothy, joyfully. "It's just thething. 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 windowand stood beside her.
"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.
"That cannot be done," he said. "We belong to this country alone, andcannot 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. Weshall be glad to serve you in any way in our power, but we cannotcross the desert. Good-bye."
And with another bow the Monkey King spread his wings and flew awaythrough the window, followed by all his band.
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 horriblythat Dorothy feared it would burst.
"Let us call in the soldier with the green whiskers," he said, "andask his advice."
So the soldier was summoned and entered the Throne Room timidly, forwhile Oz was alive he never was allowed to come further than the door.
"This little girl," said the Scarecrow to the soldier, "wishes tocross the desert. How can she do so?"
"I cannot tell," answered the soldier; "for nobody has ever crossedthe 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 edgeof the desert, so she may know a way to cross it."
"Glinda is a good Witch, isn't she?" asked the child.
"The Quadlings think she is good," said the soldier, "and she is kindto everyone. I have heard that Glinda is a beautiful woman, who knowshow 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 befull of dangers to travellers. There are wild beasts in the woods, anda 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."
The soldier then left them and the Scarecrow said,
"It seems, in spite of dangers, that the best thing Dorothy can do isto 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."
"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 yourcity and long for the woods and the country again. I am really a wildbeast, 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 theEmerald City. So my good luck is all due to her, and I shall neverleave her until she starts back to Kansas for good and all."
"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 letus all get ready, for it will be a long journey."
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Page 18
