 CHAPTER 20 THE DENTY CHINA COUNTRY While the woodman was making a ladder from the 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. So the scarecrow climbed farther 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. 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 colors. 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 milkmaids and shepherdesses with brightly colored bodices and golden spots all over their gowns, and princesses with most gorgeous frocks of silver and golden 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 jeweled crowns upon their heads, weighing 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. No one did so much as look at the travelers 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 padded his straw into shape again. Across 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 milkmaid milking a China cow. As they drew near the cow suddenly gave a kick and kicked over the stool, the pail, and even the milkmaid herself, and all fell on the China ground with a great clatter. Dorothy was shocked to see that the cow had broken her leg off, and that the pail was lying in several small pieces while the poor milkmaid had a nick in her left elbow. There! cried the milkmaid 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 am very sorry. Returned Dorothy. Please forgive us. But the pretty milkmaid was much too vexed to make any answer. She picked up the leg sulkily and let her cow away, the poor animal limping on three legs. As she left them the milkmaid cast many reproachful glances over her shoulder at the clumsy strangers, holding her nicked elbow close to her side. 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 beautifully 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 could you not 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. Dorothy 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 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. The clown put his hands in his pockets, and after puffing out his cheeks and nodding his head at them saucily, he said, My Lady Fair, why do you stare at poor old Mr. Joker? You're quite as stiff and prim as if you'd eaten up a poker. Be quiet, sir, said the princess. Can't you see that 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. He is considerably cracked in his head, and that makes him foolish. 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 M's mantle? I could carry you in my basket. That would make me very unhappy, answered the China princess. You see, here in our country we live contentedly and can talk and move around as we please. But whenever any of us are taken away, our joints are to one stiffen and we can only stand straight and look pretty. Of course, that is all that is expected of us when we are our mantles 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 goodbye. Goodbye! replied the princess. 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 travelers reached the other side of the country and came to another China wall. It was not so 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 those 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. End of Chapter 20. Chapter 21 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Jenny Lundack. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. After climbing down from the China Wall the travelers found themselves in a disagreeable country, full of bogs and marshes and covered with tall, rank grass. It was difficult to walk without falling into muddy holes, for the grass was so thick that it hid them from sight. However, by carefully picking their way they got safely along until they reached solid ground. But here the country seemed wilder than ever, and after a long and tiresome walk through the underbrush they entered another forest, where the trees were bigger and older than any they had ever seen. This forest is perfectly delightful. Declared the lion looking about him with joy. Never have I seen a more beautiful place. It seems gloomy, said the scarecrow. Not a bit of it, answered the lion. I should like to live here all my life. See how soft the dried leaves are under your feet and how rich and green the mosses that cling to these old trees. Surely no wild beast could wish a pleasanter home. Perhaps there are wild beasts in the forest now. Said Dorothy. I suppose there are. Returned the lion. But I do not see any of them about. They walked through the forest until it became too dark to go any farther. Dorothy and Toto and the lion lay down to sleep while the woodmen and the scarecrow kept watch over them as usual. When morning came they started again. Before they had gone far they heard a low rumble as of the growling of many wild animals. Toto whimpered a little, but none of the others was frightened and they kept along the well-trodden path until they came to an opening in the wood, in which were gathered hundreds of beasts of every variety. There were tigers and elephants and bears and wolves and foxes and all the others in the natural history. And for a moment Dorothy was afraid. But the lion explained that the animals were holding a meeting and he judged by their snarling and growling that they were in great trouble. As he spoke several of the beasts caught sight of him and at once the great assemblage hushed as if by magic. The biggest of the tigers came up to the lion and bowed saying Welcome, O king of beasts! You have come in good time to fight our enemy and bring peace to all the animals in the forest once more. What is your trouble? Asked the lion quietly. We are all threatened, answered the tiger, by a fierce enemy which has lately come into this forest. It is a most tremendous monster, like a great spider with a body as big as an elephant and legs as long as a tree trunk. It has eight of these long legs and as the monster crawls through the forest he seizes an animal with a leg and drags it into his mouth where he eats it as a spider does a fly. Not one of us is safe while this fierce creature is alive and we had called a meeting to decide how to take care of ourselves when you came among us. Are there any other lions in this forest? He asked. No. There were some, but the monster has eaten them all and besides, there were none of them as nearly as so large and brave as you. If I put an end to your enemy will you bow down to me and obey me as king of the forest? Inquired the lion. We will do that gladly. Returned the tiger and all the other beasts roared with a mighty roar. We will. Where is this great spider of yours now? asked the lion. Yonder among the oak trees said the tiger pointing with his forefoot. Take good care of these friends of mine said the lion and I will go at once to fight the monster. He bade his comrades goodbye and marched proudly away to do battle with the enemy. The great spider was lying asleep when the lion found him and it looked so ugly that its foe turned up his nose in disgust. Its legs were quite as long as the tiger had said and its body covered with coarse black hair. It had a great mouth with a row of sharp teeth a foot long but its head was joined to the pudgy body by a neck as slender as a wasp's waist. This gave the lion a hint of the best way to attack the creature and as he knew it was easier to fight it asleep than awake he gave a great spring and landed directly upon the monster's back. Then with one blow of his heavy paw all armed with sharp claws he knocked the spider's head from its body jumping down he watched it until the long legs stopped wiggling when he knew it was quite dead the lion went back to the opening where the beasts of the forest were waiting for him and said proudly You need fear your enemy no longer Then the beast bowed down to the lion as their king and he promised to come back and rule over them as soon as Dorothy was safely on her way to Kansas. End of chapter 14 Recording by Jenny Lundack South Padre Island, Texas Recording by Diane Dunn The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Chapter 22 The Country of the Quadlings The four travelers passed through the rest of the forest in safety and when they came out from its gloom saw before them a steep hill covered from top to bottom with great pieces of rock That will be a hard climb, said the scarecrow But we must get over the hill nevertheless So he led the way and the others followed They had nearly reached the first rock when they heard a rough voice cry out You keep back Who are you? asked the scarecrow Then a head showed itself over the rock and the same voice said This here belongs to us We don't want anyone to cross it But we must cross it said the scarecrow We're going to the country of the quadlings But you sound not replied the voice and there stepped from behind the rock the strangest man the travelers had ever seen He was quite short and stout and had a big head which was flat at the top and supported by a thick neck full of wrinkles but he had no arms at all and seeing this the scarecrow did not fear that so helpless a creature could prevent them from climbing the hill So he said I'm sorry not to do as you wish but we must pass over your hill whether you like it or not and he walked boldly forward As quick as lightning the man's head shot forward and his neck stretched out until the top of the head where it was flat struck the scarecrow in the middle and sent him tumbling over and over down the hill almost as quickly as it came the head went back to the body and the man laughed harshly as he said ha! is his think A chorus of boisterous laughter came from the other rocks and Dorothy saw hundreds of the armless hammerheads upon the hillside one behind every rock The lion became quite angry at the laughter caused by the scarecrow's mishap and giving a loud roar that echoed like thunder he dashed up the hill again a head shot swiftly out and the great lion went rolling down the hill as if he had been struck by a cannonball Dorothy ran down and helped the scarecrow to his feet and the lion came up to her feeling rather bruised and sore and said It is useless to fight people with shooting heads no one can withstand them What can we do then? she asked Call the winged monkeys suggested the tin woodman You have still the right to command them once more Very well she answered and putting on the golden cap she uttered the magic words The monkeys were as prompt as ever and in a few moments the entire band stood before her What are your commands? inquired the king of the monkeys bowing low Carry us over the hill to the country of the quadlings answered the girl It shall be done said the king and at once the winged monkeys caught the four travelers in toto up in their arms and flew away with them as they passed over the hill the hammerheads yelled with vexation and shot their heads high in the air but they could not reach the winged monkeys which carried Dorothy and her comrades safely over the hill and set them down in the beautiful country of the quadlings This is the last time you can summon us said the leader to Dorothy So goodbye and good luck to you Goodbye and thank you very much returned the girl and the monkeys rose into the air and were out of sight in a twinkling The country of the quadlings seemed rich and happy there was field upon field of ripening grain with well-paved roads running between and pretty rippling brooks with strong bridges across them The fences and houses and bridges were all painted bright red just as they had been painted yellow in the country of the winkies and blue in the country of the munchkins The quadlings themselves who were short and fat and look chubby and good-natured were dressed all in red which showed bright against the green grass and the yellowing grain The monkeys had set them down near a farmhouse and the four travelers walked up to it and knocked at the door It was opened by the farmer's wife and when Dorothy asked for something to eat the woman gave them all a good dinner with three kinds of cake and four kinds of cookies and a bowl of milk for Toto How far is it to the castle of Glinda? asked the child It is not a great way They answered the farmer's wife Go to the south and you will soon reach it thanking the good woman they started afresh and walked by the fields and across the pretty bridges until they saw before them a very beautiful castle Before the gates were three young girls dressed in handsome red uniforms trimmed with gold braid and as Dorothy approached one of them said to her Why have you come to the south country? The good witch who rules here? she answered Will you take me to her? Let me have your name and I will ask Glinda if she will receive you They told who they were and the girl soldier went into the castle After a few moments she came back to say that Dorothy and the others were to be admitted at once End of Chapter 22 Recording by Diane Dunn Chester Springs, Pennsylvania Chapter 23 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz This is LibriVox Recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Diane Dunn The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Chapter 23 Glinda the good witch grants Dorothy's wish Before they went to see Glinda, however they were taken to a room of the castle where Dorothy washed her face and combed her hair and the lion shook the dust out of his mane and the scarecrow patented himself into his best shape and the woodman polished his tin and oiled his joints When they were all quite presentable they followed the soldier girl into a big room where the witch Glinda sat upon a throne of rubies She was both beautiful and young to their eyes Her hair was a rich redding color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders Her dress was pure white, but her eyes were blue and they looked kindly upon the little girl What can I do for you, my child? She asked Dorothy told the witch all her story how the cyclone had brought her to the land of Oz how she had found her companions and of the wonderful adventures they had met with My greatest wish now, she added, is to get back to Kansas for Aunt M will surely think something dreadful has happened to me and that will make her put on mourning and unless the crops are better this year than they were last I am sure Uncle Henry cannot afford it Glinda leaned forward and kissed the sweet, upturned face of the loving little girl Bless your dear heart, she said I am sure I can tell you have a way to get back to Kansas Then she added But if I do, you must give me the golden cap Willingly, exclaimed Dorothy Indeed, it is of no use to me now and when you have it you can command the winged monkeys three times And I think I shall need their service just those three times answered Glinda smiling Dorothy then gave her the golden cap and the witch said to the scarecrow What will you do when Dorothy has left us? I will return to the emerald city He replied For Oz has made me its ruler and the people like me The only thing that worries me is how to cross the hill of the hammerheads By means of the golden cap I shall command the winged monkeys to carry you to the gates of the emerald city said Glinda For it would be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler Am I really wonderful? asked the scarecrow You are unusual replied Glinda Turning to the tin woodman, she asked What will become of you when Dorothy leaves this country? He leaned on his axe and thought a moment Then he said The winkies were very kind to me and wanted me to rule over them after the wicked witch died I am fond of the winkies and if I could get back again to the country of the west I should like nothing better than to rule over them forever My second command to the winged monkeys said Glinda Will be that they carry you safely to the land of the winkies Your brain may not be so large to look at as those of the scarecrow But you are really brighter than he is when you are well polished And I am sure you will rule the winkies wisely and well Then the witch looked at the big shaggy lion and asked When Dorothy has returned to her own home What will become of you? Over the hill of the Hummerheads lies a grand old forest And all the beasts that live there have made me their king If I could only get back to this forest I would pass my life very happily there My third command to the winged monkeys said Glinda Shall be to carry you to your forest Then, having used up the powers of the golden cap I shall give it to the king of the monkeys That he in his band may thereafter be free forevermore The scarecrow and the tin woodman and the lion now thanked The good witch earnestly for her kindness And Dorothy exclaimed You are certainly as good as you are beautiful But you have not yet told me how to get back to Kansas Your silver shoes will carry you over the desert replied Glinda If you had known their power You could have gone back to your aunt M The very first day you came to this country Then I should not have had my wonderful brains cried the scarecrow I might have passed my whole life in the farmer's cornfield And I should not have had my lovely heart said the tin woodman I might have stood and rusted in the forest till the end of the world And I should have lived a coward forever declared the lion And no beast in all the forest would have had a good word to say to me This is all true, said Dorothy And I am glad I was of use to these good friends But now that each of them has had what he most desired And each is happy in having a kingdom to rule besides I think I should like to go back to Kansas The silver shoes, said the good witch have wonderful powers And one of the most curious things about them Is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps And each step will be made in the wink of an eye All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times And command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go If that is so, said the child joyfully I will ask them to carry me back to Kansas at once She threw her arms around the lion's neck and kissed him patting his big head tenderly Then she kissed the tin woodman who was weeping in a way most dangerous to his joints But she hugged the soft, stuffed body of the scarecrow in her arms instead of kissing his painted face and found she was crying herself at the sorrowful parting from her loving comrades Glimmed at the goods, stepped down from her ruby throne to give the little girl a goodbye kiss And Dorothy thanked her for all the kindness she had shown to her friends and herself Dorothy now took Toto up solemnly in her arms and having said one last goodbye she clapped the heels of her shoes together three times saying, Take me home to Aunt M Instantly she was whirling through the air so swiftly that all she could see or feel was the wind whistling past her ears The silver shoes took but three steps and then she stopped so suddenly that she rolled over upon the grass several times before she knew where she was At length, however, she sat up and looked about her Good gracious! she cried for she was sitting on the broad Kansas prairie and just before her was the new farmhouse Uncle Henry built after the cyclone had carried away the old one Uncle Henry was milking the cows in the barnyard and Toto had jumped out of her arms and was running toward the barn, barking furiously Dorothy stood up and found she was in her stocking feet for the silver shoes had fallen off in her flight through the air and were lost forever in the desert All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Diane Dunn The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Chapter 24 Home Again Aunt M had just come out of the house to water the cabbages She looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her My darling child! She cried, folding a little girl in her arms and covering her face with kisses Where in the world did you come from? From the land of Oz, said Dorothy gravely And here is Toto too and oh Aunt M, I'm so glad to be at home again End of Chapter 24 Recording by Diane Dunn Chester Springs, Pennsylvania End of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Credits for The Wizard of Oz Uncle Henry, played by David Lawrence Aunt M, played by Jenny Lundack The Witch of the North, by Jenny Lundack Dorothy, played by Heather Mby Munchkin One, by Ross Clement Munchkin Two, played by David Lawrence Munchkin Three, played by Chris Jones Bach, the Munchkin Played by Chris One, Two, Three The Scarecrow, played by Mark Smith The Ten Woodmen, read by Denny Sayers The Cowardly Lion, recording by Porick The Stork, by Jenny Lundack Several Mice, played by Brianna Simmons Big Mouse, played by Brianna Simmons Carson City, Nevada The Queen of the Field Mice, played by Hayflake Woman, read by Anna Roberts Man, read by Jeremiah Britt The Guardian of the Gates, recording by Ernst Patinama Amsterdam, the Netherlands Soldier, recording by Brianna Simmons Green Girl, recording by Neve Person of the Court, recording by Alapia Burgess Sogipo, South Korea The Wizard of Oz, played by Earth Calling The Wicked Witch of the West, played by Ruth Golding Leader of the Wolves, recording by Henry Freygon King Crow, recording by Henry Freygon Monkey King, recording by Henry Freygon Person of the Emerald City, played by Static Stacey China Princess, played by Chris Jones Clown, played by Victoria Couserac Tiger, recording by Henry Freygon Milk Bade, played by Reedsalot The Strange Man, recording by Iron Hotly Farmer's Wife, played by Static Stacey Young Girl, played by Neve Glinda, The Good Witch, played by Jennifer Stearns Concord, New Hampshire Editing, by Jennifer Stearns Proof Listening, by Tricia G. and Heart of Texas End of the credits for The Wizard of Oz This recording is in the public domain