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"
From these rooms," said the Scarecrow, proudly, "one may obtain fine
views of the surrounding cornfields. The corn I grow is always husky,
and I call the ears my regiments, because they have so many kernels. Of
course I cannot ride my cobs, but I really don't care shucks about that.
Taken altogether, my farm will stack up with any in the neighborhood."
The visitors partook of some light refreshment and then hurried away to
resume the road to the Emerald City. The Scarecrow found a seat in the
wagon between Omby Amby and the Shaggy Man, and his weight did not
add much to the load because he was stuffed with straw.
"
You will notice I have one oat-field on my property," he remarked, as
they drove away. "Oat-straw is, I have found, the best of all straws to re-
stuff myself with when my interior gets musty or out of shape."
"
Are you able to re-stuff yourself without help?" asked Aunt Em. "I
should think that after the straw was taken out of you there wouldn't be
anything left but your clothes."
"
You are almost correct, madam," he answered. "My servants do the
stuffing, under my direction. For my head, in which are my excellent
brains, is a bag tied at the bottom. My face is neatly painted upon one
side of the bag, as you may see. My head does not need re-stuffing, as
my body does, for all that it requires is to have the face touched up with
fresh paint occasionally."
It was not far from the Scarecrow's mansion to the farm of Jack
Pumpkinhead, and when they arrived there both Uncle Henry and Aunt
Em were much impressed. The farm was one vast pumpkin field, and
some of the pumpkins were of enormous size. In one of them, which had
been neatly hollowed out, Jack himself lived, and he declared that it was
a very comfortable residence. The reason he grew so many pumpkins
was in order that he might change his head as often as it became
wrinkled or threatened to spoil.
The pumpkin-headed man welcomed his visitors joyfully and offered
them several delicious pumpkin pies to eat.
"
I don't indulge in pumpkin pies myself, for two reasons," he said. "One
reason is that were I to eat pumpkins I would become a cannibal, and
the other reason is that I never eat, not being hollow inside."
"
Very good reasons," agreed the Scarecrow.
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