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16. Visiting the Pumpkin-Field

Dorothy let Button-Bright wind up the clock-work in the copper man this

morning--his thinking machine first, then his speech, and finally his action;

so he would doubtless run perfectly until they had reached the Emerald City.

The copper man and the tin man were good friends, and not so much alike as

you might think. For one was alive and the other moved by means of

machinery; one was tall and angular and the other short and round. You

could love the Tin Woodman because he had a fine nature, kindly and simple;

but the machine man you could only admire without loving, since to love such

a thing as he was as impossible as to love a sewing-machine or an automobile.

Yet Tik-tok was popular with the people of Oz because he was so trustworthy,

reliable and true; he was sure to do exactly what he was wound up to do, at

all times and in all circumstances. Perhaps it is better to be a machine that

does its duty than a flesh-and-blood person who will not, for a dead truth is

better than a live falsehood.

About noon the travelers reached a large field of pumpkins--a vegetable quite

appropriate to the yellow country of the Winkies--and some of the pumpkins

which grew there were of remarkable size. Just before they entered upon this

field they saw three little mounds that looked like graves, with a pretty

headstone to each one of them.

What is this?" asked Dorothy, in wonder.

It's Jack Pumpkinhead's private graveyard," replied the Tin Woodman.

But I thought nobody ever died in Oz," she said.

Nor do they; although if one is bad, he may be condemned and killed by the

good citizens," he answered.

Dorothy ran over to the little graves and read the words engraved upon the

tombstones. The first one said:

Here Lies the Mortal Part of

9th.

JACK PUMPKINHEAD Which Spoiled April

She then went to the next stone, which read:

The Road to Oz