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a man all made of tin was far more perfect than one formed of different

materials. The tinsmith was as proud of his workmanship as I was, and for

three whole days, all admired me and praised my beauty. Being now

completely formed of tin, I had no more fear of the Wicked Witch, for she

was powerless to injure me. Nimmie Amee said we must be married at once,

for then she could come to my cottage and live with me and keep me bright

and sparkling.

"'I am sure, my dear Nick,' said the brave and beautiful girl--my name was

then Nick Chopper, you should be told--'that you will make the best

husband any girl could have. I shall not be obliged to cook for you, for now

you do not eat; I shall not have to make your bed, for tin does not tire or

require sleep; when we go to a dance, you will not get weary before the

music stops and say you want to go home. All day long, while you are

chopping wood in the forest, I shall be able to amuse myself in my own way-

-a privilege few wives enjoy. There is no temper in your new head, so you will

not get angry with me. Finally, I shall take pride in being the wife of the only

live Tin Woodman in all the world!' Which shows that Nimmie Amee was as

wise as she was brave and beautiful."

I think she was a very nice girl," said Woot the Wanderer. "But, tell me,

please, why were you not killed when you were chopped to pieces?"

"In the Land of Oz," replied the Emperor, "no one can ever be killed. A man

with a wooden leg or a tin leg is still the same man; and, as I lost parts of

my meat body by degrees, I always remained the same person as in the

beginning, even though in the end I was all tin and no meat."

"I see," said the boy, thoughtfully. "And did you marry Nimmie Amee?"

"No," answered the Tin Woodman, "I did not. She said she still loved me, but

I found that I no longer loved her. My tin body contained no heart, and

without a heart no one can love. So the Wicked Witch conquered in the end,

and when I left the Munchkin Country of Oz, the poor girl was still the slave

of the Witch and had to do her bidding day and night."

Where did you go?" asked Woot.

Well, I first started out to find a heart, so I could love Nimmie Amee again;

but hearts are more scarce than one would think. One day, in a big forest

that was strange to me, my joints suddenly became rusted, because I had

forgotten to oil them. There I stood, unable to move hand or foot. And there I

continued to stand--while days came and went--until Dorothy and the

The Tin Woodman of Oz