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Chapter Three - Roundabout

Woot the Wanderer slept that night in the tin castle of the Emperor of the

Winkies and found his tin bed quite comfortable. Early the next morning he

rose and took a walk through the gardens, where there were tin fountains

and beds of curious tin flowers, and where tin birds perched upon the

branches of tin trees and sang songs that sounded like the notes of tin

whistles. All these wonders had been made by the clever Winkie tinsmiths,

who wound the birds up every morning so that they would move about and

sing.

After breakfast the boy went into the throne room, where the Emperor was

having his tin joints carefully oiled by a servant, while other servants were

stuffing sweet, fresh straw into the body of the Scarecrow.

Woot watched this operation with much interest, for the Scarecrow's body

was only a suit of clothes filled with straw. The coat was buttoned tight to

keep the packed straw from falling out and a rope was tied around the waist

to hold it in shape and prevent the straw from sagging down. The

Scarecrow's head was a gunnysack filled with bran, on which the eyes, nose

and mouth had been painted. His hands were white cotton gloves stuffed

with fine straw. Woot noticed that even when carefully stuffed and patted

into shape, the straw man was awkward in his movements and decidedly

wobbly on his feet, so the boy wondered if the Scarecrow would be able to

travel with them all the way to the forests of the Munchkin Country of Oz.

The preparations made for this important journey were very simple. A

knapsack was filled with food and given Woot the Wanderer to carry upon

his back, for the food was for his use alone. The Tin Woodman shouldered

an axe which was sharp and brightly polished, and the Scarecrow put the

Emperor's oil-can in his pocket, that he might oil his friend's joints should

they need it.

"Who will govern the Winkie Country during your absence?" asked the boy.

"Why, the Country will run itself," answered the Emperor. "As a matter of

fact, my people do not need an Emperor, for Ozma of Oz watches over the

welfare of all her subjects, including the Winkies. Like a good many kings

and emperors, I have a grand title, but very little real power, which allows

me time to amuse myself in my own way. The people of Oz have but one law

to obey, which is: 'Behave Yourself,' so it is easy for them to abide by this

Law, and you'll notice they behave very well. But it is time for us to be off,

The Tin Woodman of Oz