www.freeclassicebooks.com

were well entertained and where Woot was given a comfortable bed to sleep

in.

Were the Scarecrow and I alone," said the Tin Woodman, "we would travel

by night as well as by day; but with a meat person in our party, we must

halt at night to permit him to rest."

Meat tires, after a day's travel," added the Scarecrow, "while straw and tin

never tire at all. Which proves," said he, "that we are somewhat superior to

people made in the common way."

Woot could not deny that he was tired, and he slept soundly until morning,

when he was given a good breakfast, smoking hot.

"You two miss a great deal by not eating," he said to his companions.

It is true," responded the Scarecrow. "We miss suffering from hunger, when

food cannot be had, and we miss a stomachache, now and then."

As he said this, the Scarecrow glanced at the Tin Woodman, who nodded his

assent.

All that second day they traveled steadily, entertaining one another the while

with stories of adventures they had formerly met and listening to the

Scarecrow recite poetry. He had learned a great many poems from Professor

Wogglebug and loved to repeat them whenever anybody would listen to him.

Of course Woot and the Tin Woodman now listened, because they could not

do otherwise--unless they rudely ran away from their stuffed comrade. One

of the Scarecrow's recitations was like this:

What sound is so sweet As the straw from the wheat When it

crunkles so tender and low?

delight To crunkle wherever I go.

It is yellow and bright,

So it gives me

"Sweet, fresh, golden Straw!

There is surely no flaw In a stuffing so

clean and compact.

It creaks when I walk,

And it thrills when I talk,

And its fragrance is fine, for a fact.

"To cut me don't hurt,

For I've no blood to squirt, And I therefore can suffer no pain;

The

straw that I use

and again!

Doesn't lump up or bruise, Though it's pounded again

I know it is said

straw and bran, But my thoughts are so good

For the brains of a common meat man.

That my beautiful head Has brains of mixed wheat-

I'd not change, if I could,

The Tin Woodman of Oz