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Chapter One - Woot the Wanderer

The Tin Woodman sat on his glittering tin throne in the handsome tin hall of

his splendid tin castle in the Winkie Country of the Land of Oz. Beside him,

in a chair of woven straw, sat his best friend, the Scarecrow of Oz. At times

they spoke to one another of curious things they had seen and strange

adventures they had known since first they two had met and become

comrades. But at times they were silent, for these things had been talked

over many times between them, and they found themselves contented in

merely being together, speaking now and then a brief sentence to prove they

were wide awake and attentive. But then, these two quaint persons never

slept. Why should they sleep, when they never tired?

And now, as the brilliant sun sank low over the Winkie Country of Oz,

tinting the glistening tin towers and tin minarets of the tin castle with

glorious sunset hues, there approached along a winding pathway Woot the

Wanderer, who met at the castle entrance a Winkie servant.

The servants of the Tin Woodman all wore tin helmets and tin breastplates

and uniforms covered with tiny tin discs sewed closely together on silver

cloth, so that their bodies sparkled as beautifully as did the tin castle--and

almost as beautifully as did the Tin Woodman himself.

Woot the Wanderer looked at the man servant--all bright and glittering--and

at the magnificent castle--all bright and glittering--and as he looked his eyes

grew big with wonder. For Woot was not very big and not very old and,

wanderer though he was, this proved the most gorgeous sight that had ever

met his boyish gaze.

Who lives here?" he asked.

The Emperor of the Winkies, who is the famous Tin Woodman of Oz,"

replied the servant, who had been trained to treat all strangers with

courtesy.

"A Tin Woodman? How queer!" exclaimed the little wanderer.

Well, perhaps our Emperor is queer," admitted the servant; "but he is a

kind master and as honest and true as good tin can make him; so we, who

gladly serve him, are apt to forget that he is not like other people."

May I see him?" asked Woot the Wanderer, after a moment's thought.

The Tin Woodman of Oz