The Marvelous Land of Oz Page 3

  "This thing resembles a real horse more than I imagined," said Tip, tryingto explain. "But a real horse is alive, and trots and prances and eats oats,while this is nothing more than a dead horse, made of wood, and used to sawlogs upon."

  "If it were alive, wouldn't it trot, and prance, and eat oats?" inquired thePumpkinhead.

  "It would trot and prance, perhaps; but it wouldn't eat oats," replied theboy, laughing at the idea." And of course it can't ever be alive, because itis made of wood."

  "So am I," answered the man.

  Tip looked at him in surprise.

  "Why, so you are!" he exclaimed. "And the magic powder that brought you tolife is here in my pocket."

  43 Full page line-art drawing.

  THE MAGICAL POWDER OF LIFE

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  He brought out the pepper box, and eyed it curiously.

  "I wonder," said he, musingly, "if it would bring the saw-horse to life."

  "If it would," returned Jack, calmly for nothing seemed to surprise him" Icould ride on its back, and that would save my joints from wearing out."

  "I'll try it!" cried the boy, jumping up. "But I wonder if I can rememberthe words old Mombi said, and the way she held her hands up."

  He thought it over for a minute, and as he had watched carefully from thehedge every motion of the old witch, and listened to her words, he believedhe could repeat exactly what she had said and done.

  So he began by sprinkling some of the magic Powder of Life from the pepper-box upon the body of the saw-horse. Then he lifted his left hand, with thelittle finger pointing upward, and said: "Weaugh!"

  "What does that mean, dear father?" asked Jack, curiously.

  "I don't know," answered Tip. Then he lifted his right hand, with the thumbpointing upward and said: "Teaugh!"

  "What's that, dear father?" inquired Jack.

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  "It means you must keep quiet!" replied the boy, provoked at beinginterrupted at so important a moment.

  "How fast I am learning!" remarked the Pumpkinhead, with his eternal smile.

  Tip now lifted both hands above his head, with all the fingers and thumbsspread out, and cried in a loud voice: "Peaugh!"

  Immediately the saw-horse moved, stretched its legs, yawned with itschopped-out mouth, and shook a few grains of the powder off its back. Therest of the powder seemed to have vanished into the body of the horse.

  "Good!" called Jack, while the boy looked on in astonishment. "You are avery clever sorcerer, dear father!"

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  46 Full page line-art drawing.

  47 The Awakening of the Saw-horse

  The Saw-Horse, finding himself alive, seemed even more astonished than Tip.He rolled his knotty eyes from side to side, taking a first wondering viewof the world in which he had now so important an existence. Then he tried tolook at himself; but he had, indeed, no neck to turn; so that in theendeavor to see his body he kept circling around and around, withoutcatching even a glimpse of it. His legs were stiff and awkward, for therewere no knee-joints in them; so that presently he bumped against JackPumpkinhead and sent that personage tumbling upon the moss that lined theroadside.

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  Tip became alarmed at this accident, as well as at the persistence of theSaw-Horse in prancing around in a circle; so he called out:

  "Whoa! Whoa, there!"

  The Saw-Horse paid no attention whatever to this command, and the nextinstant brought one of his wooden legs down upon Tip's foot so forcibly thatthe boy danced away in pain to a safer distance, from where he again yelled:

  "Whoa! Whoa, I say!"

  Jack had now managed to raise himself to a sitting position, and he lookedat the Saw-Horse with much interest.

  "I don't believe the animal can hear you," he remarked.

  "I shout loud enough, don't I?" answered Tip, angrily.

  "Yes; but the horse has no ears," said the smiling Pumpkinhead.

  "Sure enough!" exclaimed Tip, noting the fact for the first time. "How,then, am I going to stop him?"

  But at that instant the Saw-Horse stopped himself, having concluded it wasimpossible to see his own body. He saw Tip, however, and came close to theboy to observe him more fully.

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  It was really comical to see the creature walk; for it moved the legs on itsright side together, and those on its left side together, as a pacing horsedoes; and that made its body rock sidewise, like a cradle.

  Tip patted it upon the head, and said "Good boy! Good Boy!" in a coaxingtone; and the Saw-Horse pranced away to examine with its bulging eyes theform of Jack Pumpkinhead.

  "I must find a halter for him," said Tip; and having made a search in hispocket he produced a roll of strong cord. Unwinding this, he approached theSaw-Horse and tied the cord around its neck, afterward fastening the otherend to a large tree. The Saw-Horse, not understanding the action, steppedbackward and snapped the string easily; but it made no attempt to run away.

  "He's stronger than I thought," said the boy, "and rather obstinate, too."

  "Why don't you make him some ears?" asked Jack. "Then you can tell him whatto do."

  "That's a splendid idea!" said Tip. "How did you happen to think of it?"

  "Why, I didn't think of it," answered the Pumpkinhead; "I didn't need to,for it's the simplest and easiest thing to do."

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  So Tip got out his knife and fashioned some ears out of the bark of a smalltree.

  "I mustn't make them too big," he said, as he whittled, "or our horse wouldbecome a donkey."

  "How is that?" inquired Jack, from the roadside.

  "Why, a horse has bigger ears than a man; and a donkey has bigger ears thana horse," explained Tip.

  "Then, if my ears were longer, would I be a horse?" asked Jack.

  "My friend," said Tip, gravely, "you'll never be anything but a Pumpkinhead,no matter how big your ears are."

  "Oh," returned Jack, nodding; "I think I understand."

  "If you do, you're a wonder," remarked the boy "but there's no harm inthinking you understand. I guess these ears are ready now. Will you hold thehorse while I stick them on?"

  "Certainly, if you'll help me up," said Jack.

  So Tip raised him to his feet, and the Pumpkinhead went to the horse andheld its head while the boy bored two holes in it with his knife-blade andinserted the ears.

  "They make him look very handsome," said Jack, admiringly.

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  But those words, spoken close to the Saw-Horse, and being the first soundshe had ever heard, so startled the animal that he made a bound forward andtumbled Tip on one side and Jack on the other. Then he continued to rushforward as if frightened by the clatter of his own foot-steps.

  "Whoa!" shouted Tip, picking himself up; "whoa! you idiot whoa!" The Saw-Horse would probably have paid no attention to this, but just then itstepped a leg into a gopher-hole and stumbled head-over-heels to the ground,where it lay upon its back, frantically waving its four legs in the air.

  Tip ran up to it.

  "You're a nice sort of a horse, I must say!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't youstop when I yelled 'whoa?'"

  "Does 'whoa' mean to stop?" asked the Saw-Horse, in a surprised voice, as itrolled its eyes upward to look at the boy.

  "Of course it does," answered Tip.

  "And a hole in the ground means to stop, also, doesn't it?" continued thehorse.

  "To be sure; unless you step over it," said Tip.

  "What a strange place this is," the creature exclaimed, as if amazed. "Whatam I doing here, anyway?"

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  "DO KEEP THOSE LEGS STILL."

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  "Why, I've brought you to life," answered the boy "but it won't hurt youany, if you mind me and do as I tell you."

  "Then I will do as you tell me," replied the Saw-Horse, humbly. "But whathappened to me, a moment ago? I don't seem to be jus
t right, someway."

  "You're upside down," explained Tip. "But just keep those legs still aminute and I'll set you right side up again."

  "How many sides have I?" asked the creature, wonderingly.

  "Several," said Tip, briefly. "But do keep those legs still."

  The Saw-Horse now became quiet, and held its legs rigid; so that Tip, afterseveral efforts, was able to roll him over and set him upright.

  "Ah, I seem all right now," said the queer animal, with a sigh.

  "One of your ears is broken," Tip announced, after a careful examination."I'll have to make a new one."

  Then he led the Saw-Horse back to where Jack was vainly struggling to regainhis feet, and after assisting the Pumpkinhead to stand upright Tip whittledout a new ear and fastened it to the horse's head.

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  "Now," said he, addressing his steed, "pay attention to what I'm going totell you. 'Whoa!' means to stop; 'Get-Up!' means to walk forward; 'Trot!'means to go as fast as you can. Understand?"

  "I believe I do," returned the horse.

  "Very good. We are all going on a journey to the Emerald City, to see HisMajesty, the Scarecrow; and Jack Pumpkinhead is going to ride on your back,so he won't wear out his joints."

  "I don't mind," said the Saw-Horse. "Anything that suits you suits me."

  Then Tip assisted Jack to get upon the horse.

  "Hold on tight," he cautioned, "or you may fall off and crack your pumpkinhead."

  "That would be horrible!" said Jack, with a shudder. "What shall I hold onto?"

  "Why, hold on to his ears," replied Tip, after a moment's hesitation.

  "Don't do that!" remonstrated the Saw-Horse; "for then I can't hear."

  That seemed reasonable, so Tip tried to think of something else.

  "I'll fix it!" said he, at length. He went into the wood and cut a shortlength of limb from a young, stout tree. One end of this he sharpened to apoint, and then he dug a hole in the back of

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  "DOES IT HURT?" ASKED THE BOY

  56the Saw-Horse, just behind its head. Next he brought a piece of rock fromthe road and hammered the post firmly into the animal's back.

  "Stop! Stop!" shouted the horse; "you're jarring me terribly."

  "Does it hurt?" asked the boy.

  "Not exactly hurt," answered the animal; "but it makes me quite nervous tobe jarred."

  "Well, it's all over now" said Tip, encouragingly. "Now, Jack, be sure tohold fast to this post and then you can't fall off and get smashed."

  So Jack held on tight, and Tip said to the horse:

  "Get up."

  The obedient creature at once walked forward, rocking from side to side ashe raised his feet from the ground.

  Tip walked beside the Saw-Horse, quite content with this addition to theirparty. Presently he began to whistle.

  "What does that sound mean?" asked the horse.

  "Don't pay any attention to it," said Tip. "I'm just whistling, and thatonly means I'm pretty well satisfied."

  "I'd whistle myself, if I could push my lips together," remarked Jack. "Ifear, dear father, that in some respects I am sadly lacking."

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  After journeying on for some distance the narrow path they were followingturned into a broad roadway, paved with yellow brick. By the side of theroad Tip noticed a sign-post that read:

  "NINE MILES TO THE EMERALD CITY."

  But it was now growing dark, so he decided to camp for the night by theroadside and to resume the journey next morning by daybreak. He led the Saw-Horse to a grassy mound upon which grew several bushy trees, and carefullyassisted the Pumpkinhead to alight.

  "I think I'll lay you upon the ground, overnight," said the boy. "You willbe safer that way."

  "How about me?" asked the Saw-Horse.

  "It won't hurt you to stand," replied Tip; "and, as you can't sleep, you mayas well watch out and see that no one comes near to disturb us."

  Then the boy stretched himself upon the grass beside the Pumpkinhead, andbeing greatly wearied by the journey was soon fast asleep.

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  59 Jack Pumpkinhead's Ride to the Emerald City

  At daybreak Tip was awakened by the Pumpkinhead. He rubbed the sleep fromhis eyes, bathed in a little brook, and then ate a portion of his bread andcheese. Having thus prepared for a new day the boy said:

  "Let us start at once. Nine miles is quite a distance, but we ought to reachthe Emerald City by noon if no accidents happen." So the Pumpkinhead wasagain perched upon the back of the Saw-Horse and the journey was resumed.

  Tip noticed that the purple tint of the grass and trees had now faded to adull lavender, and before long this lavender appeared to take on a greenishtinge that gradually brightened as they drew nearer to the great City wherethe Scarecrow ruled.

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  The little party had traveled but a short two miles upon their way when theroad of yellow brick was parted by a broad and swift river. Tip was puzzledhow to cross over; but after a time he discovered a man in a ferry-boatapproaching from the other side of the stream.

  When the man reached the bank Tip asked:

  "Will you row us to the other side?"

  "Yes, if you have money," returned the ferryman, whose face looked cross anddisagreeable.

  "But I have no money," said Tip.

  "None at all?" inquired the man.

  "None at all," answered the boy.

  "Then I'll not break my back rowing you over," said the ferryman, decidedly.

  "What a nice man!" remarked the Pumpkinhead, smilingly.

  The ferryman stared at him, but made no reply. Tip was trying to think, forit was a great disappointment to him to find his journey so suddenly broughtto an end.

  "I must certainly get to the Emerald City," he said to the boatman; "but howcan I cross the river if you do not take me?"

  The man laughed, and it was not a nice laugh.

  "That wooden horse will float," said he; "and

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  you can ride him across. As for the pumpkinheaded loon who accompanies you,let him sink or swim it won't matter greatly which."

  "Don't worry about me," said Jack, smiling pleasantly upon the crabbedferryman; "I'm sure I ought to float beautifully."

  Tip thought the experiment was worth making, and the Saw-Horse, who did notknow what danger meant, offered no objections whatever. So the boy led itdown into the water and climbed upon its back. Jack also waded in up to hisknees and

  62grasped the tail of the horse so that he might keep his pumpkin head abovethe water.

  "Now," said Tip, instructing the Saw-Horse, "if you wiggle your legs youwill probably swim; and if you swim we shall probably reach the other side."

  The Saw-Horse at once began to wiggle its legs, which acted as oars andmoved the adventurers slowly across the river to the opposite side. Sosuccessful was the trip that presently they were climbing, wet and dripping,up the grassy bank.

  Tip's trouser-legs and shoes were thoroughly soaked; but the Saw-Horse hadfloated so perfectly that from his knees up the boy was entirely dry. As forthe Pumpkinhead, every stitch of his gorgeous clothing dripped water.

  "The sun will soon dry us," said Tip "and, anyhow, we are now safely across,in spite of the ferryman, and can continue our journey.

  "I didn't mind swimming, at all," remarked the horse.

  "Nor did I," added Jack.

  They soon regained the road of yellow brick, which proved to be acontinuation of the road they had left on the other side, and then Tip oncemore mounted the Pumpkinhead upon the back of the Saw-Horse.

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  "If you ride fast," said he, "the wind will help to dry your clothing. Iwill hold on to the horse's tail and run after you. In this way we all willbecome dry in a very short time."

  "Then the horse must st
ep lively," said Jack.

  "I'll do my best," returned the Saw-Horse, cheerfully.

  Tip grasped the end of the branch that served as tail to the Saw-Horse, andcalled loudly: "Get-up!"

  The horse started at a good pace, and Tip followed behind. Then he decidedthey could go faster, so he shouted: "Trot!"

  Now, the Saw-Horse remembered that this word was the command to go as fastas he could; so he began rocking along the road at a tremendous pace,

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  64and Tip had hard work--running faster than he ever had before in hislife--to keep his feet.

  Soon he was out of breath, and although he wanted to call "Whoa!" to thehorse, he found he could not get the word out of his throat. Then the end ofthe tail he was clutching, being nothing more than a dead branch, suddenlybroke away, and the next minute the boy was rolling in the dust of the road,while the horse and its pumpkin-headed rider dashed on and quicklydisappeared in the distance.

  By the time Tip had picked himself up and cleared the dust from his throatso he could say "Whoa!" there was no further need of saying it, for thehorse was long since out of sight.