Hello there,
It's Mandy here.
Welcome back to The Wizard of Oz by L.
Frank Baum.
We've reached chapter four,
The Road Through the Forest.
But before I begin,
Just another interesting fact about the author.
He had a flair for being the spotlight of fun in the household.
On the 4th of July,
His rockets,
Roman candles and fireworks filled the sky and people around the neighbourhood would gather in front of the house to watch the displays.
Even as a young boy he would dress up as Santa Claus for the family.
His father would put the Christmas tree behind a front parlour so that Baum could talk to everyone while he decorated the tree without people managing to see him.
He maintained this tradition all his life.
So,
Before I start reading,
Please go ahead and make yourself really comfortable.
Settle down into your chair or your bed,
Relax your hands,
Release your shoulders and soften your jaw.
That's wonderful.
So,
If you're ready,
Then I'll begin.
The Road Through the Forest.
After a few hours,
The road began to be rough and the walking grew so difficult that the scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow bricks,
Which here were very uneven.
Sometimes indeed they were broken or missing altogether,
Leaving holes that Toto jumped across and Dorothy walked around.
As for the scarecrow,
Having no brains,
He walked straight ahead and so stepped into the holes and fell at full length onto the hard bricks.
It never hurt him,
However,
And Dorothy would pick him up and set him on his feet again while he joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap.
The farms were not nearly so well cared for here as they were farther back.
There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees and the farther they went,
The more dismal and lonesome the country became.
At noon,
They sat down by the roadside near a little brook and Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread.
She offered a piece to the scarecrow but he refused.
I'm never hungry,
He said,
And it's a lucky thing I'm not,
For my mouth is only painted and if I should cut a hole in it so I could eat,
The straw I'm stuffed with would come out and that would spoil the shape of my head.
Dorothy saw at once that this was true,
So she only nodded and went on eating her bread.
Tell me something about yourself and the country you come from,
Said the scarecrow when she'd finished her dinner.
So she told him all about Kansas and how grey everything was there and how the cyclone had carried her to this queer land of Oz.
The scarecrow listened carefully and said,
I cannot understand why you should wish to leave this beautiful country and go back to the dry grey place you call Kansas.
That's because you have no brains,
Answered the girl.
No matter how dreary and grey our homes are,
We people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country,
Be it ever so beautiful.
There is no place like home.
The scarecrow sighed.
Of course I cannot understand it,
He said.
If your heads were stuffed with straw like mine,
You would probably all live in beautiful places and then Kansas would have no people at all.
It's fortunate for Kansas that you have.
Won't you tell me a story while we're resting,
Asked the child.
The scarecrow looked at her reproachfully and answered,
My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever.
I was only made the day before yesterday.
What happened in the world before that time is all unknown to me.
Luckily when the farmer made my head one of the first things he did was to paint my ears so that I heard what was going on.
There was another munchkin with him and the first thing I heard was the farmer saying,
How do you like those ears?
They aren't straight,
Answered the other.
Never mind,
Said the farmer,
They are ears just the same,
Which was true enough.
Now I'll make the eyes,
Said the farmer.
So he painted my right eye and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking at him and at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity that this was my first glimpse of the world.
That's a rather pretty eye,
Remarked the munchkin who was watching the farmer.
Blue paint is just the color for eyes.
I think I'll make the other a little bigger,
Said the farmer and when the second eye was done I could see much better than before.
Then he made my nose and my mouth but I didn't speak because at that time I didn't know what a mouth was for.
I had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs and when they fastened on my head at last I felt very proud for I thought I was just as good a man as anyone.
This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,
Said the farmer,
He looks just like a man.
Why he is a man,
Said the other and I quite agreed with him.
The farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield and set me up on a tall stick where you found me.
He and his friend soon after walked away and left me alone.
I didn't like to be deserted this way so I tried to walk after them but my feet wouldn't touch the ground and I was forced to stay on that pole.
It was a lonely life to lead for I had nothing to think of having been made such a little while before.
Many crows and other birds flew into the cornfield but as soon as they saw me they flew away again thinking I was a munchkin and this pleased me and made me feel that I was quite an important person.
By and by an old crow flew near me and after looking at me carefully he perched upon my shoulder and said I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsy manner.
Any crow of sense could see that you were only stuffed with straw.
Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn he wanted.
The other birds seeing that he was not harmed by me came to eat the corn too so in a short time there was a great flock of them about me.
I felt sad at this for it showed I was not such a good scarecrow after all but the old crow comforted me saying if you only had brains in your head you would be as good a man as any of them and a better man than some of them.
Brains are the only things worth having in this world no matter whether one is a crow or a man.
After the crows had gone I thought this over and decided I would try hard to get some brains.
By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake and from what you say I'm sure the great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City.
I do hope so said Dorothy earnestly since you seem so anxious to have them.
Oh yes I am anxious returned the scarecrow.
It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool.
Well said the girl let's go and she handed the basket to the scarecrow.
There were no fences at all by the roadside now and the land was rough and untilled.
Towards evening they came to a great forest where the trees grew so big and close together that their branches met over the road of yellow brick.
It was almost dark under those trees for the branches shut out the daylight but the travellers didn't stop and went on into the forest.
If this road goes in it must come out said the scarecrow and as the Emerald City is at the other end of the road we must go wherever it leads us.
Anyone would know that said Dorothy.
Certainly that is why I know it returned the scarecrow.
If it required brains to figure it out I never should have said it.
After an hour or so of the light fading away they found themselves stumbling along in darkness.
Dorothy couldn't see at all but Toto could for some dogs see very well in the dark and the scarecrow declared he could see as well as by day.
So she took hold of his arm and managed to get along fairly well.
If you see any house or any place where we can pass the night she said you must tell me for it's very uncomfortable walking in the dark.
Soon after that the scarecrow stopped.
I see a little cottage to the right of us he said built of logs and branches.
Shall we go there?
Yes indeed answered the child.
I'm all tired out.
So the scarecrow led her through the trees until they reached the cottage and Dorothy entered and found a bed of dried leaves in one corner.
She lay down at once and with Toto beside her soon fell into a sound sleep.
The scarecrow who was never tired stood up in another corner and waited patiently until morning came to be continued.
