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Facing fortunes good and bad；
Meeting dangers grave and sad；
Sometimes worried； sometimes glad
Where you're going you don't know；
Nor do I； but off you go！〃
〃Sounds like a hint； to me；〃 said the Patchwork Girl。
〃Then let's take it and go；〃 replied Ojo。
They said good…bye to the Wise Donkey and the
Foolish Owl and at once resumed their journey。
Chapter Nine
They Meet the Woozy
〃There seem to be very few houses around here；
after all；〃 remarked Ojo； after they had walked
for a time in silence。
〃Never mind；〃 said Scraps； 〃we are not looking
for houses； but rather the road of yellow bricks。
Won't it be funny to run across something yellow
in this dismal blue country？〃
〃There are worse colors than yellow in this
country；〃 asserted the Glass Cat； in a spiteful
tone。
〃Oh； do you mean the pink pebbles you call
your brains； and your red heart and green eyes？〃
asked the Patchwork Girl。
〃No； I mean you； if you must know it；〃 growled
the cat。
〃You're jealous！〃 laughed Scraps。 〃You'd give
your whiskers for a lovely variegated complexion
like mine。〃
〃I wouldn't！〃 retorted the cat。 〃I've the
clearest complexion in the world； and I don't
employ a beauty…doctor； either。〃
〃I see you don't；〃 said Scraps。
〃Please don't quarrel；〃 begged Ojo。 〃This is an
important journey； and quarreling makes me
discouraged。 To be brave； one must be cheerful； so
I hope you will be as good…tempered as possible。〃
They had traveled some distance when suddenly
they faced a high fence which barred any further
progress straight ahead。 It ran directly across
the road and enclosed a small forest of tall
trees； set close together。 When the group of
adventurers peered through the bars of the fence
they thought this forest looked more gloomy and
forbidding than any they had ever seen before。
They soon discovered that the path they had
been following now made a bend and passed
around the enclosure； but what made Ojo stop
and look thoughtful was a sign painted on the
fence which read：
〃BEWARE OF THE WOOZY！〃
〃That means；〃 he said； 〃that there's a Woozy
inside that fence； and the Woozy must be a
dangerous animal or they wouldn't tell people
to beware of it。〃
〃Let's keep out； then；〃 replied Scraps。 〃That
path is outside the fence； and Mr。 Woozy may have
all his little forest to himself； for all we care。〃
〃But one of our errands is to find a Woozy；〃
Ojo explained。 〃The Magician wants me to get
three hairs from the end of a Woozy's tail。〃
〃Let's go on and find some other Woozy；〃
suggested the cat。 〃This one is ugly and
dangerous； or they wouldn't cage him up。 Maybe
we shall find another that is tame and gentle。〃
〃Perhaps there isn't any other； at all；〃
answered Ojo。 〃The sign doesn't say： 'Beware a
Woozy'； it says： 'Beware the Woozy；' which may；
mean there's only one in all the Land of Oz。
〃Then；〃 said Scraps； 〃suppose we go in and
find him？ Very likely if we ask him politely to
let us pull three hairs out of the tip of his tail
he won't hurt us。〃
〃It would hurt him； I'm sure； and that would
make him cross；〃 said the cat。
〃You needn't worry； Bungle；〃 remarked the
Patchwork Girl； 〃for if there is danger you can
climb a tree。 Ojo and I are not afraid； are we；
Ojo？〃
〃I am； a little；〃 the boy admitted； 〃but this
danger must be faced； if we intend to save poor
Unc Nunkie。 How shall we get over the fence？〃
〃Climb；〃 answered Scraps； and at once she began
climbing up the rows of bars。 Ojo followed and
found it more easy than he had expected。 When they
got to the top of the fence they began to get down
on the other side and soon were in the forest。 The
Glass Cat； being small； crept between the lower
bars and joined them。
Here there was no path of any sort； so they
entered the woods； the boy leading the way；
and wandered through the trees until they were
nearly in the center of the forest。 They now
came upon a clear space in which stood a rocky
cave。
So far they had met no living creature； but
when Ojo saw the cave he knew it must be the
den of the Woozy。
It is hard to face any savage beast without
a sinking of the heart； but still more terrifying
is it to face an unknown beast； which you have
never seen even a picture of。 So there is little
wonder that the pulses of the Munchkin boy
beat fast as he and his companions stood facing
the cave。 The opening was perfectly square；
and about big enough to admit a goat。
〃I guess the Woozy is asleep；〃 said Scraps。
〃Shall I throw in a stone； to waken him？〃
〃No； please don't；〃 answered Ojo； his voice
trembling a little。 〃I'm in no hurry。〃
But he had not long to wait； for the Woozy
heard the sound of voices and came trotting out
of his cave。 As this is the only Woozy that has
ever lived； either in the Land of Oz or out of
it； I must describe it to you。
The creature was all squares and flat surfaces
and edges。 Its head was an exact square； like
one of the building…blocks a child plays with；
therefore it had no ears； but heard sounds
through two openings in the upper corners。 Its
nose； being in the center of a square surface；
was flat； while the mouth was formed by the
opening of the lower edge of the block。 The
body of the Woozy was much larger than its
head； but was likewise block…shapedbeing
twice as long as it was wide and high。 The tail
was square and stubby and perfectly straight；
and the four legs were made in the same way；
each being four…sided。 The animal was covered
with a thick； smooth skin and had no hair at all
except at the extreme end of its tail； where there
grew exactly three stiff； stubby hairs。 The beast
was dark blue in color and his face was not
fierce nor ferocious in expression； but rather
good…humored and droll。
Seeing the strangers； the Woozy folded his
hind legs as if they Lad been hinged and sat
down to look his visitors over。
〃Well； well；〃 he exclaimed； 〃what a queer lot
you are！ at first I thought some of those
miserable Munchkin farmers had come to annoy me；
but I am relieved to find you in their stead。 It
is plain to me that you are a remarkable groupas
remarkable in your way as I am in mineand so you
are welcome to my domain。 Nice place； isn't it？
But lonesome…dreadfully lonesome。〃
〃Why did they shut you up here？〃 asked
Scraps； who was regarding the queer； square
creature with much curiosity。
〃Because I eat up all the honey…bees which
the Munchkin farmers who live around here
keep to make them honey。〃
〃Are you fond of eating honey…bees？〃 inquired
the boy。
〃Very。 They are really delicious。 But the
farmers did not like to lose their bees and so
they tried to destroy me。 Of course they couldn't
do that。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃My skin is so thick and tough that nothing can
get through it to hurt me。 So； finding they could
not destroy me； they drove me into this forest and
built a fence around me。 Unkind； wasn't it？〃
〃But what do you eat now？〃 asked Ojo。
〃Nothing at all。 I've tried the leaves from the
trees and the mosses and creeping vines； but they
don't seem to suit my taste。 So； there being no
honey…bees here； I've eaten nothing for years。
〃You must be awfully hungry；〃 said the boy。
〃I've got some bread and cheese in my basket。
Would you like that kind of food？〃
〃Give me a nibble and I will try it； then I
can tell you better whether it is grateful to my
appetite；〃 returned the Woozy。
So the boy opened his basket and broke a
piece off the loaf of bread。 He tossed it toward
the Woozy； who cleverly caught it in his mouth
and ate it in a twinkling。
〃That's rather good；〃 declared the animal。
〃Any more？〃
〃Try some cheese；〃 said Ojo； and threw down a
piece。
The Woozy ate that； too； and smacked its long；
thin lips。