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〃And I thought Oz was a terrible Beast；〃 said the Tin Woodman。
〃And I thought Oz was a Ball of Fire；〃 exclaimed the Lion。
〃No； you are all wrong；〃 said the little man meekly。 〃I have
been making believe。〃
〃Making believe！〃 cried Dorothy。 〃Are you not a Great Wizard？〃
〃Hush； my dear；〃 he said。 〃Don't speak so loud； or you will be
overheardand I should be ruined。 I'm supposed to be a Great Wizard。〃
〃And aren't you？〃 she asked。
〃Not a bit of it； my dear； I'm just a common man。〃
〃You're more than that；〃 said the Scarecrow； in a grieved tone；
〃you're a humbug。〃
〃Exactly so！〃 declared the little man； rubbing his hands
together as if it pleased him。 〃I am a humbug。〃
〃But this is terrible；〃 said the Tin Woodman。 〃How shall I
ever get my heart？〃
〃Or I my courage？〃 asked the Lion。
〃Or I my brains？〃 wailed the Scarecrow； wiping the tears from
his eyes with his coat sleeve。
〃My dear friends；〃 said Oz； 〃I pray you not to speak of these
little things。 Think of me； and the terrible trouble I'm in at
being found out。〃
〃Doesn't anyone else know you're a humbug？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃No one knows it but you fourand myself；〃 replied Oz。 〃I
have fooled everyone so long that I thought I should never be
found out。 It was a great mistake my ever letting you into the
Throne Room。 Usually I will not see even my subjects； and so they
believe I am something terrible。〃
〃But； I don't understand；〃 said Dorothy； in bewilderment。
〃How was it that you appeared to me as a great Head？〃
〃That was one of my tricks；〃 answered Oz。 〃Step this way；
please； and I will tell you all about it。〃
He led the way to a small chamber in the rear of the Throne
Room； and they all followed him。 He pointed to one corner； in
which lay the great Head； made out of many thicknesses of paper；
and with a carefully painted face。
〃This I hung from the ceiling by a wire；〃 said Oz。 〃I stood
behind the screen and pulled a thread； to make the eyes move and
the mouth open。〃
〃But how about the voice？〃 she inquired。
〃Oh； I am a ventriloquist；〃 said the little man。 〃I can throw
the sound of my voice wherever I wish； so that you thought it was
coming out of the Head。 Here are the other things I used to
deceive you。〃 He showed the Scarecrow the dress and the mask he
had worn when he seemed to be the lovely Lady。 And the Tin
Woodman saw that his terrible Beast was nothing but a lot of
skins； sewn together； with slats to keep their sides out。 As for
the Ball of Fire； the false Wizard had hung that also from the
ceiling。 It was really a ball of cotton； but when oil was poured
upon it the ball burned fiercely。
〃Really；〃 said the Scarecrow； 〃you ought to be ashamed of
yourself for being such a humbug。〃
〃I amI certainly am；〃 answered the little man sorrowfully；
〃but it was the only thing I could do。 Sit down； please； there
are plenty of chairs； and I will tell you my story。〃
So they sat down and listened while he told the following tale。
〃I was born in Omaha〃
〃Why； that isn't very far from Kansas！〃 cried Dorothy。
〃No； but it's farther from here；〃 he said； shaking his head at
her sadly。 〃When I grew up I became a ventriloquist； and at that
I was very well trained by a great master。 I can imitate any kind
of a bird or beast。〃 Here he mewed so like a kitten that Toto
pricked up his ears and looked everywhere to see where she was。
〃After a time；〃 continued Oz； 〃I tired of that； and became a
balloonist。〃
〃What is that？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃A man who goes up in a balloon on circus day； so as to draw a
crowd of people together and get them to pay to see the circus；〃
he explained。
〃Oh；〃 she said； 〃I know。〃
〃Well； one day I went up in a balloon and the ropes got
twisted； so that I couldn't come down again。 It went way up above
the clouds； so far that a current of air struck it and carried it
many； many miles away。 For a day and a night I traveled through
the air； and on the morning of the second day I awoke and found
the balloon floating over a strange and beautiful country。
〃It came down gradually； and I was not hurt a bit。 But I
found myself in the midst of a strange people； who； seeing me come
from the clouds； thought I was a great Wizard。 Of course I let
them think so； because they were afraid of me； and promised to do
anything I wished them to。
〃Just to amuse myself； and keep the good people busy； I
ordered them to build this City； and my Palace； and they did it
all willingly and well。 Then I thought； as the country was so
green and beautiful； I would call it the Emerald City； and to make
the name fit better I put green spectacles on all the people； so
that everything they saw was green。〃
〃But isn't everything here green？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃No more than in any other city；〃 replied Oz； 〃but when you
wear green spectacles； why of course everything you see looks
green to you。 The Emerald City was built a great many years ago；
for I was a young man when the balloon brought me here； and I am a
very old man now。 But my people have worn green glasses on their
eyes so long that most of them think it really is an Emerald City；
and it certainly is a beautiful place； abounding in jewels and
precious metals； and every good thing that is needed to make
one happy。 I have been good to the people； and they like me；
but ever since this Palace was built； I have shut myself up
and would not see any of them。
〃One of my greatest fears was the Witches； for while I had no
magical powers at all I soon found out that the Witches were
really able to do wonderful things。 There were four of them in
this country； and they ruled the people who live in the North and
South and East and West。 Fortunately； the Witches of the North
and South were good； and I knew they would do me no harm； but the
Witches of the East and West were terribly wicked； and had they
not thought I was more powerful than they themselves； they would
surely have destroyed me。 As it was； I lived in deadly fear of
them for many years； so you can imagine how pleased I was when
I heard your house had fallen on the Wicked Witch of the East。
When you came to me； I was willing to promise anything if you
would only do away with the other Witch； but； now that you have
melted her； I am ashamed to say that I cannot keep my promises。〃
〃I think you are a very bad man；〃 said Dorothy。
〃Oh； no； my dear； I'm really a very good man； but I'm a very
bad Wizard； I must admit。〃
〃Can't you give me brains？〃 asked the Scarecrow。
〃You don't need them。 You are learning something every day。
A baby has brains； but it doesn't know much。 Experience is the
only thing that brings knowledge； and the longer you are on earth
the more experience you are sure to get。〃
〃That may all be true；〃 said the Scarecrow； 〃but I shall be
very unhappy unless you give me brains。〃
The false Wizard looked at him carefully。
〃Well；〃 he said with a sigh； 〃I'm not much of a magician；
as I said； but if you will come to me tomorrow morning； I will
stuff your head with brains。 I cannot tell you how to use them；
however； you must find that out for yourself。〃
〃Oh； thank youthank you！〃 cried the Scarecrow。 〃I'll find
a way to use them； never fear！〃
〃But how about my courage？〃 asked the Lion anxiously。
〃You have plenty of courage； I am sure；〃 answered Oz。 〃All you need
is confidence in yourself。 There is no living thing that is not afraid
when it faces danger。 The True courage is in facing danger when you are
afraid； and that kind of courage you have in plenty。〃
〃Perhaps I have； but I'm scared just the same；〃 said the Lion。
〃I shall really be very unhappy unless you give me the sort of
courage that makes one forget he is afraid。〃
〃Very well； I will give you that sort of courage tomorrow；〃
replied Oz。
〃How about my heart？〃 asked the Tin Woodman。
〃Why； as for that；〃 answered Oz； 〃I think you are wrong to
want a heart。 It makes most people unhappy。 If you only knew it；
you are in luck not to have a heart。〃
〃That must be a matter of opinion；〃 said the Tin Woodman。
〃For my part； I will bear all the unhappiness without a murmur；
if you will give me the heart。〃
〃Very well；〃 answered Oz meekly。 〃Come to me tomorrow and you
shall have a heart。 I have played Wizard for so many years that I
may as well continue the part a little longer。〃
〃And now；〃 said Dorothy； 〃how am I to get back to Kansas？〃
〃We shall have to think about that；〃 replied the little man。
〃Give me two or three days to consider the matter and I'll try to
find a way to carry you over