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〃When they scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run
down my back。 What is that little animal you are so tender of？〃
〃He is my dog； Toto；〃 answered Dorothy。
〃Is he made of tin； or stuffed？〃 asked the Lion。
〃Neither。 He's aaa meat dog；〃 said the girl。
〃Oh！ He's a curious animal and seems remarkably small；
now that I look at him。 No one would think of biting such a
little thing； except a coward like me；〃 continued the Lion sadly。
〃What makes you a coward？〃 asked Dorothy； looking at the great
beast in wonder； for he was as big as a small horse。
〃It's a mystery；〃 replied the Lion。 〃I suppose I was born
that way。 All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me
to be brave； for the Lion is everywhere thought to be the King of
Beasts。 I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing
was frightened and got out of my way。 Whenever I've met a man
I've been awfully scared； but I just roared at him； and he has
always run away as fast as he could go。 If the elephants and the
tigers and the bears had ever tried to fight me； I should have run
myselfI'm such a coward； but just as soon as they hear me roar
they all try to get away from me； and of course I let them go。〃
〃But that isn't right。 The King of Beasts shouldn't be a coward；〃
said the Scarecrow。
〃I know it；〃 returned the Lion； wiping a tear from his eye
with the tip of his tail。 〃It is my great sorrow； and makes my
life very unhappy。 But whenever there is danger； my heart begins
to beat fast。〃
〃Perhaps you have heart disease；〃 said the Tin Woodman。
〃It may be；〃 said the Lion。
〃If you have；〃 continued the Tin Woodman； 〃you ought to be glad；
for it proves you have a heart。 For my part； I have no heart； so I
cannot have heart disease。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said the Lion thoughtfully； 〃if I had no heart I should
not be a coward。〃
〃Have you brains？〃 asked the Scarecrow。
〃I suppose so。 I've never looked to see；〃 replied the Lion。
〃I am going to the Great Oz to ask him to give me some；〃
remarked the Scarecrow； 〃for my head is stuffed with straw。〃
〃And I am going to ask him to give me a heart；〃 said the Woodman。
〃And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas；〃
added Dorothy。
〃Do you think Oz could give me courage？〃 asked the Cowardly Lion。
〃Just as easily as he could give me brains；〃 said the Scarecrow。
〃Or give me a heart；〃 said the Tin Woodman。
〃Or send me back to Kansas；〃 said Dorothy。
〃Then； if you don't mind； I'll go with you；〃 said the Lion；
〃for my life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage。〃
〃You will be very welcome；〃 answered Dorothy； 〃for you will help
to keep away the other wild beasts。 It seems to me they must be more
cowardly than you are if they allow you to scare them so easily。〃
〃They really are；〃 said the Lion； 〃but that doesn't make me any braver；
and as long as I know myself to be a coward I shall be unhappy。〃
So once more the little company set off upon the journey； the
Lion walking with stately strides at Dorothy's side。 Toto did not
approve this new comrade at first； for he could not forget how
nearly he had been crushed between the Lion's great jaws。 But
after a time he became more at ease； and presently Toto and the
Cowardly Lion had grown to be good friends。
During the rest of that day there was no other adventure to
mar the peace of their journey。 Once； indeed； the Tin Woodman
stepped upon a beetle that was crawling along the road； and killed
the poor little thing。 This made the Tin Woodman very unhappy；
for he was always careful not to hurt any living creature； and as
he walked along he wept several tears of sorrow and regret。 These
tears ran slowly down his face and over the hinges of his jaw； and
there they rusted。 When Dorothy presently asked him a question
the Tin Woodman could not open his mouth； for his jaws were
tightly rusted together。 He became greatly frightened at this and
made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him； but she could not
understand。 The Lion was also puzzled to know what was wrong。
But the Scarecrow seized the oil…can from Dorothy's basket and
oiled the Woodman's jaws； so that after a few moments he could
talk as well as before。
〃This will serve me a lesson；〃 said he； 〃to look where I step。
For if I should kill another bug or beetle I should surely cry again；
and crying rusts my jaws so that I cannot speak。〃
Thereafter he walked very carefully； with his eyes on the road；
and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it； so as
not to harm it。 The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart； and
therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything。
〃You people with hearts；〃 he said； 〃have something to guide you； and
need never do wrong； but I have no heart； and so I must be very careful。
When Oz gives me a heart of course I needn't mind so much。〃
7。 The Journey to the Great Oz
They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in
the forest； for there were no houses near。 The tree made a good；
thick covering to protect them from the dew； and the Tin Woodman
chopped a great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a
splendid fire that warmed her and made her feel less lonely。 She
and Toto ate the last of their bread； and now she did not know
what they would do for breakfast。
〃If you wish；〃 said the Lion； 〃I will go into the forest and
kill a deer for you。 You can roast it by the fire； since your
tastes are so peculiar that you prefer cooked food； and then you
will have a very good breakfast。〃
〃Don't！ Please don't；〃 begged the Tin Woodman。 〃I should
certainly weep if you killed a poor deer； and then my jaws would
rust again。〃
But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper；
and no one ever knew what it was； for he didn't mention it。 And the
Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them；
so that she would not be hungry for a long time。 She thought this was
very kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow； but she laughed heartily at the
awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts。 His padded
hands were so clumsy and the nuts were so small that he dropped almost
as many as he put in the basket。 But the Scarecrow did not mind how long
it took him to fill the basket； for it enabled him to keep away from the fire；
as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up。 So he kept a
good distance away from the flames； and only came near to cover Dorothy with
dry leaves when she lay down to sleep。 These kept her very snug and warm；
and she slept soundly until morning。
When it was daylight； the girl bathed her face in a little rippling brook；
and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City。
This was to be an eventful day for the travelers。 They had
hardly been walking an hour when they saw before them a great
ditch that crossed the road and divided the forest as far as they
could see on either side。 It was a very wide ditch； and when they
crept up to the edge and looked into it they could see it was also
very deep； and there were many big； jagged rocks at the bottom。
The sides were so steep that none of them could climb down； and
for a moment it seemed that their journey must end。
〃What shall we do？〃 asked Dorothy despairingly。
〃I haven't the faintest idea；〃 said the Tin Woodman； and the
Lion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful。
But the Scarecrow said； 〃We cannot fly； that is certain。
Neither can we climb down into this great ditch。 Therefore；
if we cannot jump over it； we must stop where we are。〃
〃I think I could jump over it；〃 said the Cowardly Lion； after
measuring the distance carefully in his mind。
〃Then we are all right；〃 answered the Scarecrow； 〃for you can
carry us all over on your back； one at a time。〃
〃Well； I'll try it；〃 said the Lion。 〃Who will go first？〃
〃I will；〃 declared the Scarecrow； 〃for； if you found that you
could not jump over the gulf； Dorothy would be killed； or the Tin
Woodman badly dented on the rocks below。 But if I am on your back
it will not matter so much； for the fall would not hurt me at all。〃
〃I am terribly afraid of falling； myself；〃 said the Cowardly
Lion； 〃but I suppose there is nothing to do but try it。 So get on
my back and we will make the attempt。〃
The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back； and the big beast
walked to the edge of the gulf and crouched down。
〃Why don't you run and jump？〃 asked the Scarecrow。
〃Because that isn't the way we Lions do these things；〃 he replied。
Then giving a great spring； he shot through the ai