Chapter 2

The next morning the pair woke up and got ready to continue their journey. Dorothy was famished – she hadn’t eaten since breakfast the previous day. Since scarecrows don’t eat, it was just another day to him, but he knew that Dorothy had to find something for breakfast. They found a small farm on their way and Dorothy was able to get something to eat – apparently word of the strange girl on her way to see the Master had spread faster than she could walk.

The kindly man and woman at the farm welcomed her and gave her a nice breakfast as well as something for lunch along the way. While she ate, Scarecrow stayed out of sight outside, not wanting to scare the nice couple. The couple asked her many questions, and Dorothy answered them as best she could while she ate. Dorothy also learned more about this strange land as well. She learned that there was a wicked witch that would occasionally come down from her mountain fortress to terrorize the townspeople. Dorothy promised to stay as far away from her as she could.

After a hearty breakfast and with a sack of goodies for later, she met up with Scarecrow and they continued on their journey. They walked for another couple hours as the countryside changed slowly from farmlands to more wooded, forest-like land. The road got rougher and the walking a bit more difficult. After a bit more walking, they decided to sit down and have some lunch. Dorothy offered some of the food the couple gave her to Scarecrow but he declined.

“I do not eat, my smile being painted on, I cannot eat,” he explained.

“Oh, of course. I almost forgot,” she said, feeling a bit foolish.

She began eating and then Scarecrow turned to her. “May I ask you a question?” he asked.

“Of course, Scarecrow, what is it?” Dorothy said.

“Well last night before we went to bed you left and went into the woods. You were gone for awhile and I got concerned, so I went to check on you. I saw you ... with that cucumber...” he said, looking down bashfully.

“Oh my God! Really?” she said blushing terribly. “I-I didn’t mean for anyone to see me!” she said.

“Well, I heard all these noises – I thought you were being attacked or something!” he said, still looking down.

She could tell he didn’t mean to spy on her, he was just concerned about her. As soon as the shock of being found out wore off some she tried to make things more comfortable for them both. “I’m sorry, Scarecrow. I know you were just worried about me. I am a stranger here and don’t know your ways and you were concerned I might have gotten lost or something. It’s okay,” she said taking his straw-filled gloved hand.

“So Scarecrow ... did you like what you saw?” she asked, looking up at him.

He turned his painted face to her. “Well I watched and I saw what you were doing but I don’t know why. I mean it looked painful and the sounds you were making – why would a person do that to themselves? Didn’t it hurt? It looked like it would hurt terribly, poking yourself like that and pushing the thing into your hole!” he said, scratching his head.

Dorothy giggled, “No it didn’t hurt at all – in fact, it felt wonderful. You see girls like me do that sometimes because it makes us feel good. It is actually quite pleasant and not at all painful – well not after the first time!” she said.

“And was this your first time?” Scarecrow asked.

“Oh heavens no! I’ve been doing this for a long time!” she said.

“Oh. Well as soon as I get a brain maybe I will understand this better,” Scarecrow said. “There is so much to learn. I hope the Master can help me too!”

“So Mr. Scarecrow, I have been talking about myself since we met, but I do not know much of anything about you. Tell me about your life,” Dorothy said.

“Well there really isn’t much to tell,” Scarecrow said, “I was made many years ago when the farmer first started planting his field. I was made from old coveralls, a shirt that was about to be discarded, and whatever old straw he swept up from the barn.

The woman painted my face on and then I was carried out to the field where you found me and put upon the pole, where I have been ever since. Not much of a life, I’m afraid. I am so glad to be free from the fields to see new things although I don’t understand them all.”

“Yes, I can imagine standing in a field all your days might be quite boring!” Dorothy said.

“Indeed. But now that I have met you and we are on this wonderful adventure, I shall not wish to go back to that field again. I do not know what I will do with my brain when I get it, but I shall think on it quite a lot before deciding anything!” he said.

The two of them kept walking for several more hours until it began to get late. The country had continued to change and at last they put the fields and farmlands far behind them. Now they were surrounded on all side by large trees and thick forest.

“Oh dear! It certainly is getting dark! I hope we find someplace where we can spend the night soon!” Dorothy said. She clung to the Scarecrow’s arm a little tighter as they walked, the darkness closing in and making seeing their way more and more difficult.

Just then Scarecrow saw a light filtering through the trees. “There I see a light!” he said and they made their way to the edge of a clearing where a little cabin sat, a light shining in the window.

“Maybe they will have room for us to stay the night!” Dorothy said, and they crossed the clearing to the cabin. Dorothy knocked on the door which wasn’t closed completely. Since no one answered, she peeked cautiously around the door. “No one seems to be home. I suppose it’s all right to come in, after all it is getting frightfully dark outside,” she said. So the two of them went inside and while Scarecrow stayed up standing guard, Dorothy went to sleep in the unmade bed.

The morning sun filtered through the trees and filled the cabin with daylight. Dorothy rose and stretched, “Oh my I haven’t slept so good in a long time!” she said. “It’s a shame that you don’t sleep Scarecrow, it is so delightful to wake up the next morning!”

“Well, Dorothy, when one does not get tired, I suppose sleep is kind of pointless,” Scarecrow said, surprised at his own use of logic.

“I suppose so. I wonder if there is anything here for breakfast. We have run out of what that kind couple gave me,” she said. She began rummaging around in the cupboards and found a few old cans of soup that looked promising. She found a can opener and before long she was sitting down to a bowl of soup. “Not the best breakfast I’ve ever had, but at least I won’t starve just yet!” she said.

After breakfast she tidied up around the cabin, did the few dishes she used, and made the bed. She figured that would make up for the food and lodging and then they left the cabin with the door partially open like they found it. They had only gone a short distance when a funny groaning sound.

At first, the two were terrified – what kind of beast could be making such a sound? Scarecrow, fearing nothing except fire, pushed Dorothy behind him to protect her as best her could. They crept slowly towards the sound. But as the trees parted they saw what at first appeared as a shiny object with the sun glinting off it. Seeing no beast, they moved closer. The shiny object groaned again.

“H-hello?” Dorothy said.

“Please ... help me!” a small squeaky voice said. It was then that Dorothy and Scarecrow discovered that the object wasn’t a woodland beast, but instead a tin man!

“Please help me!” the metal man said again.

“My goodness! What can we do to help you?” Dorothy asked.

“In the cabin there’s an oil can on the shelf by the door. Bring it here and oil my joints so I can move again!” he said.

Dorothy ran back to the cabin and grabbed the oil can and hurried back to the Tin Man.

After giving all his joints a good oiling, he was feeling much better. “Oh thank you so much. My arms were getting ever so tired of being up like that!” he said.

“What happened to you?” Scarecrow asked.

“I was made by the metalsmith that lived here. He needed someone to help with the labor so he made me. I would cut the firewood and stoke the fire so he could work his blacksmith shop. But then the old blacksmith went to town to get more supplies and never came back. I was out here cutting some more wood when it started to rain and I rusted in place! I have been here with this ax in my hand for the past two years waiting and hoping someone would come by to help me!” he explained.

“Well lucky for you we came by – it might have been another two years before someone else came by!” Dorothy said.

“Yes it is. Where are you headed anyway?” the Tin Man asked.

“We are headed to the Crystal Castle to see the Master. I want to see if he will help me get home and Scarecrow here wants to ask about getting a brain,” Dorothy said.

“Do you think the Master could give me a heart?” the Tin Man said. “I have heard my maker talk about things he felt in his heart and I have always wanted one of my own.”

“I don’t see why not,” Dorothy said,”You are welcome to come along – it won’t hurt to ask at least!” So the Tin Man joined Dorothy and Scarecrow on their adventure to go see the Master.

The Tin Man knew his way through the forest, so he led the other two along the sometimes difficult route through the forest. The wide, easy road that Dorothy started out on had narrowed and finally dwindled to not much more than a footpath now and they had to walk single file with the Tin Man in front, the Scarecrow in the middle and Dorothy bringing up the rear. Scarecrow was not as used to walking as the other two and often stumbled on the uneven surface so the others would catch him when he lost his footing.