Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies , with Uncle Henry , who was a farmer , and Aunt Em , who was the farmer 's wife . Their house was small , for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles . There were four walls , a floor and a roof , which made one room ; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove , a cupboard for the dishes , a table , three or four chairs , and the beds . Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner , and Dorothy a little bed in another corner . There was no garret at all , and no cellar - - except a small hole dug in the ground , called a cyclone cellar , where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose , mighty enough to crush any building in its path . It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor , from which a ladder led down into the small , dark hole . When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around , she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side . Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions . The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass , with little cracks running through it . Even the grass was not green , for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere . Once the house had been painted , but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away , and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else . When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young , pretty wife . The sun and wind had changed her , too . They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray ; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips , and they were gray also . She was thin and gaunt , and never smiled now . When Dorothy , who was an orphan , first came to her , Aunt Em had been so startled by the child 's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy 's merry voice reached her ears ; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to lChapter 2 - The Council with the Munchkins She was awakened by a shock , so sudden and severe that if Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt . As it was , the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened ; and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally . Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving ; nor was it dark , for the bright sunshine came in at the window , flooding the little room . She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran and opened the door . The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her , her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw . The cyclone had set the house down very gently - - for a cyclone - - in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty . There were lovely patches of greensward all about , with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits . Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand , and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes . A little way off was a small brook , rushing and sparkling along between green banks , and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry , gray prairies . While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights , she noticed coming toward her a group of the queerest people she had ever seen . They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to ; but neither were they very small . In fact , they seemed about as tall as Dorothy , who was a well - grown child for her age , although they were , so far as looks go , many years older . Three were men and one a woman , and all were oddly dressed . They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads , with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved . The hats of the men were blue ; the little woman 's hat was white , and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her shoulders . Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds . The men were dressed in blue , of the same shade as their hats , and wore well - polisChapter 3 - How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow When Dorothy was left alone she began to feel hungry . So she went to the cupboard and cut herself some bread , which she spread with butter . She gave some to Toto , and taking a pail from the shelf she carried it down to the little brook and filled it with clear , sparkling water . Toto ran over to the trees and began to bark at the birds sitting there . Dorothy went to get him , and saw such delicious fruit hanging from the branches that she gathered some of it , finding it just what she wanted to help out her breakfast . Then she went back to the house , and having helped herself and Toto to a good drink of the cool , clear water , she set about making ready for the journey to the City of Emeralds . Dorothy had only one other dress , but that happened to be clean and was hanging on a peg beside her bed . It was gingham , with checks of white and blue ; and although the blue was somewhat faded with many washings , it was still a pretty frock . The girl washed herself carefully , dressed herself in the clean gingham , and tied her pink sunbonnet on her head . She took a little basket and filled it with bread from the cupboard , laying a white cloth over the top . Then she looked down at her feet and noticed how old and worn her shoes were . " They surely will never do for a long journey , Toto , " she said . And Toto looked up into her face with his little black eyes and wagged his tail to show he knew what she meant . At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East . " I wonder if they will fit me , " she said to Toto . " They would be just the thing to take a long walk in , for they could not wear out . " She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones , which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her . Finally she picked up her basket . " Come along , Toto , " she said . " We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again . " She closed the door , locked it , and put the key carefully in the pocket of her dress . And so , with Toto trotting along soberly bChapter 4 - 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 were here 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 on the hard bricks . It never hurt him , however , and Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon 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 am never hungry , " he said , " and it is a lucky thing I am not , for my mouth is only painted , and if I should cut a hole in it so I could eat , the straw I am 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 came from , " said the Scarecrow , when she had finished her dinner . So she told him all about Kansas , and how gray 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 , gray place you call Kansas . " " That is because you have no brains " answered the girl . " No matter how dreary and gray 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 proChapter 5 - The Rescue of the Tin Woodman When Dorothy awoke the sun was shining through the trees and Toto had long been out chasing birds around him and squirrels . She sat up and looked around her . Scarecrow , still standing patiently in his corner , waiting for her . " We must go and search for water , " she said to him . " Why do you want water ? " he asked . " To wash my face clean after the dust of the road , and to drink , so the dry bread will not stick in my throat . " " It must be inconvenient to be made of flesh , " said the Scarecrow thoughtfully , " for you must sleep , and eat and drink . However , you have brains , and it is worth a lot of bother to be able to think properly . " They left the cottage and walked through the trees until they found a little spring of clear water , where Dorothy drank and bathed and ate her breakfast . She saw there was not much bread left in the basket , and the girl was thankful the Scarecrow did not have to eat anything , for there was scarcely enough for herself and Toto for the day . When she had finished her meal , and was about to go back to the road of yellow brick , she was startled to hear a deep groan near by . " What was that ? " she asked timidly . " I cannot imagine , " replied the Scarecrow ; " but we can go and see . " Just then another groan reached their ears , and the sound seemed to come from behind them . They turned and walked through the forest a few steps , when Dorothy discovered something shining in a ray of sunshine that fell between the trees . She ran to the place and then stopped short , with a little cry of surprise . One of the big trees had been partly chopped through , and standing beside it , with an uplifted axe in his hands , was a man made entirely of tin . His head and arms and legs were jointed upon his body , but he stood perfectly motionless , as if he could not stir at all . Dorothy looked at him in amazement , and so did the Scarecrow , while Toto barked sharply and made a snap at the tin legs , which hurt his teeth . " Did you groan ? " asked Dorothy . " Yes , " answered the tin man , " I did . I 've been groaning for more than a year , and no one has Chapter 6 - The Cowardly Lion All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the thick woods . The road was still paved with yellow brick , but these were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees , and the walking was not at all good . There were few birds in this part of the forest , for birds love the open country where there is plenty of sunshine . But now and then there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees . These sounds made the little girl 's heart beat fast , for she did not know what made them ; but Toto knew , and he walked close to Dorothy 's side , and did not even bark in return . " How long will it be , " the child asked of the Tin Woodman , " before we are out of the forest ? " " I cannot tell , " was the answer , " for I have never been to the Emerald City . But my father went there once , when I was a boy , and he said it was a long journey through a dangerous country , although nearer to the city where Oz dwells the country is beautiful . But I am not afraid so long as I have my oil - can , and nothing can hurt the Scarecrow , while you bear upon your forehead the mark of the Good Witch 's kiss , and that will protect you from harm . " " But Toto ! " said the girl anxiously . " What will protect him ? " " We must protect him ourselves if he is in danger , " replied the Tin Woodman . Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar , and the next moment a great Lion bounded into the road . With one blow of his paw he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the road , and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws . But , to the Lion 's surprise , he could make no impression on the tin , although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still . Little Toto , now that he had an enemy to face , ran barking toward the Lion , and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog , when Dorothy , fearing Toto would be killed , and heedless of danger , rushed forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could , while she cried out : " Don 't you dare to bite Toto ! You ought to be ashamed oChapter 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 ditchChapter 8 - The Deadly Poppy Field Our little party of travelers awakened the next morning refreshed and full of hope , and Dorothy breakfasted like a princess off peaches and plums from the trees beside the river . Behind them was the dark forest they had passed safely through , although they had suffered many discouragements ; but before them was a lovely , sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City . To be sure , the broad river now cut them off from this beautiful land . But the raft was nearly done , and after the Tin Woodman had cut a few more logs and fastened them together with wooden pins , they were ready to start . Dorothy sat down in the middle of the raft and held Toto in her arms . When the Cowardly Lion stepped upon the raft it tipped badly , for he was big and heavy ; but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood upon the other end to steady it , and they had long poles in their hands to push the raft through the water . They got along quite well at first , but when they reached the middle of the river the swift current swept the raft downstream , farther and farther away from the road of yellow brick . And the water grew so deep that the long poles would not touch the bottom . " This is bad , " said the Tin Woodman , " for if we cannot get to the land we shall be carried into the country of the Wicked Witch of the West , and she will enchant us and make us her slaves . " " And then I should get no brains , " said the Scarecrow . " And I should get no courage , " said the Cowardly Lion . " And I should get no heart , " said the Tin Woodman . " And I should never get back to Kansas , " said Dorothy . " We must certainly get to the Emerald City if we can , " the Scarecrow continued , and he pushed so hard on his long pole that it stuck fast in the mud at the bottom of the river . Then , before he could pull it out again - - or let go - - the raft was swept away , and the poor Scarecrow left clinging to the pole in the middle of the river . " Good - bye ! " he called after them , and they were very sorry to leave him . Indeed , the Tin Woodman began to cry , but fortunately remembered that Chapter 9 - The Queen of the Field Mice " We cannot be far from the road of yellow brick , now , " remarked the Scarecrow , as he stood beside the girl , " for we have come nearly as far as the river carried us away . " The Tin Woodman was about to reply when he heard a low growl , and turning his head ( which worked beautifully on hinges ) he saw a strange beast come bounding over the grass toward them . It was , indeed , a great yellow Wildcat , and the Woodman thought it must be chasing something , for its ears were lying close to its head and its mouth was wide open , showing two rows of ugly teeth , while its red eyes glowed like balls of fire . As it came nearer the Tin Woodman saw that running before the beast was a little gray field mouse , and although he had no heart he knew it was wrong for the Wildcat to try to kill such a pretty , harmless creature . So the Woodman raised his axe , and as the Wildcat ran by he gave it a quick blow that cut the beast 's head clean off from its body , and it rolled over at his feet in two pieces . The field mouse , now that it was freed from its enemy , stopped short ; and coming slowly up to the Woodman it said , in a squeaky little voice : " Oh , thank you ! Thank you ever so much for saving my life . " " Don 't speak of it , I beg of you , " replied the Woodman . " I have no heart , you know , so I am careful to help all those who may need a friend , even if it happens to be only a mouse . " " Only a mouse ! " cried the little animal , indignantly . " Why , I am a Queen - - the Queen of all the Field Mice ! " " Oh , indeed , " said the Woodman , making a bow . " Therefore you have done a great deed , as well as a brave one , in saving my life , " added the Queen . At that moment several mice were seen running up as fast as their little legs could carry them , and when they saw their Queen they exclaimed : " Oh , your Majesty , we thought you would be killed ! How did you manage to escape the great Wildcat ? " They all bowed so low to the little Queen that they almost stood upon their heads . " This funny tin man , " she answered , " killed the Wildcat and saved my life . So hereafter you must all serveChapter 10 - The Guardian of the Gate It was some time before the Cowardly Lion awakened , for he had lain among the poppies a long while , breathing in their deadly fragrance ; but when he did open his eyes and roll off the truck he was very glad to find himself still alive . " I ran as fast as I could , " he said , sitting down and yawning , " but the flowers were too strong for me . How did you get me out ? " Then they told him of the field mice , and how they had generously saved him from death ; and the Cowardly Lion laughed , and said : " I have always thought myself very big and terrible ; yet such little things as flowers came near to killing me , and such small animals as mice have saved my life . How strange it all is ! But , comrades , what shall we do now ? " " We must journey on until we find the road of yellow brick again , " said Dorothy , " and then we can keep on to the Emerald City . " So , the Lion being fully refreshed , and feeling quite himself again , they all started upon the journey , greatly enjoying the walk through the soft , fresh grass ; and it was not long before they reached the road of yellow brick and turned again toward the Emerald City where the Great Oz dwelt . The road was smooth and well paved , now , and the country about was beautiful , so that the travelers rejoiced in leaving the forest far behind , and with it the many dangers they had met in its gloomy shades . Once more they could see fences built beside the road ; but these were painted green , and when they came to a small house , in which a farmer evidently lived , that also was painted green . They passed by several of these houses during the afternoon , and sometimes people came to the doors and looked at them as if they would like to ask questions ; but no one came near them nor spoke to them because of the great Lion , of which they were very much afraid . The people were all dressed in clothing of a lovely emerald - green color and wore peaked hats like those of the Munchkins . " This must be the Land of Oz , " said Dorothy , " and we are surely getting near the Emerald City . " " Yes , " answered the Scarecrow . " EverythChapter 11 - The Wonderful City of Oz Even with eyes protected by the green spectacles , Dorothy and her friends were at first dazzled by the brilliancy of the wonderful City . The streets were lined with beautiful houses all built of green marble and studded everywhere with sparkling emeralds . They walked over a pavement of the same green marble , and where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds , set closely , and glittering in the brightness of the sun . The window panes were of green glass ; even the sky above the City had a green tint , and the rays of the sun were green . There were many people - - men , women , and children - - walking about , and these were all dressed in green clothes and had greenish skins . They looked at Dorothy and her strangely assorted company with wondering eyes , and the children all ran away and hid behind their mothers when they saw the Lion ; but no one spoke to them . Many shops stood in the street , and Dorothy saw that everything in them was green . Green candy and green pop corn were offered for sale , as well as green shoes , green hats , and green clothes of all sorts . At one place a man was selling green lemonade , and when the children bought it Dorothy could see that they paid for it with green pennies . There seemed to be no horses nor animals of any kind ; the men carried things around in little green carts , which they pushed before them . Everyone seemed happy and contented and prosperous . The Guardian of the Gates led them through the streets until they came to a big building , exactly in the middle of the City , which was the Palace of Oz , the Great Wizard . There was a soldier before the door , dressed in a green uniform and wearing a long green beard . " Here are strangers , " said the Guardian of the Gates to him , " and they demand to see the Great Oz . " " Step inside , " answered the soldier , " and I will carry your message to him . " So they passed through the Palace Gates and were led into a big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with emeralds . The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green mat before eChapter 12 - The Search for the Wicked Witch The soldier with the green whiskers led them through the streets of the Emerald City until they reached the room where the Guardian of the Gates lived . This officer unlocked their spectacles to put them back in his great box , and then he politely opened the gate for our friends . " Which road leads to the Wicked Witch of the West ? " asked Dorothy . " There is no road , " answered the Guardian of the Gates . " No one ever wishes to go that way . " " How , then , are we to find her ? " inquired the girl . " That will be easy , " replied the man , " for when she knows you are in the country of the Winkies she will find you , and make you all her slaves . " " Perhaps not , " said the Scarecrow , " for we mean to destroy her . " " Oh , that is different , " said the Guardian of the Gates . " No one has ever destroyed her before , so I naturally thought she would make slaves of you , as she has of the rest . But take care ; for she is wicked and fierce , and may not allow you to destroy her . Keep to the West , where the sun sets , and you cannot fail to find her . " They thanked him and bade him good - bye , and turned toward the West , walking over fields of soft grass dotted here and there with daisies and buttercups . Dorothy still wore the pretty silk dress she had put on in the palace , but now , to her surprise , she found it was no longer green , but pure white . The ribbon around Toto 's neck had also lost its green color and was as white as Dorothy 's dress . The Emerald City was soon left far behind . As they advanced the ground became rougher and hillier , for there were no farms nor houses in this country of the West , and the ground was untilled . In the afternoon the sun shone hot in their faces , for there were no trees to offer them shade ; so that before night Dorothy and Toto and the Lion were tired , and lay down upon the grass and fell asleep , with the Woodman and the Scarecrow keeping watch . Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye , yet that was as powerful as a telescope , and could see everywhere . So , as she sat in the door of her castle , she happened to look arounChapter 13 - The Rescue The Cowardly Lion was much pleased to hear that the Wicked Witch had been melted by a bucket of water , and Dorothy at once unlocked the gate of his prison and set him free . They went in together to the castle , where Dorothy 's first act was to call all the Winkies together and tell them that they were no longer slaves . There was great rejoicing among the yellow Winkies , for they had been made to work hard during many years for the Wicked Witch , who had always treated them with great cruelty . They kept this day as a holiday , then and ever after , and spent the time in feasting and dancing . " If our friends , the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman , were only with us , " said the Lion , " I should be quite happy . " " Don 't you suppose we could rescue them ? " asked the girl anxiously . " We can try , " answered the Lion . So they called the yellow Winkies and asked them if they would help to rescue their friends , and the Winkies said that they would be delighted to do all in their power for Dorothy , who had set them free from bondage . So she chose a number of the Winkies who looked as if they knew the most , and they all started away . They traveled that day and part of the next until they came to the rocky plain where the Tin Woodman lay , all battered and bent . His axe was near him , but the blade was rusted and the handle broken off short . The Winkies lifted him tenderly in their arms , and carried him back to the Yellow Castle again , Dorothy shedding a few tears by the way at the sad plight of her old friend , and the Lion looking sober and sorry . When they reached the castle Dorothy said to the Winkies : " Are any of your people tinsmiths ? " " Oh , yes . Some of us are very good tinsmiths , " they told her . " Then bring them to me , " she said . And when the tinsmiths came , bringing with them all their tools in baskets , she inquired , " Can you straighten out those dents in the Tin Woodman , and bend him back into shape again , and solder him together where he is broken ? " The tinsmiths looked the Woodman over carefully and then answered that they thought they coulChapter 14 - The Winged Monkeys You will remember there was no road - - not even a pathway - - between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City . When the four travelers went in search of the Witch she had seen them coming , and so sent the Winged Monkeys to bring them to her . It was much harder to find their way back through the big fields of buttercups and yellow daisies than it was being carried . They knew , of course , they must go straight east , toward the rising sun ; and they started off in the right way . But at noon , when the sun was over their heads , they did not know which was east and which was west , and that was the reason they were lost in the great fields . They kept on walking , however , and at night the moon came out and shone brightly . So they lay down among the sweet smelling yellow flowers and slept soundly until morning - - all but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman . The next morning the sun was behind a cloud , but they started on , as if they were quite sure which way they were going . " If we walk far enough , " said Dorothy , " I am sure we shall sometime come to some place . " But day by day passed away , and they still saw nothing before them but the scarlet fields . The Scarecrow began to grumble a bit . " We have surely lost our way , " he said , " and unless we find it again in time to reach the Emerald City , I shall never get my brains . " " Nor I my heart , " declared the Tin Woodman . " It seems to me I can scarcely wait till I get to Oz , and you must admit this is a very long journey . " " You see , " said the Cowardly Lion , with a whimper , " I haven 't the courage to keep tramping forever , without getting anywhere at all . " Then Dorothy lost heart . She sat down on the grass and looked at her companions , and they sat down and looked at her , and Toto found that for the first time in his life he was too tired to chase a butterfly that flew past his head . So he put out his tongue and panted and looked at Dorothy as if to ask what they should do next . " Suppose we call the field mice , " she suggested . " They could probably tell us the way to the Emerald City . " " ToChapter 15 - The Discovery of Oz The four travelers walked up to the great gate of Emerald City and rang the bell . After ringing several times , it was opened by the same Guardian of the Gates they had met before . " What ! are you back again ? " he asked , in surprise . " Do you not see us ? " answered the Scarecrow . " But I thought you had gone to visit the Wicked Witch of the West . " " We did visit her , " said the Scarecrow . " And she let you go again ? " asked the man , in wonder . " She could not help it , for she is melted , " explained the Scarecrow . " Melted ! Well , that is good news , indeed , " said the man . " Who melted her ? " " It was Dorothy , " said the Lion gravely . " Good gracious ! " exclaimed the man , and he bowed very low indeed before her . Then he led them into his little room and locked the spectacles from the great box on all their eyes , just as he had done before . Afterward they passed on through the gate into the Emerald City . When the people heard from the Guardian of the Gates that Dorothy had melted the Wicked Witch of the West , they all gathered around the travelers and followed them in a great crowd to the Palace of Oz . The soldier with the green whiskers was still on guard before the door , but he let them in at once , and they were again met by the beautiful green girl , who showed each of them to their old rooms at once , so they might rest until the Great Oz was ready to receive them . The soldier had the news carried straight to Oz that Dorothy and the other travelers had come back again , after destroying the Wicked Witch ; but Oz made no reply . They thought the Great Wizard would send for them at once , but he did not . They had no word from him the next day , nor the next , nor the next . The waiting was tiresome and wearing , and at last they grew vexed that Oz should treat them in so poor a fashion , after sending them to undergo hardships and slavery . So the Scarecrow at last asked the green girl to take another message to Oz , saying if he did not let them in to see him at once they would call the Winged Monkeys to help them , and find out whether he kept his promises Chapter 16 - The Magic Art of the Great Humbug Next morning the Scarecrow said to his friends : " Congratulate me . I am going to Oz to get my brains at last . When I return I shall be as other men are . " " I have always liked you as you were , " said Dorothy simply . " It is kind of you to like a Scarecrow , " he replied . " But surely you will think more of me when you hear the splendid thoughts my new brain is going to turn out . " Then he said good - bye to them all in a cheerful voice and went to the Throne Room , where he rapped upon the door . " Come in , " said Oz . The Scarecrow went in and found the little man sitting down by the window , engaged in deep thought . " I have come for my brains , " remarked the Scarecrow , a little uneasily . " Oh , yes ; sit down in that chair , please , " replied Oz . " You must excuse me for taking your head off , but I shall have to do it in order to put your brains in their proper place . " " That 's all right , " said the Scarecrow . " You are quite welcome to take my head off , as long as it will be a better one when you put it on again . " So the Wizard unfastened his head and emptied out the straw . Then he entered the back room and took up a measure of bran , which he mixed with a great many pins and needles . Having shaken them together thoroughly , he filled the top of the Scarecrow 's head with the mixture and stuffed the rest of the space with straw , to hold it in place . When he had fastened the Scarecrow 's head on his body again he said to him , " Hereafter you will be a great man , for I have given you a lot of bran - new brains . " The Scarecrow was both pleased and proud at the fulfillment of his greatest wish , and having thanked Oz warmly he went back to his friends . Dorothy looked at him curiously . His head was quite bulged out at the top with brains . " How do you feel ? " she asked . " I feel wise indeed , " he answered earnestly . " When I get used to my brains I shall know everything . " " Why are those needles and pins sticking out of your head ? " asked the Tin Woodman . " That is proof that he is sharp , " remarked the Lion . " Well , I must go to Oz and get my heart , " said the Woodman . So heChapter 17 - How the Balloon Was Launched For three days Dorothy heard nothing from Oz . These were sad days for the little girl , although her friends were all quite happy and contented . The Scarecrow told them there were wonderful thoughts in his head ; but he would not say what they were because he knew no one could understand them but himself . When the Tin Woodman walked about he felt his heart rattling around in his breast ; and he told Dorothy he had discovered it to be a kinder and more tender heart than the one he had owned when he was made of flesh . The Lion declared he was afraid of nothing on earth , and would gladly face an army or a dozen of the fierce Kalidahs . Thus each of the little party was satisfied except Dorothy , who longed more than ever to get back to Kansas . On the fourth day , to her great joy , Oz sent for her , and when she entered the Throne Room he greeted her pleasantly : " Sit down , my dear ; I think I have found the way to get you out of this country . " " And back to Kansas ? " she asked eagerly . " Well , I 'm not sure about Kansas , " said Oz , " for I haven 't the faintest notion which way it lies . But the first thing to do is to cross the desert , and then it should be easy to find your way home . " " How can I cross the desert ? " she inquired . " Well , I 'll tell you what I think , " said the little man . " You see , when I came to this country it was in a balloon . You also came through the air , being carried by a cyclone . So I believe the best way to get across the desert will be through the air . Now , it is quite beyond my powers to make a cyclone ; but I 've been thinking the matter over , and I believe I can make a balloon . " " How ? " asked Dorothy . " A balloon , " said Oz , " is made of silk , which is coated with glue to keep the gas in it . I have plenty of silk in the Palace , so it will be no trouble to make the balloon . But in all this country there is no gas to fill the balloon with , to make it float . " " If it won 't float , " remarked Dorothy , " it will be of no use to us . " " True , " answered Oz . " But there is another way to make it float , which is to fill it with hot air . HChapter 18 - Away to the South Dorothy wept bitterly at the passing of her hope to get home to Kansas again ; but when she thought it all over she was glad she had not gone up in a balloon . And she also felt sorry at losing Oz , and so did her companions . The Tin Woodman came to her and said : " Truly I should be ungrateful if I failed to mourn for the man who gave me my lovely heart . I should like to cry a little because Oz is gone , if you will kindly wipe away my tears , so that I shall not rust . " " With pleasure , " she answered , and brought a towel at once . Then the Tin Woodman wept for several minutes , and she watched the tears carefully and wiped them away with the towel . When he had finished , he thanked her kindly and oiled himself thoroughly with his jeweled oil - can , to guard against mishap . The Scarecrow was now the ruler of the Emerald City , and although he was not a Wizard the people were proud of him . " For , " they said , " there is not another city in all the world that is ruled by a stuffed man . " And , so far as they knew , they were quite right . The morning after the balloon had gone up with Oz , the four travelers met in the Throne Room and talked matters over . The Scarecrow sat in the big throne and the others stood respectfully before him . " We are not so unlucky , " said the new ruler , " for this Palace and the Emerald City belong to us , and we can do just as we please . When I remember that a short time ago I was up on a pole in a farmer 's cornfield , and that now I am the ruler of this beautiful City , I am quite satisfied with my lot . " " I also , " said the Tin Woodman , " am well - pleased with my new heart ; and , really , that was the only thing I wished in all the world . " " For my part , I am content in knowing I am as brave as any beast that ever lived , if not braver , " said the Lion modestly . " If Dorothy would only be contented to live in the Emerald City , " continued the Scarecrow , " we might all be happy together . " " But I don 't want to live here , " cried Dorothy . " I want to go to Kansas , and live with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry . " " Well , then , what can be done ? " inqChapter 19 - Attacked by the Fighting Trees The next morning Dorothy kissed the pretty green girl good - bye , and they all shook hands with the soldier with the green whiskers , who had walked with them as far as the gate . When the Guardian of the Gate saw them again he wondered greatly that they could leave the beautiful City to get into new trouble . But he at once unlocked their spectacles , which he put back into the green box , and gave them many good wishes to carry with them . " You are now our ruler , " he said to the Scarecrow ; " so you must come back to us as soon as possible . " " I certainly shall if I am able , " the Scarecrow replied ; " but I must help Dorothy to get home , first . " As Dorothy bade the good - natured Guardian a last farewell she said : " I have been very kindly treated in your lovely City , and everyone has been good to me . I cannot tell you how grateful I am . " " Don 't try , my dear , " he answered . " We should like to keep you with us , but if it is your wish to return to Kansas , I hope you will find a way . " He then opened the gate of the outer wall , and they walked forth and started upon their journey . The sun shone brightly as our friends turned their faces toward the Land of the South . They were all in the best of spirits , and laughed and chatted together . Dorothy was once more filled with the hope of getting home , and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were glad to be of use to her . As for the Lion , he sniffed the fresh air with delight and whisked his tail from side to side in pure joy at being in the country again , while Toto ran around them and chased the moths and butterflies , barking merrily all the time . " City life does not agree with me at all , " remarked the Lion , as they walked along at a brisk pace . " I have lost much flesh since I lived there , and now I am anxious for a chance to show the other beasts how courageous I have grown . " They now turned and took a last look at the Emerald City . All they could see was a mass of towers and steeples behind the green walls , and high up above everything the spires and dome of the Palace of Oz . " Oz was not such a Chapter 20 - The Dainty China Country While the Woodman was making a ladder from wood which he found in the forest Dorothy lay down and slept , for she was tired by the long walk . The Lion also curled himself up to sleep and Toto lay beside him . The Scarecrow watched the Woodman while he worked , and said to him : " I cannot think why this wall is here , nor what it is made of . " " Rest your brains and do not worry about the wall , " replied the Woodman . " When we have climbed over it , we shall know what is on the other side . " After a time the ladder was finished . It looked clumsy , but the Tin Woodman was sure it was strong and would answer their purpose . The Scarecrow waked Dorothy and the Lion and Toto , and told them that the ladder was ready . The Scarecrow climbed up the ladder first , but he was so awkward that Dorothy had to follow close behind and keep him from falling off . When he got his head over the top of the wall the Scarecrow said , " Oh , my ! " " Go on , " exclaimed Dorothy . So the Scarecrow climbed farther up and sat down on the top of the wall , and Dorothy put her head over and cried , " Oh , my ! " just as the Scarecrow had done . Then Toto came up , and immediately began to bark , but Dorothy made him be still . The Lion climbed the ladder next , and the Tin Woodman came last ; but both of them cried , " Oh , my ! " as soon as they looked over the wall . When they were all sitting in a row on the top of the wall , they looked down and saw a strange sight . Before them was a great stretch of country having a floor as smooth and shining and white as the bottom of a big platter . Scattered around were many houses made entirely of china and painted in the brightest colors . These houses were quite small , the biggest of them reaching only as high as Dorothy 's waist . There were also pretty little barns , with china fences around them ; and many cows and sheep and horses and pigs and chickens , all made of china , were standing about in groups . But the strangest of all were the people who lived in this queer country . There were milkmaids and shepherdesses , with brightly colored bodices and gChapter 21 - The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts After climbing down from the china wall the travelers found themselves in a disagreeable country , full of bogs and marshes and covered with tall , rank grass . It was difficult to walk without falling into muddy holes , for the grass was so thick that it hid them from sight . However , by carefully picking their way , they got safely along until they reached solid ground . But here the country seemed wilder than ever , and after a long and tiresome walk through the underbrush they entered another forest , where the trees were bigger and older than any they had ever seen . " This forest is perfectly delightful , " declared the Lion , looking around him with joy . " Never have I seen a more beautiful place . " " It seems gloomy , " said the Scarecrow . " Not a bit of it , " answered the Lion . " I should like to live here all my life . See how soft the dried leaves are under your feet and how rich and green the moss is that clings to these old trees . Surely no wild beast could wish a pleasanter home . " " Perhaps there are wild beasts in the forest now , " said Dorothy . " I suppose there are , " returned the Lion , " but I do not see any of them about . " They walked through the forest until it became too dark to go any farther . Dorothy and Toto and the Lion lay down to sleep , while the Woodman and the Scarecrow kept watch over them as usual . When morning came , they started again . Before they had gone far they heard a low rumble , as of the growling of many wild animals . Toto whimpered a little , but none of the others was frightened , and they kept along the well - trodden path until they came to an opening in the wood , in which were gathered hundreds of beasts of every variety . There were tigers and elephants and bears and wolves and foxes and all the others in the natural history , and for a moment Dorothy was afraid . But the Lion explained that the animals were holding a meeting , and he judged by their snarling and growling that they were in great trouble . As he spoke several of the beasts caught sight of him , and at once the great assemblage hushed as if by magicChapter 22 - The Country of the Quadlings The four travelers passed through the rest of the forest in safety , and when they came out from its gloom saw before them a steep hill , covered from top to bottom with great pieces of rock . " That will be a hard climb , " said the Scarecrow , " but we must get over the hill , nevertheless . " So he led the way and the others followed . They had nearly reached the first rock when they heard a rough voice cry out , " Keep back ! " " Who are you ? " asked the Scarecrow . Then a head showed itself over the rock and the same voice said , " This hill belongs to us , and we don 't allow anyone to cross it . " " But we must cross it , " said the Scarecrow . " We 're going to the country of the Quadlings . " " But you shall not ! " replied the voice , and there stepped from behind the rock the strangest man the travelers had ever seen . He was quite short and stout and had a big head , which was flat at the top and supported by a thick neck full of wrinkles . But he had no arms at all , and , seeing this , the Scarecrow did not fear that so helpless a creature could prevent them from climbing the hill . So he said , " I 'm sorry not to do as you wish , but we must pass over your hill whether you like it or not , " and he walked boldly forward . As quick as lightning the man 's head shot forward and his neck stretched out until the top of the head , where it was flat , struck the Scarecrow in the middle and sent him tumbling , over and over , down the hill . Almost as quickly as it came the head went back to the body , and the man laughed harshly as he said , " It isn 't as easy as you think ! " A chorus of boisterous laughter came from the other rocks , and Dorothy saw hundreds of the armless Hammer - Heads upon the hillside , one behind every rock . The Lion became quite angry at the laughter caused by the Scarecrow 's mishap , and giving a loud roar that echoed like thunder , he dashed up the hill . Again a head shot swiftly out , and the great Lion went rolling down the hill as if he had been struck by a cannon ball . Dorothy ran down and helped the Scarecrow to his feet , and the Lion came up to her , Chapter 23 - Glinda The Good Witch Grants Dorothy 's Wish Before they went to see Glinda , however , they were taken to a room of the Castle , where Dorothy washed her face and combed her hair , and the Lion shook the dust out of his mane , and the Scarecrow patted himself into his best shape , and the Woodman polished his tin and oiled his joints . When they were all quite presentable they followed the soldier girl into a big room where the Witch Glinda sat upon a throne of rubies . She was both beautiful and young to their eyes . Her hair was a rich red in color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders . Her dress was pure white but her eyes were blue , and they looked kindly upon the little girl . " What can I do for you , my child ? " she asked . Dorothy told the Witch all her story : how the cyclone had brought her to the Land of Oz , how she had found her companions , and of the wonderful adventures they had met with . " My greatest wish now , " she added , " is to get back to Kansas , for Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me , and that will make her put on mourning ; and unless the crops are better this year than they were last , I am sure Uncle Henry cannot afford it . " Glinda leaned forward and kissed the sweet , upturned face of the loving little girl . " Bless your dear heart , " she said , " I am sure I can tell you of a way to get back to Kansas . " Then she added , " But , if I do , you must give me the Golden Cap . " " Willingly ! " exclaimed Dorothy ; " indeed , it is of no use to me now , and when you have it you can command the Winged Monkeys three times . " " And I think I shall need their service just those three times , " answered Glinda , smiling . Dorothy then gave her the Golden Cap , and the Witch said to the Scarecrow , " What will you do when Dorothy has left us ? " " I will return to the Emerald City , " he replied , " for Oz has made me its ruler and the people like me . The only thing that worries me is how to cross the hill of the Hammer - Heads . " " By means of the Golden Cap I shall command the Winged Monkeys to carry you to the gates of the Emerald City , " said Glinda , " for it would be a sChapter 24 - Home Again Aunt Em had just come out of the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her . " My darling child ! " she cried , folding the little girl in her arms and covering her face with kisses . " Where in the world did you come from ? " " From the Land of Oz , " said Dorothy gravely . " And here is Toto , too . And oh , Aunt Em ! I 'm so glad to be at home again ! "