L. Frank Baum - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

“How far is it to the Emerald City?” the girl asked.

“I do not know,” answered Boq, gravely, “for I have never been there. It is better for people to keep away from Oz, unless they have business with him. But it is a long way to the Emerald City, and it will take you many days. The country here is rich and pleasant, but you must pass through rough and dangerous places before you reach the end of your journey.”

This worried Dorothy a little, but she knew that only the great Oz could help her get to Kansas again, so she bravely resolved not to turn back.

She bade her friends good-bye, and again started along the road of yellow brick. When she had gone several miles she thought she would stop to rest, and so climbed to the top of the fence beside the road and sat down. There was a great cornfield beyond the fence, and not far away she saw a Scarecrow, placed high on a pole to keep the birds from the ripe corn.

Dorothy leaned her chin upon her hand and gazed [25] thoughtfully at the Scarecrow. Its head was a small sack stuffed with straw, with eyes, nose and mouth painted on it to represent a face. An old, pointed blue hat, that had belonged to some Munchkin, was perched on this head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes, worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet were some old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this country, and the figure was raised above the stalks of corn by means of the pole stuck up its back.

While Dorothy was looking earnestly into the queer, painted face of the Scarecrow, she was surprised to see one of the eyes slowly wink at her. She thought she must have been mistaken, at first, for none of the scarecrows in Kansas ever wink; but presently the figure nodded its head to her in a friendly way. Then she climbed down from the fence and walked up to it, while Toto ran around the pole and barked.

[26] “Good day,” said the Scarecrow, in a rather husky voice.

“Did you speak?” asked the girl, in wonder.

“Certainly,” answered the Scarecrow; “how do you do?”

“I’m pretty well, thank you,” replied Dorothy, politely; “how do you do?”

“I’m not feeling well,” said the Scarecrow, with a smile, “for it is very tedious being perched up here night and day to scare away crows.”

“Can’t you get down?” asked Dorothy.

“No, for this pole is stuck up my back. If you will please take away the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you.”

Dorothy reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole; for, being stuffed with straw, it was quite light.

“Thank you very much,” said the Scarecrow, when he had been set down on the ground. “I feel like a new man.”

Dorothy was puzzled at this, for it sounded queer to hear a stuffed man speak, and to see him bow and walk along beside her.

“Who are you?” asked the Scarecrow, when he had stretched himself and yawned, “and where are you going?”

“My name is Dorothy,” said the girl, “and I am going [27] to the Emerald City, to ask the great Oz to send me back to Kansas.”

“Where is the Emerald City?” he enquired; “and who is Oz?”

“Why, don’t you know?” she returned, in surprise.

“No, indeed; I don’t know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all,” he answered, sadly.

“Oh,” said Dorothy; “I’m awfully sorry for you.”

“Do you think,” he asked, “If I go to the Emerald City with you, that the great Oz would give me some brains?”

“I cannot tell,” she returned; “but you may come with me, if you like. If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you are now.”

“That is true,” said the Scarecrow. “You see,” he continued, confidentially, “I don’t mind my legs and arms and body being stuffed, because I cannot get hurt. If anyone treads on my toes or sticks a pin into me, it doesn’t matter, for I can’t feel it. But I do not want people to call me a fool, and if my head stays stuffed with straw instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever to know anything?”

“I understand how you feel,” said the little girl, who was truly sorry for him. “If you will come with me I’ll ask Oz to do all he can for you.”

“Thank you,” he answered, gratefully.

They walked back to the road, Dorothy helped him [28] over the fence, and they started along the path of yellow brick for the Emerald City.

Toto did not like this addition to the party, at first. He smelled around the stuffed man as if he suspected there might be a nest of rats in the straw, and he often growled in an unfriendly way at the Scarecrow.

“Don’t mind Toto,” said Dorothy, to her new friend; “he never bites.”

“Oh, I’m not afraid,” replied the Scarecrow, “he can’t hurt the straw. Do let me carry that basket for you. I shall not mind it, for I can’t get tired. I’ll tell you a secret,” he continued, as he walked along; “there is only one thing in the world I am afraid of.”

“What is that?” asked Dorothy; “the Munchkin farmer who made you?”

“No,” answered the Scarecrow; “it’s a lighted match.”

scarecrow: Vogelscheuche.peg: (Kleider-)Haken.gingham: Baumwollstoff.checks (pl.): Karomuster.faded: ausgeblichen.frock: Kleid.sunbonnet: Sonnenhut.to wag one’s tail: mit dem Schwanz wedeln.to trot: traben, trotten, laufen.briskly (adv.): flott, flink.roadbed: Straßenbelag.to whisk away: (mit Macht) wegreißen, verscheuchen.neat: ordentlich.dainty: zart, fein.in abundance: in Hülle und Fülle.once in a while: von Zeit zu Zeit, hin und wieder.dome: Kuppel.fiddler: Fiedler, Geiger.hearty: herzhaft, nahrhaft, kräftig.to wait upon s.o.: jdn. bedienen.settee: Sitz-, Polsterbank, kleines Sofa.checked: kariert.to smooth out: glätten, glattstreichen.to tire doing s.th.: es müde werden, etwas zu tun.to curl up: (sich) zusammenrollen.to crow: krähen.curiosity: Sehenswürdigkeit, Merkwürdigkeit, Rarität.gravely (adv.): ernsthaft.to bid s.o. good-bye: sich von jdm. verabschieden.cornfield: Mais-, Getreidefeld.to gaze at (auch: upon) s.th.: auf etwas blicken, etwas anschauen.to be perched: plaziert sein, sitzen.stalk: Stengel, Stiel.by means of (pl.): mit Hilfe von.(to be) stuck up s.th.: in etwas stecken.to wink at s.o.: jdm. zuzwinkern.husky: heiser, rauh.tedious: lästig, mühsam, ermüdend.to scare away: verscheuchen.crow: Krähe.obliged: verbunden, dankbar.why: na!to be no worse off: nicht schlechter dran sein.confidentially (adv.): vertraulich, im Vertrauen.to suspect: argwöhnen; vermuten.not to mind s.o.: sich nicht durch jdn. stören lassen, keine Rücksicht auf jdn. nehmen.

[29] Chapter IV

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 brick, 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.