Facing　fortunes　good　and　bad；
  Meeting　dangers　grave　and　sad；
  Sometimes　worried；　sometimes　glad
  Where　you're　going　you　don't　know；
  Nor　do　I；　but　off　you　go！〃
  〃Sounds　like　a　hint；　to　me；〃　said　the　Patchwork　Girl。
  〃Then　let's　take　it　and　go；〃　replied　Ojo。
  They　said　good…bye　to　the　Wise　Donkey　and　the
  Foolish　Owl　and　at　once　resumed　their　journey。
  Chapter　Nine
  They　Meet　the　Woozy
  〃There　seem　to　be　very　few　houses　around　here；
  after　all；〃　remarked　Ojo；　after　they　had　walked
  for　a　time　in　silence。
  〃Never　mind；〃　said　Scraps；　〃we　are　not　looking
  for　houses；　but　rather　the　road　of　yellow　bricks。
  Won't　it　be　funny　to　run　across　something　yellow
  in　this　dismal　blue　country？〃
  〃There　are　worse　colors　than　yellow　in　this
  country；〃　asserted　the　Glass　Cat；　in　a　spiteful
  tone。
  〃Oh；　do　you　mean　the　pink　pebbles　you　call
  your　brains；　and　your　red　heart　and　green　eyes？〃
  asked　the　Patchwork　Girl。
  〃No；　I　mean　you；　if　you　must　know　it；〃　growled
  the　cat。
  〃You're　jealous！〃　laughed　Scraps。　〃You'd　give
  your　whiskers　for　a　lovely　variegated　complexion
  like　mine。〃
  〃I　wouldn't！〃　retorted　the　cat。　〃I've　the
  clearest　complexion　in　the　world；　and　I　don't
  employ　a　beauty…doctor；　either。〃
  〃I　see　you　don't；〃　said　Scraps。
  〃Please　don't　quarrel；〃　begged　Ojo。　〃This　is　an
  important　journey；　and　quarreling　makes　me
  discouraged。　To　be　brave；　one　must　be　cheerful；　so
  I　hope　you　will　be　as　good…tempered　as　possible。〃
  They　had　traveled　some　distance　when　suddenly
  they　faced　a　high　fence　which　barred　any　further
  progress　straight　ahead。　It　ran　directly　across
  the　road　and　enclosed　a　small　forest　of　tall
  trees；　set　close　together。　When　the　group　of
  adventurers　peered　through　the　bars　of　the　fence
  they　thought　this　forest　looked　more　gloomy　and
  forbidding　than　any　they　had　ever　seen　before。
  They　soon　discovered　that　the　path　they　had
  been　following　now　made　a　bend　and　passed
  around　the　enclosure；　but　what　made　Ojo　stop
  and　look　thoughtful　was　a　sign　painted　on　the
  fence　which　read：
  〃BEWARE　OF　THE　WOOZY！〃
  〃That　means；〃　he　said；　〃that　there's　a　Woozy
  inside　that　fence；　and　the　Woozy　must　be　a
  dangerous　animal　or　they　wouldn't　tell　people
  to　beware　of　it。〃
  〃Let's　keep　out；　then；〃　replied　Scraps。　〃That
  path　is　outside　the　fence；　and　Mr。　Woozy　may　have
  all　his　little　forest　to　himself；　for　all　we　care。〃
  〃But　one　of　our　errands　is　to　find　a　Woozy；〃
  Ojo　explained。　〃The　Magician　wants　me　to　get
  three　hairs　from　the　end　of　a　Woozy's　tail。〃
  〃Let's　go　on　and　find　some　other　Woozy；〃
  suggested　the　cat。　〃This　one　is　ugly　and
  dangerous；　or　they　wouldn't　cage　him　up。　Maybe
  we　shall　find　another　that　is　tame　and　gentle。〃
  〃Perhaps　there　isn't　any　other；　at　all；〃
  answered　Ojo。　〃The　sign　doesn't　say：　'Beware　a
  Woozy'；　it　says：　'Beware　the　Woozy；'　which　may；
  mean　there's　only　one　in　all　the　Land　of　Oz。
  〃Then；〃　said　Scraps；　〃suppose　we　go　in　and
  find　him？　Very　likely　if　we　ask　him　politely　to
  let　us　pull　three　hairs　out　of　the　tip　of　his　tail
  he　won't　hurt　us。〃
  〃It　would　hurt　him；　I'm　sure；　and　that　would
  make　him　cross；〃　said　the　cat。
  〃You　needn't　worry；　Bungle；〃　remarked　the
  Patchwork　Girl；　〃for　if　there　is　danger　you　can
  climb　a　tree。　Ojo　and　I　are　not　afraid；　are　we；
  Ojo？〃
  〃I　am；　a　little；〃　the　boy　admitted；　〃but　this
  danger　must　be　faced；　if　we　intend　to　save　poor
  Unc　Nunkie。　How　shall　we　get　over　the　fence？〃
  〃Climb；〃　answered　Scraps；　and　at　once　she　began
  climbing　up　the　rows　of　bars。　Ojo　followed　and
  found　it　more　easy　than　he　had　expected。　When　they
  got　to　the　top　of　the　fence　they　began　to　get　down
  on　the　other　side　and　soon　were　in　the　forest。　The
  Glass　Cat；　being　small；　crept　between　the　lower
  bars　and　joined　them。
  Here　there　was　no　path　of　any　sort；　so　they
  entered　the　woods；　the　boy　leading　the　way；
  and　wandered　through　the　trees　until　they　were
  nearly　in　the　center　of　the　forest。　They　now
  came　upon　a　clear　space　in　which　stood　a　rocky
  cave。
  So　far　they　had　met　no　living　creature；　but
  when　Ojo　saw　the　cave　he　knew　it　must　be　the
  den　of　the　Woozy。
  It　is　hard　to　face　any　savage　beast　without
  a　sinking　of　the　heart；　but　still　more　terrifying
  is　it　to　face　an　unknown　beast；　which　you　have
  never　seen　even　a　picture　of。　So　there　is　little
  wonder　that　the　pulses　of　the　Munchkin　boy
  beat　fast　as　he　and　his　companions　stood　facing
  the　cave。　The　opening　was　perfectly　square；
  and　about　big　enough　to　admit　a　goat。
  〃I　guess　the　Woozy　is　asleep；〃　said　Scraps。
  〃Shall　I　throw　in　a　stone；　to　waken　him？〃
  〃No；　please　don't；〃　answered　Ojo；　his　voice
  trembling　a　little。　〃I'm　in　no　hurry。〃
  But　he　had　not　long　to　wait；　for　the　Woozy
  heard　the　sound　of　voices　and　came　trotting　out
  of　his　cave。　As　this　is　the　only　Woozy　that　has
  ever　lived；　either　in　the　Land　of　Oz　or　out　of
  it；　I　must　describe　it　to　you。
  The　creature　was　all　squares　and　flat　surfaces
  and　edges。　Its　head　was　an　exact　square；　like
  one　of　the　building…blocks　a　child　plays　with；
  therefore　it　had　no　ears；　but　heard　sounds
  through　two　openings　in　the　upper　corners。　Its
  nose；　being　in　the　center　of　a　square　surface；
  was　flat；　while　the　mouth　was　formed　by　the
  opening　of　the　lower　edge　of　the　block。　The
  body　of　the　Woozy　was　much　larger　than　its
  head；　but　was　likewise　block…shapedbeing
  twice　as　long　as　it　was　wide　and　high。　The　tail
  was　square　and　stubby　and　perfectly　straight；
  and　the　four　legs　were　made　in　the　same　way；
  each　being　four…sided。　The　animal　was　covered
  with　a　thick；　smooth　skin　and　had　no　hair　at　all
  except　at　the　extreme　end　of　its　tail；　where　there
  grew　exactly　three　stiff；　stubby　hairs。　The　beast
  was　dark　blue　in　color　and　his　face　was　not
  fierce　nor　ferocious　in　expression；　but　rather
  good…humored　and　droll。
  Seeing　the　strangers；　the　Woozy　folded　his
  hind　legs　as　if　they　Lad　been　hinged　and　sat
  down　to　look　his　visitors　over。
  〃Well；　well；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　a　queer　lot
  you　are！　at　first　I　thought　some　of　those
  miserable　Munchkin　farmers　had　come　to　annoy　me；
  but　I　am　relieved　to　find　you　in　their　stead。　It
  is　plain　to　me　that　you　are　a　remarkable　groupas
  remarkable　in　your　way　as　I　am　in　mineand　so　you
  are　welcome　to　my　domain。　Nice　place；　isn't　it？
  But　lonesome…dreadfully　lonesome。〃
  〃Why　did　they　shut　you　up　here？〃　asked
  Scraps；　who　was　regarding　the　queer；　square
  creature　with　much　curiosity。
  〃Because　I　eat　up　all　the　honey…bees　which
  the　Munchkin　farmers　who　live　around　here
  keep　to　make　them　honey。〃
  〃Are　you　fond　of　eating　honey…bees？〃　inquired
  the　boy。
  〃Very。　They　are　really　delicious。　But　the
  farmers　did　not　like　to　lose　their　bees　and　so
  they　tried　to　destroy　me。　Of　course　they　couldn't
  do　that。〃
  〃Why　not？〃
  〃My　skin　is　so　thick　and　tough　that　nothing　can
  get　through　it　to　hurt　me。　So；　finding　they　could
  not　destroy　me；　they　drove　me　into　this　forest　and
  built　a　fence　around　me。　Unkind；　wasn't　it？〃
  〃But　what　do　you　eat　now？〃　asked　Ojo。
  〃Nothing　at　all。　I've　tried　the　leaves　from　the
  trees　and　the　mosses　and　creeping　vines；　but　they
  don't　seem　to　suit　my　taste。　So；　there　being　no
  honey…bees　here；　I've　eaten　nothing　for　years。
  〃You　must　be　awfully　hungry；〃　said　the　boy。
  〃I've　got　some　bread　and　cheese　in　my　basket。
  Would　you　like　that　kind　of　food？〃
  〃Give　me　a　nibble　and　I　will　try　it；　then　I
  can　tell　you　better　whether　it　is　grateful　to　my
  appetite；〃　returned　the　Woozy。
  So　the　boy　opened　his　basket　and　broke　a
  piece　off　the　loaf　of　bread。　He　tossed　it　toward
  the　Woozy；　who　cleverly　caught　it　in　his　mouth
  and　ate　it　in　a　twinkling。
  〃That's　rather　good；〃　declared　the　animal。
  〃Any　more？〃
  〃Try　some　cheese；〃　said　Ojo；　and　threw　down　a
  piece。
  The　Woozy　ate　that；　too；　and　smacked　its　long；
  thin　lips。