to　me。　　But　I　should　like　to　start　as　soon　as　possible。〃
  〃We　shall　go　tomorrow　morning；〃　returned　the　Scarecrow。　　〃So
  now　let　us　all　get　ready；　for　it　will　be　a　long　journey。〃
  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　bad　Wizard；　after　all；〃　said　the　Tin
  Woodman；　as　he　felt　his　heart　rattling　around　in　his　breast。
  〃He　knew　how　to　give　me　brains；　and　very　good　brains；　too；〃
  said　the　Scarecrow。
  〃If　Oz　had　taken　a　dose　of　the　same　courage　he　gave　me；〃
  added　the　Lion；　〃he　would　have　been　a　brave　man。〃
  Dorothy　said　nothing。　　Oz　had　not　kept　the　promise　he　made　her；
  but　he　had　done　his　best；　so　she　forgave　him。　　As　he　said；　he　was
  a　good　man；　even　if　he　was　a　bad　Wizard。
  The　first　day's　journey　was　through　the　green　fields　and
  bright　flowers　that　stretched　about　the　Emerald　City　on　every　side。
  They　slept　that　night　on　the　grass；　with　nothing　but　the　stars
  over　them；　and　they　rested　very　well　indeed。
  In　the　morning　they　traveled　on　until　they　came　to　a　thick　wood。
  There　was　no　way　of　going　around　it；　for　it　seemed　to　extend　to　the
  right　and　left　as　far　as　they　could　see；　and；　besides；　they　did　not
  dare　change　the　direction　of　their　journey　for　fear　of　getting　lost。
  So　they　looked　for　the　place　where　it　would　be　easiest　to　get　into
  the　forest。
  The　Scarecrow；　who　was　in　the　lead；　finally　discovered　a　big
  tree　with　such　wide…spreading　branches　that　there　was　room　for　the
  party　to　pass　underneath。　　So　he　walked　forward　to　the　tree；　but
  just　as　he　came　under　the　first　branches　they　bent　down　and　twined
  around　him；　and　the　next　minute　he　was　raised　from　the　ground　and
  flung　headlong　among　his　fellow　travelers。
  This　did　not　hurt　the　Scarecrow；　but　it　surprised　him；　and　he
  looked　rather　dizzy　when　Dorothy　picked　him　up。
  〃Here　is　another　space　between　the　trees；〃　called　the　Lion。
  〃Let　me　try　it　first；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　〃for　it　doesn't　hurt
  me　to　get　thrown　about。〃　　He　walked　up　to　another　tree；　as　he　spoke；
  but　its　branches　immediately　seized　him　and　tossed　him　back　again。
  〃This　is　strange；〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。　　〃What　shall　we　do？〃
  〃The　trees　seem　to　have　made　up　their　minds　to　fight　us；
  and　stop　our　journey；〃　remarked　the　Lion。
  〃I　believe　I　will　try　it　myself；〃　said　the　Woodman；　and
  shouldering　his　axe；　he　marched　up　to　the　first　tree　that　had
  handled　the　Scarecrow　so　roughly。　　When　a　big　branch　bent　down　to
  seize　him　the　Woodman　chopped　at　it　so　fiercely　that　he　cut　it　in　two。
  At　once　the　tree　began　shaking　all　its　branches　as　if　in　pain；　and　the
  Tin　Woodman　passed　safely　under　it。
  〃Come　on！〃　he　shouted　to　the　others。　　〃Be　quick！〃　　They　all
  ran　forward　and　passed　under　the　tree　without　injury；　except　Toto；
  who　was　caught　by　a　small　branch　and　shaken　until　he　howled。
  But　the　Woodman　promptly　chopped　off　the　branch　and　set　the
  little　dog　free。
  The　other　trees　of　the　forest　did　nothing　to　keep　them　back；
  so　they　made　up　their　minds　that　only　the　first　row　of　trees　could
  bend　down　their　branches；　and　that　probably　these　were　the
  policemen　of　the　forest；　and　given　this　wonderful　power　in　order
  to　keep　strangers　out　of　it。
  The　four　travelers　walked　with　ease　through　the　trees　until　they
  came　to　the　farther　edge　of　the　wood。　　Then；　to　their　surprise；　they
  found　before　them　a　high　wall　which　seemed　to　be　made　of　white　china。
  It　was　smooth；　like　the　surface　of　a　dish；　and　higher　than　their　heads。
  〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃　asked　Dorothy。
  〃I　will　make　a　ladder；〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃for　we　certainly
  must　climb　over　the　wall。〃
  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　golden　spots　all　over　their　gowns；
  and　princesses　with　most　gorgeous　frocks　of　silver　and　gold　and
  purple；　and　shepherds　dressed　in　knee　breeches　with　pink　and
  yellow　and　blue　stripes　down　them；　and　golden　buckles　on　their
  shoes；　and　princes　with　jeweled　crowns　upon　their　heads；　wearing
  ermine　robes　and　satin　doublets；　and　funny　clowns　in　ruffled　gowns；
  with　round　red　spots　upon　their　cheeks　and　tall；　pointed　caps。
  And；　strangest　of　all；　these　people　were　all　made　of　china；　even　to
  their　clothes；　and　were　so　small　that　the　tallest　of　them　was　no
  higher　than　Dorothy's　knee。
  No　one　did　so　much　as　look　at　the　travelers　at　first；　except
  one　little　purple　china　dog　with　an　extra…large　head；　which　came
  to　the　wall　and　barked　at　them　in　a　tiny　voice；　afterwards　running
  away　again。
  〃How　shall　we　get　down？〃　asked　Dorothy。
  They　found　the　ladder　so　heavy　they　could　not　pull　it　up；　so
  the　Scarecrow　fell　off　the　wall　and　the　others　jumped　down　upon　him
  so　that　the　hard　floor　would　not　hurt　their　feet。　　Of　course　they
  took　pains　not　to　light　on　his　head　and　get　the　pins　in　their　feet。
  When　all　were　safely　down　they　picked　up　the　Scarecrow；　whose　body
  was　quite　flattened　out；　and　patted　his　straw　into　shape　again。
  〃We　must　cross　this　strange　place　in　order　to　get　to　the　other　side；〃
  said　Dorothy；　〃for　it　would　be　u