〃We　must　cross　this　strange　place　in　order　to　get　to　the　other　side；〃
  said　Dorothy；　〃for　it　would　be　unwise　for　us　to　go　any　other　way　except
  due　South。〃
  They　began　walking　through　the　country　of　the　china　people；
  and　the　first　thing　they　came　to　was　a　china　milkmaid　milking　a
  china　cow。　　As　they　drew　near；　the　cow　suddenly　gave　a　kick　and
  kicked　over　the　stool；　the　pail；　and　even　the　milkmaid　herself；
  and　all　fell　on　the　china　ground　with　a　great　clatter。
  Dorothy　was　shocked　to　see　that　the　cow　had　broken　her　leg
  off；　and　that　the　pail　was　lying　in　several　small　pieces；　while
  the　poor　milkmaid　had　a　nick　in　her　left　elbow。
  〃There！〃　cried　the　milkmaid　angrily。　　〃See　what　you　have　done！
  My　cow　has　broken　her　leg；　and　I　must　take　her　to　the　mender's
  shop　and　have　it　glued　on　again。　　What　do　you　mean　by　coming　here
  and　frightening　my　cow？〃
  〃I'm　very　sorry；〃　returned　Dorothy。　　〃Please　forgive　us。〃
  But　the　pretty　milkmaid　was　much　too　vexed　to　make　any　answer。
  She　picked　up　the　leg　sulkily　and　led　her　cow　away；　the　poor
  animal　limping　on　three　legs。　　As　she　left　them　the　milkmaid　cast
  many　reproachful　glances　over　her　shoulder　at　the　clumsy　strangers；
  holding　her　nicked　elbow　close　to　her　side。
  Dorothy　was　quite　grieved　at　this　mishap。
  〃We　must　be　very　careful　here；〃　said　the　kind…hearted　Woodman；
  〃or　we　may　hurt　these　pretty　little　people　so　they　will　never　get　over　it。〃
  A　little　farther　on　Dorothy　met　a　most　beautifully　dressed
  young　Princess；　who　stopped　short　as　she　saw　the　strangers　and
  started　to　run　away。
  Dorothy　wanted　to　see　more　of　the　Princess；　so　she　ran　after　her。
  But　the　china　girl　cried　out：
  〃Don't　chase　me！　　Don't　chase　me！〃
  She　had　such　a　frightened　little　voice　that　Dorothy　stopped
  and　said；　〃Why　not？〃
  〃Because；〃　answered　the　Princess；　also　stopping；　a　safe
  distance　away；　〃if　I　run　I　may　fall　down　and　break　myself。〃
  〃But　could　you　not　be　mended？〃　asked　the　girl。
  〃Oh；　yes；　but　one　is　never　so　pretty　after　being　mended；　you　know；〃
  replied　the　Princess。
  〃I　suppose　not；〃　said　Dorothy。
  〃Now　there　is　Mr。　Joker；　one　of　our　clowns；〃　continued　the
  china　lady；　〃who　is　always　trying　to　stand　upon　his　head。　　He　has
  broken　himself　so　often　that　he　is　mended　in　a　hundred　places；　and
  doesn't　look　at　all　pretty。　　Here　he　comes　now；　so　you　can　see　for
  yourself。〃
  Indeed；　a　jolly　little　clown　came　walking　toward　them；　and
  Dorothy　could　see　that　in　spite　of　his　pretty　clothes　of　red　and
  yellow　and　green　he　was　completely　covered　with　cracks；　running
  every　which　way　and　showing　plainly　that　he　had　been　mended　in
  many　places。
  The　Clown　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　after　puffing　out
  his　cheeks　and　nodding　his　head　at　them　saucily；　he　said：
  〃My　lady　fair；
  Why　do　you　stare
  At　poor　old　Mr。　Joker？
  You're　quite　as　stiff
  And　prim　as　if
  You'd　eaten　up　a　poker！〃
  〃Be　quiet；　sir！〃　said　the　Princess。　　〃Can't　you　see　these　are
  strangers；　and　should　be　treated　with　respect？〃
  〃Well；　that's　respect；　I　expect；〃　declared　the　Clown；
  and　immediately　stood　upon　his　head。
  〃Don't　mind　Mr。　Joker；〃　said　the　Princess　to　Dorothy。　　〃He　is
  considerably　cracked　in　his　head；　and　that　makes　him　foolish。〃
  〃Oh；　I　don't　mind　him　a　bit；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃But　you　are　so
  beautiful；〃　she　continued；　〃that　I　am　sure　I　could　love　you　dearly。
  Won't　you　let　me　carry　you　back　to　Kansas；　and　stand　you　on
  Aunt　Em's　mantel？　　I　could　carry　you　in　my　basket。〃
  〃That　would　make　me　very　unhappy；〃　answered　the　china　Princess。
  〃You　see；　here　in　our　country　we　live　contentedly；　and　can　talk　and
  move　around　as　we　please。　　But　whenever　any　of　us　are　taken　away　our
  joints　at　once　stiffen；　and　we　can　only　stand　straight　and　look　pretty。
  Of　course　that　is　all　that　is　expected　of　us　when　we　are　on　mantels　and
  cabinets　and　drawing…room　tables；　but　our　lives　are　much　pleasanter
  here　in　our　own　country。〃
  〃I　would　not　make　you　unhappy　for　all　the　world！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。
  〃So　I'll　just　say　good…bye。〃
  〃Good…bye；〃　replied　the　Princess。
  They　walked　carefully　through　the　china　country。　　The　little
  animals　and　all　the　people　scampered　out　of　their　way；　fearing　the
  strangers　would　break　them；　and　after　an　hour　or　so　the　travelers
  reached　the　other　side　of　the　country　and　came　to　another　china　wall。
  It　was　not　so　high　as　the　first；　however；　and　by　standing　upon
  the　Lion's　back　they　all　managed　to　scramble　to　the　top。　　Then　the
  Lion　gathered　his　legs　under　him　and　jumped　on　the　wall；　but　just
  as　he　jumped；　he　upset　a　china　church　with　his　tail　and　smashed　it
  all　to　pieces。
  〃That　was　too　bad；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃but　really　I　think　we　were
  lucky　in　not　doing　these　little　people　more　harm　than　breaking　a
  cow's　leg　and　a　church。　　They　are　all　so　brittle！〃
  〃They　are；　indeed；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　〃and　I　am　thankful　I
  am　made　of　straw　and　cannot　be　easily　damaged。　　There　are　worse
  things　in　the　world　than　being　a　Scarecrow。〃
  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　magic。　　The　biggest　of
  the　tigers　came　up　to　the　Lion　and　bowed；　saying：
  〃Welcome；　O　King　of　Beasts！　　You　have　come　in　good　time　to
  fight　our　enemy　and　bring　peace　to　all　the　animals　of　the　forest
  once　more。〃
  〃What　is　your　trouble？〃　asked　the　Lion　quietly。
  〃We　are　all　threatened；〃　answered　the　tiger；　〃by　a　fierce
  enemy　which　has　lately　come　into　this　forest。　　It　is　a　most
  tremendous　monster；　like　a　great　spider；　with　a　body　as　big　as　an
  elephant　and　legs　as　long　as　a　tree　trunk。　　It　has　eight　of　these
  long　legs；　and　as　the　monster　crawls　through　the　forest　he　seizes
  an　animal　with　a　leg　and　drags　it　to　his　mouth；　where　he　eats　it
  as　a　spider　does　a　fly。　　Not　one　of　us　is　safe　while　this　fierce
  creature　is　alive；　and　we　had　called　a　meeting　to　decide　how　to
  take　care　of　ourselves　when　you　came　among　us。〃
  The　Lion　thought　for　a　moment。
  〃Are　there　any　other　lions　in　this　forest？〃　he　asked。
  〃No；　there　were　some；　but　the　monster　has　eaten　them　all。　　And；
  besides；　they　were　none　of　them　nearly　so　large　and　brave　as　you。〃
  〃If　I　put　an　end　to　your　enemy；　will　you　bow　down　to　me　and
  obey　me　as　King　of　the　Forest？〃　inquired　the　Lion。
  〃We　will　do　that　gladly；〃　returned　the　tiger；　and　all　the
  other　beasts　roared　with　a　mighty　roar：　〃We　will！〃
  〃Where　is　this　great　spider　of　yours　now？〃　asked　the　Lion。
  〃Yonder；　among　the　oak　trees；〃　said　the　tiger；　pointing　with
  his　forefoot。
  〃Take　good　care　of　these　friends　of　mine；〃　said　the　Lion；　〃and
  I　will　go　at　once　to　fight　the　monster。〃
  He　bade　his　comrades　good…bye　and　marched　proudly　away　to　do
  battle　with　the　enemy。
  The　great　spider　was　lying　asleep　when　the　Lion　found　him；
  and　it　looked　so　ugly　that　its　foe　turned　up　his　nose　in　disgust。
  Its　legs　were　quite　as　long　as　the　tiger　had　said；　and　its　body
  covered　with　coarse　black　hair。　　It　had　a　great　mouth；　with　a　row
  of　sharp　teeth　a　foot