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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Chapter 7. The Journey to the Great Oz
They had to sleep that night under a large tree in the forest because there were no houses near.
The tree made a good, thick cover to protect them from the wet.
The Tin Woodman chopped a great pile of wood with his axe.
Dorothy built a fine fire that warmed her and made her feel less lonely.
She and Toto ate the last of their bread, and now she didn't know what they'd do for breakfast.
"If you wish," said the Lion.
"I'll go into the forest and kill a deer for you."
"You can cook it by the fire, since your likes are so strange that you prefer cooked food, and then you'll 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."
The Lion went into the forest and found his own dinner, though he never said what it was.
The Scarecrow found a tree of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket so she would not be hungry.
She thought this was very kind of the Scarecrow.
But she laughed loudly at the clumsy way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts.
His thick hands were clumsy and nuts were so small he dropped as many as he put in the basket.
But the Scarecrow didn't mind how long it took him to fill the basket.
It let him stay away from the fire, for he feared a little fire might get into his straw and burn him.
He kept away from the flames and came near to cover Dorothy with dry leaves when she slept.
These kept her warm and safe, and she slept well until morning.
When it was daylight, the girl washed her face in a little stream, and soon after they all started toward the Emerald City.
This was to be a busy day for the travelers.
They had been walking less than an hour.
Before them was a great ditch that crossed the road and cut the forest both ways.
It was a very wide ditch.
When they crept up to the edge and looked into it, they could see it was also very deep.
There were many big, sharp rocks at the bottom.
The sides were so steep that none of them could climb down, and for a moment it seemed that their journey must end.
"What shall we do?" asked Dorothy sadly.
"I haven't any idea," said the Tin Woodman, and the Lion shook his long hair and looked thoughtful.
But the Scarecrow said, "We can't fly, that's certain."
"Neither can we climb down into this great ditch."
"So, if we can't jump over it, we must stop where we're."
"I think I could jump over it," said the Cowardly Lion, after measuring the distance carefully in his mind.
"Then we're all right," answered the Scarecrow, "for you can carry us all over on your back, one at a time."
"Well, I'll try it," said the Lion.
"Who will go first?"
"I'll," declared the Scarecrow, "for if you found you could not jump the gap, Dorothy would be killed or the Tin Woodman dented."
"But if I'm on your back it won't matter so much, for the fall wouldn't hurt me at all".
"I'm very afraid of falling, myself," said the Cowardly Lion.
"But I suppose there's nothing to do but try it. So get on my back and we'll make the attempt."
The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beast walked to the edge of the gap and crouched down.
"Why don't you run and jump?" asked the Scarecrow.
"Because that isn't the way we Lions do these things," he replied.
Then giving a great spring, he shot through the air and landed safely on the other side.
They were all very pleased to see how easily he did it.
After the Scarecrow got down from his back, the Lion jumped across the ditch again.
Dorothy thought she'd go next, so she climbed onto the Lion's back.
So she took Toto in her arms and climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his hair with one hand.
The next moment it seemed as if she were flying through the air.
Before she had time to think, she was safe on the other side.
The Lion went back a third time and got the Tin Woodman.
Then they all sat down for a few moments to give the beast a chance to rest.
His great jumps had made his breath short.
And he panted like a big dog that had been running too long.
They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked dark and sad.
After the Lion had rested, they started along the road of yellow brick.
Each wondered quietly if they would ever reach the end of the woods and see bright sunshine again.
They soon heard strange noises in the deep part of the forest, which added to their fear.
The Lion whispered to them that the Kalidahs lived in this part of the country.
"What are the Kalidahs?" asked the girl.
"They're monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers," replied the Lion.
"They have claws so long and sharp that they could tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto."
"I'm terribly afraid of the Kalidahs.".
"I'm not surprised that you're," replied Dorothy.
"They must be dreadful beasts."
The Lion was about to answer when suddenly they came to another gap across the road.
But this one was so wide and deep that the Lion knew at once he couldn't jump across it.
So they sat down to think what they should do, and after serious thought the Scarecrow said,
"Here's a great tree, standing close to the ditch."
"If the Tin Woodman can chop it down, so that it'll fall to the other side, we can walk across it easily."
"That's a very good idea," said the Lion.
"One would almost think you had brains in your head, instead of straw."
The Woodman began at once, and so sharp was his axe that the tree was soon chopped nearly through.
Then the Lion put his strong front legs against the tree and pushed with all his might.
Slowly the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across the ditch, its top branches on the other side.
They had just started to cross this strange bridge when a sharp growl made them all look up.
To their horror, they saw two great beasts running toward them with bodies like bears and heads like tigers.
"They're the Kalidahs!" said the Cowardly Lion, beginning to shake.
"Quick!" cried the Scarecrow.
"Let us cross over."
So Dorothy went first, holding Toto in her arms, the Tin Woodman followed, and the Scarecrow came next.
The Lion, although he was certainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs.
He then gave so loud and terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the Scarecrow fell over backward.
Even the fierce beasts stopped short and looked at him in surprise.
But seeing they were bigger than the Lion and that there were two of them, the Kalidahs rushed forward again.
The Lion crossed over the tree and turned to see what they'd do next.
Without stopping a moment the fierce beasts also began to cross the tree.
And the Lion said to Dorothy,
"We're lost, for they'll surely tear us to pieces with their sharp claws."
"But stand close behind me, and I'll fight them as long as I'm alive."
"Wait a minute!" called the Scarecrow.
He had been thinking what was best to do.
Now he asked the Woodman to chop away the end of the tree on their side of the ditch.
The Tin Woodman began to use his axe at once.
As the two Kalidahs were nearly across, the tree crashed into the gulf, carrying the growling brutes.
Both were dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom.
"Well," said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of relief.
"I see we're going to live a little while longer, and I'm glad of it".
It must be a very uncomfortable thing not to be alive." Those creatures frightened me so badly that my heart is beating yet."
"Ah," said the Tin Woodman sadly, "I wish I had a heart to beat."
This adventure made the travelers more anxious than ever to get out of the forest.
And they walked so fast that Dorothy became tired, and had to ride on the Lion's back.
To their great joy the trees became thinner as they went farther.
In the afternoon they suddenly came upon a broad river flowing quickly just before them.
On the other side of the water they could see the road of yellow brick running through a beautiful land.
Green meadows were full of bright flowers, and the whole road was lined with trees heavy with delicious fruits.
They were very pleased to see this lovely country before them.
"How shall we cross the river?" asked Dorothy.
"That's easily done," replied the Scarecrow.
"The Tin Woodman must build us a raft, so we can float to the other side."
So the Woodman took his axe and chopped down small trees to make a raft.
While he was busy, the Scarecrow found a tree on the riverbank full of fine fruit.
This pleased Dorothy, who had eaten nothing but nuts all day.
And she made a good meal of the ripe fruit.
Making a raft takes time, even when the Tin Woodman is very hard working and never gets tired.
When night came the work was not done.
They found a cozy place under the trees.
There they slept well until morning.
Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City and of the good Wizard Oz, who would soon send her back to her own home again.