Chapter-11
At first Dorothy was very unhappy about missing her chance to return to Kansas. She cried a lot that first day. But when she thought it all over, she was glad she did not go up in a balloon, although she also felt sorry about losing Oz.
The Scarecrow was now the ruler of the Emerald City. Although he was not a Wizard yet, the people were all proud of him. They bragged that there was not another city in the entire world ruled by a stuffed man.
The morning after the balloon had gone up, the four travellers met in the Throne Room to talk matters over. The Scarecrow sat on the Big Throne, and the others sat in soft chairs beside him.
“We are all very lucky,” he said, “for this palace and the Emerald City belong to us, and we can do just as we please. When I remember that a short time ago I was up on a pole in a farmer’s cornfield, and that now I am the ruler of this beautiful city, I am quite happy with what has happened to me.”
The Tinman and the lion expressed their satisfaction with the rewards Oz had granted them, and they too said they were content. Only Dorothy was still unhappy. She told her friends that although she loved them all very much, yet she wanted to return to her home in Kansas.
The Scarecrow decided to think. He thought so hard that the pins and needles began to stick out of his brains.
“Why not call the Winged Monkeys and ask them to carry you over the desert?”
“I never thought of that!” said Dorothy, “I’ll go get the Golden Cap.”
When she brought the Cap into the Throne Room, she spoke the magic words. Soon the band of Winged Monkeys flew in the open window and stood beside her.
“This is the second time you have called us,” said the Monkey King, “What is your wish?”
“I want you to fly with me to Kansas,” said Dorothy.
“That cannot be done,” said the Monkey King, “We belong to this country alone, and we cannot leave it. There has never been a Winged Monkey in Kansas, and I suppose there never will be. We just do not belong there. We will be glad to serve you in any way we can, but we cannot cross the desert. Goodbye.”
The Monkey King bowed and then flew away through the window, followed by all his band.
Dorothy was almost ready to cry; she was so disappointed.
“I have wasted the charm of the Golden Cap for nothing,” she said, “for the Winged Monkeys cannot help me.”
The Scarecrow began thinking again, and his head bulged so much that Dorothy was afraid it would burst.
“Let’s call in the soldier with the green beard,” he said, “and ask his advice.”
When the soldier entered the Throne Room, the Scarecrow asked him if he knew how Dorothy might cross the desert. The soldier explained that he knew of no one except Oz who had ever crossed the desert.
“Is there no one who can help me?” asked Dorothy.
The soldier thought a minute. Then he said, “Perhaps Glinda can help you. She is the good witch of the South. She is the most powerful of all the witches and rules over the Quadlings. Besides, her castle stands on the edge of the desert, so she may know a way to cross it.”
“How can I get to her castle?” asked Dorothy.
“The road is straight to the South,” he answered, “but it is said to be very dangerous for travellers.”
When the soldier left, the Scarecrow said, “It seems that in spite of the dangers, the best thing Dorothy can do is to travel to the land of the South and ask Glinda for help. This will be the only way Dorothy will ever get back to Kansas.”
The lion, the Tinman and the Scarecrow thought for only a second, and then all said they would go with Dorothy. The journey would be long and dangerous, and they could not let their friend go all by herself.
Dorothy thanked them all, and they decided to return to their rooms and get ready for their long journey, which would begin at sunrise the next morning.
The next morning, Dorothy and her friends said good bye to the Guardian of the Gate and left the Emerald City.
The first day’s journey was through the green fields and bright flowers that stretched around the Emerald City on every side. That night, they slept on the grass and looked up at the velvet sky filled with bright stars.
In the morning, they travelled until they came to a forest. The forest was very thick, and there seemed to be no way to go around it. So they looked for the place where it would be the easiest to get into the forest.
The Scarecrow discovered a big tree with wide-spreading branches that would allow everyone to pass underneath. But just as he came under the first branches, they bent down and twined around him. The next minute, he was lifted from the ground and thrown through the air. This did not hurt the Scarecrow, but it surprised him, and he looked 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 be thrown around.” He walked up to another tree. But immediately, its branches grabbed him and tossed him back again.
“This is very strange,” said Dorothy, “What shall we do?”
“The trees seem to have made up their minds to fight us and stop our journey,” said the lion.
“Let me give this a try,” said the Tinman. He put his axe on his shoulder and walked up to the first tree that had thrown the Scarecrow in the air. When a branch bent down to grab him, the Tinman chopped it in half. The tree began shaking in pain, and the Tinman walked safely under it.
“Come on!” he shouted to the others, Hurry up!”
They all ran forward and passed under the tree without being hurt. The other trees did not try to stop them. So they decided that only the first row of trees could bend down their branches, and that these were the police force of the forest, who tried to keep strangers away.
The travellers walked to the edge of the forest. Then, to their surprise, they saw a high wall which seemed to be made of china. It was smooth like the surface of a dish, and much higher than their heads.
“What will we do now?” said Dorothy.
“I will make a ladder so we can climb over the wall,” said the Tinman.
