American library books ยป Other ยป The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (short books for teens .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•

Read book online ยซThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (short books for teens .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   L. Frank Baum



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the Scarecrow until a Stork flew by, who, upon seeing them, stopped to rest at the waterโ€™s edge.

โ€œWho are you and where are you going?โ€ asked the Stork.

โ€œI am Dorothy,โ€ answered the girl, โ€œand these are my friends, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion; and we are going to the Emerald City.โ€

โ€œThis isnโ€™t the road,โ€ said the Stork, as she twisted her long neck and looked sharply at the queer party.

โ€œI know it,โ€ returned Dorothy, โ€œbut we have lost the Scarecrow, and are wondering how we shall get him again.โ€

โ€œWhere is he?โ€ asked the Stork.

โ€œOver there in the river,โ€ answered the little girl.

โ€œIf he wasnโ€™t so big and heavy I would get him for you,โ€ remarked the Stork.

โ€œHe isnโ€™t heavy a bit,โ€ said Dorothy eagerly, โ€œfor he is stuffed with straw; and if you will bring him back to us, we shall thank you ever and ever so much.โ€

โ€œWell, Iโ€™ll try,โ€ said the Stork, โ€œbut if I find he is too heavy to carry I shall have to drop him in the river again.โ€

So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole. Then the Stork with her great claws grabbed the Scarecrow by the arm and carried him up into the air and back to the bank, where Dorothy and the Lion and the Tin Woodman and Toto were sitting.

When the Scarecrow found himself among his friends again, he was so happy that he hugged them all, even the Lion and Toto; and as they walked along he sang โ€œTol-de-ride-oh!โ€ at every step, he felt so gay.

โ€œI was afraid I should have to stay in the river forever,โ€ he said, โ€œbut the kind Stork saved me, and if I ever get any brains I shall find the Stork again and do her some kindness in return.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s all right,โ€ said the Stork, who was flying along beside them. โ€œI always like to help anyone in trouble. But I must go now, for my babies are waiting in the nest for me. I hope you will find the Emerald City and that Oz will help you.โ€

โ€œThank you,โ€ replied Dorothy, and then the kind Stork flew into the air and was soon out of sight.

They walked along listening to the singing of the brightly colored birds and looking at the lovely flowers which now became so thick that the ground was carpeted with them. There were big yellow and white and blue and purple blossoms, besides great clusters of scarlet poppies, which were so brilliant in color they almost dazzled Dorothyโ€™s eyes.

โ€œArenโ€™t they beautiful?โ€ the girl asked, as she breathed in the spicy scent of the bright flowers.

โ€œI suppose so,โ€ answered the Scarecrow. โ€œWhen I have brains, I shall probably like them better.โ€

โ€œIf I only had a heart, I should love them,โ€ added the Tin Woodman.

โ€œI always did like flowers,โ€ said the Lion. โ€œThey seem so helpless and frail. But there are none in the forest so bright as these.โ€

They now came upon more and more of the big scarlet poppies, and fewer and fewer of the other flowers; and soon they found themselves in the midst of a great meadow of poppies. Now it is well known that when there are many of these flowers together their odor is so powerful that anyone who breathes it falls asleep, and if the sleeper is not carried away from the scent of the flowers, he sleeps on and on forever. But Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get away from the bright red flowers that were everywhere about; so presently her eyes grew heavy and she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep.

But the Tin Woodman would not let her do this.

โ€œWe must hurry and get back to the road of yellow brick before dark,โ€ he said; and the Scarecrow agreed with him. So they kept walking until Dorothy could stand no longer. Her eyes closed in spite of herself and she forgot where she was and fell among the poppies, fast asleep.

โ€œWhat shall we do?โ€ asked the Tin Woodman.

โ€œIf we leave her here she will die,โ€ said the Lion. โ€œThe smell of the flowers is killing us all. I myself can scarcely keep my eyes open, and the dog is asleep already.โ€

It was true; Toto had fallen down beside his little mistress. But the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, not being made of flesh, were not troubled by the scent of the flowers.

โ€œRun fast,โ€ said the Scarecrow to the Lion, โ€œand get out of this deadly flower bed as soon as you can. We will bring the little girl with us, but if you should fall asleep you are too big to be carried.โ€

So the Lion aroused himself and bounded forward as fast as he could go. In a moment he was out of sight.

โ€œLet us make a chair with our hands and carry her,โ€ said the Scarecrow. So they picked up Toto and put the dog in Dorothyโ€™s lap, and then they made a chair with their hands for the seat and their arms for the arms and carried the sleeping girl between them through the flowers.

On and on they walked, and it seemed that the great carpet of deadly flowers that surrounded them would never end. They followed the bend of the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lion, lying fast asleep among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for the huge beast and he had given up at last, and fallen only a short distance from the end of the poppy bed, where the sweet grass spread in beautiful green fields before them.

โ€œWe can do nothing for him,โ€ said the Tin Woodman, sadly; โ€œfor he is much too heavy to lift. We must leave him here to sleep on forever, and perhaps he will dream that he has found courage at last.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m sorry,โ€ said the Scarecrow. โ€œThe Lion was a very good comrade for

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