The Oz Series
Chapter 19
Part of the Dorothy's Journey to the Wizard and Back to Kansas arc.
What happens
The next morning Dorothy kisses the green girl good-bye, and the travelers shake hands with the green-whiskered soldier who walks with them to the gate. The Guardian of the Gate, wondering that they would leave the beautiful City for new trouble, unlocks their green spectacles, returns them to the green box, and gives them good wishes. He reminds the Scarecrow that he is now their ruler and must return soon, and the Scarecrow promises to come back after helping Dorothy get home. Dorothy thanks the Guardian for the kind treatment she received, and he opens the outer gate to let them start their journey toward the Land of the South.
The travelers set out in good spirits under a bright sun, laughing and chatting; Dorothy is filled with hope, the Lion delights in the fresh country air and boasts he has lost flesh in the city and is anxious to show the beasts his new courage, and Toto chases moths and butterflies. Taking a last look at the Emerald City, they see only towers, steeples, and the spires and dome of the Palace of Oz behind the green walls. The Tin Woodman remarks Oz was not such a bad Wizard, the Scarecrow praises his good brains, and the Lion says Oz would have been brave had he taken his own courage; Dorothy silently forgives Oz for not keeping his promise, judging him a good man even if a bad Wizard. They travel through green fields and flowers the first day and sleep on the grass under the stars.
In the morning they reach a thick wood extending too far in both directions to go around, so they look for the easiest place to enter. The Scarecrow, in the lead, finds a big tree with wide-spreading branches, but as he passes under it the branches bend down, seize him, raise him from the ground, and fling him headlong back among his companions, unhurt but dizzy. He tries another tree with the same result, being tossed back. The Lion judges the trees have decided to fight them and stop their journey. The Tin Woodman shoulders his axe, marches to the first tree, and when a big branch bends to seize him he chops it in two; the tree shakes its branches as if in pain, and he passes safely, calling the others to run under quickly. All pass without injury except Toto, who is caught and shaken by a small branch until the Woodman chops it off to free him. They conclude only the first row of trees can bend their branches and that these are the policemen of the forest, given the power to keep strangers out. Passing through the remaining trees with ease, they reach the far edge of the wood and find a high, smooth wall of white china higher than their heads. The Tin Woodman says he will make a ladder so they can climb over it.
Who is in play
- Dorothy
- Cowardly Lion
- Tin Woodman
- Scarecrow
- Dorothy's Traveling Party
- City of Emeralds
- Kansas
- Oz
- Toto
- Guardian of the Gates
- Palace of Oz
- the soldier with the green whiskers
- green spectacles
- the fighting trees
- the Land of the South
- the green girl