The Oz Series
Chapter 28
Part of the The Marvelous Land of Oz: Tip's Rebellion and the Return of Ozma arc.
What happens
As they journey on, Jack observes that his wooden joints will wear out with continued walking, and Tip privately regrets not having built Jack's limbs more sturdily, though he ceases self-reproach and considers remedies. Reaching the edge of a wood, Tip sits on an old sawhorse left by a woodcutter and invites Jack to sit, but when Jack bends his joints too far they give way and he crashes to the ground; Tip lifts him, straightens his limbs, and advises him to remain standing thereafter. When Jack asks what Tip is sitting on, Tip identifies it as a horse and explains a living horse has four legs, a head, and a tail and is ridden. Jack points out the sawhorse also has four legs, a branch resembling a tail, knots resembling eyes, and a chopped mouth, leading Tip to admit the resemblance while insisting a real horse is alive and eats oats whereas this is dead wood used to saw logs upon.
When Jack notes that he too is made of wood yet is alive, Tip recalls that the magic Powder of Life is in his pocket and decides to try bringing the saw-horse to life so Jack can ride it and spare his joints. Recalling Mombi's exact words and gestures, which he had watched from the hedge, Tip sprinkles the Powder of Life on the saw-horse, then raises his left hand with little finger up saying "Weaugh," his right hand with thumb up saying "Teaugh" (which he tells Jack means to keep quiet), and finally both hands overhead with fingers spread crying "Peaugh." The saw-horse immediately moves, stretches its legs, yawns with its chopped mouth, and shakes off a few grains of powder, the rest vanishing into its body; Jack congratulates Tip as a clever sorcerer.