The Oz Series
Chapter 35
Part of the The Marvelous Land of Oz: Tip's Rebellion and the Return of Ozma arc.
What happens
Tip awakes soon after dawn to find the Scarecrow has already plucked a double-handful of ripe berries, which the boy eats as breakfast before the party resumes its journey. After an hour's ride they reach a hilltop from which they see the City of the Winkies and the tall domes of the Emperor's palace. The animated Scarecrow expresses eagerness to see his old friend the Tin Woodman, Emperor of the Winkies, explaining the Winkies invited Nick Chopper to rule after the Wicked Witch was destroyed and that he has the best heart in all the world. When Tip notes an emperor should rule an empire while the Winkie country is only a kingdom, the Scarecrow warns him never to mention this, since it pleases the proud Tin Woodman to be termed Emperor rather than King.
At the palace steps an aged Winkie in silver-cloth uniform helps them alight but says the Emperor is not receiving because it is his day for being polished and he is smeared with putz-pomade; the Emperor has lately caused himself to be nickel-plated. The party is led into a splendid ante-room, and the Saw-Horse ambles awkwardly after them. The travelers admire silver-cloth hangings knotted with tiny silver axes, a large engraved silver oil-can depicting past adventures of the Tin Woodman, Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow in gold-traced lines, a prominent portrait of the Scarecrow, and a huge painting of the Wizard of Oz presenting the Tin Woodman with a heart.
Nick Chopper bursts in and embraces the Scarecrow so fiercely he creases him, transferring putz-pomade blotches onto his friend; he promises to send the Scarecrow to his Imperial Laundry. Introduced to Tip and Jack Pumpkinhead, the Tin Woodman finds Jack unusual and worthy of their select society, and advises the spoil-fearing Jack that his head can be canned to preserve it indefinitely. The nickel-plated Emperor, composed entirely of soldered and riveted tin, retires to be polished, then returns shining magnificently; he explains the engraved star on his left breast marks where his heart lies and covers the patch made when the Wonderful Wizard placed the heart in his breast.
Learning that the girls of Oz have risen in revolt and driven the Scarecrow from the Emerald City, robbing the treasury and running things themselves, the shocked Tin Woodman declares they must recapture the Emerald City and restore the Scarecrow to his throne. Tip warns the rebels intend to march on and capture the Tin Woodman's own castle and city. The Emperor says they need no army, since the four of them with his gleaming axe can strike terror into the rebels; Jack corrects him to five, counting the brave Saw-Horse, which the Tin Woodman had not noticed in a corner. The Emperor accepts the live Saw-Horse as a comrade and novelty.
The Tin Woodman instructs his Lord High Chancellor to run the kingdom in his absence. Preparations are made: the Scarecrow is taken apart, his head-sack laundered and restuffed with the brains given by the great Wizard, his clothes cleaned and pressed by Imperial tailors, and his crown polished and re-sewn on at the Tin Woodman's insistence that he keep this badge of royalty. Tip strengthens Jack Pumpkinhead's wooden limbs and the Saw-Horse is inspected. The next morning they set out to return to the Emerald City, the axe-bearing Tin Woodman leading, the Pumpkinhead riding the Saw-Horse, and Tip and the Scarecrow walking on either side to keep Jack from falling.
Who is in play
- Dorothy
- Cowardly Lion
- Tin Woodman
- Tip
- Jack Pumpkinhead
- Saw-Horse
- Scarecrow
- Army of Revolt
- City of Emeralds
- Oz
- City of the Winkies
- Winkies
- Lord High Chancellor