The Oz Series
Chapter 4
Part of the Dorothy's Journey to the Wizard and Back to Kansas arc.
What happens
After a few hours the yellow brick road grows rough, broken, and uneven, so the Scarecrow, having no brains, walks straight into holes and falls full length on the bricks; it never hurts him, and Dorothy picks him up while he laughs at his own mishaps. The farms become poorly cared for, with fewer houses and fruit trees, and the country grows more dismal and lonesome. At noon they rest by a brook and Dorothy eats bread; the Scarecrow refuses food, explaining his mouth is only painted and cutting a hole to eat would let his straw stuffing out and spoil his head's shape.
Dorothy tells the Scarecrow about Kansas and how the cyclone carried her to Oz. The Scarecrow cannot understand why she would leave such a beautiful country for the dry, gray place, and Dorothy explains that flesh-and-blood people prefer home no matter how dreary, declaring there is no place like home. The Scarecrow reflects that it is fortunate for Kansas that its people have brains, since brainless people would all live in beautiful places.
Asked for a story, the Scarecrow says his life has been so short he knows almost nothing, having been made only the day before yesterday. He recounts his creation: a Munchkin farmer painted his ears first so he could hear, then his eyes so he could see, then his nose and mouth; he watched his body, arms, and legs be made and felt proud when his head was fastened on. The farmer and another Munchkin agreed he looked just like a man, carried him to the cornfield, set him on a tall stick, and left. The Scarecrow could not walk after them because his feet would not touch the ground, and he led a lonely life with nothing to think about.
At first crows and birds flew away thinking he was a Munchkin, pleasing him, but an old crow perched on his shoulder and declared any crow of sense could see he was only stuffed with straw, then ate the corn; the other birds followed. The old crow comforted him by saying that if he had brains he would be as good a man as any, since brains are the only things worth having. The Scarecrow resolved to try hard to get brains, and is now sure the Great Oz will give them to him. As evening comes, the travelers reach a great forest where the trees' branches meet over the road, making it nearly dark. The Scarecrow reasons that since the road goes in, it must come out and lead to the Emerald City. In the darkness Dorothy holds the Scarecrow's arm, since Toto and the Scarecrow can see in the dark. The Scarecrow spots a little cottage of logs and branches to the right, leads Dorothy there, and she finds a bed of dried leaves and falls asleep with Toto while the Scarecrow, never tired, stands in a corner waiting for morning.