The Oz Series
Chapter 43
Part of the The Marvelous Land of Oz: Tip's Rebellion and the Return of Ozma arc.
What happens
The Tin Woodman, normally peaceful but capable of fierce fighting, defends the party against the attacking Jackdaws by whirling his axe swiftly around his head. Despite beating off many, the numerous and brave birds continue attacking. Some peck at the Gump's glass eyes, which cannot be injured, while others rush the overturned Saw-Horse, which kicks viciously with its wooden legs and beats off many assailants. The Jackdaws then fall upon the Scarecrow's straw covering Tip, the Woggle-Bug, and Jack's head, tearing it away wisp by wisp and dropping it into the gulf below.
The Scarecrow's head cries to the Tin Woodman to save him. The Gump begins wildly waving the two wings remaining on its left side, and the flutter fills the Jackdaws with terror. When the Gump frees itself from the rock peg and sinks flopping into the nest, the birds flee screaming over the mountains. Tip crawls out and helps the Woggle-Bug, declaring they are saved and crediting the Gump's flopping and the Woodman's axe. Tip rolls Jack's pumpkin out from under the sofas and replaces it on his neck, and sets the Saw-Horse upright with thanks for its gallant fight.
The Scarecrow's head, however, announces he is completely ruined, for the Jackdaws stole every wisp of the straw that stuffed his body and flung it into the chasm. The Tin Woodman caresses the head tenderly, and the Scarecrow says he is glad he perished nobly to save his friends. The Woggle-Bug notes the Scarecrow's clothing is still safe but useless without stuffing. Tip suggests stuffing him with money, pointing out the nest bottom holds thousands of dollar bills of various denominations that the Jackdaws stole from villages and cities over years. The Tin Woodman turns over the rubbish and confirms an immense fortune of bills.
With the Scarecrow's consent, they select the newest, cleanest bills and stuff him: his left leg and boot with five-dollar bills, his right leg with ten-dollar bills, and his body with fifties, one-hundreds, and one-thousands so tightly he can scarcely button his jacket. The Woggle-Bug pronounces him the most valuable member of the party, and the Scarecrow, though he might be mistaken for a Safety Deposit Vault, notes his brains are still the same reliable material.
Tip observes an emergency remains: escaping the nest. The Scarecrow raises the wishing pills, but the problem of counting seventeen by twos persists. The Woggle-Bug fails to solve it with mathematics, giving Tip and the Scarecrow headaches. The Saw-Horse, considered the most stupid of the party, suggests starting the count at one-half, since twice one-half is one, allowing anyone to count up to seventeen by twos. The Woggle-Bug confirms the logic, and the Scarecrow bows low to the Saw-Horse. Since the Scarecrow's mouth is painted on and cannot swallow, only Tip and the Woggle-Bug can take a pill. Tip swallows one and counts "One-half, one, three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, fifteen, seventeen," but before wishing, suffers fearful pains and rolls in contortions, crying that the pill poisoned him and wishing he had never swallowed it. The pain stops instantly, and the Scarecrow finds all three pills back in the box, because Tip's wish that he never swallowed one came true, meaning he did not swallow it and no wish was wasted. The Woggle-Bug then swallows a pill, counts seventeen by twos without pain, and wishes the Gump's broken wings mended and as good as new. The wish is instantly granted, and the Gump lies before them in perfect repair, able to fly as when first brought to life.
Who is in play
- Tin Woodman
- Tip
- Jack Pumpkinhead
- Mombi
- Saw-Horse
- Scarecrow
- Woggle-Bug
- Dorothy's Traveling Party
- the Gump
- Dr. Nikidik's Celebrated Wishing Pills
- Jackdaws
- Palace of Oz
- Professor Nowitall
- the Jackdaws' nest