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〃I'm pretty well； thank you；〃 replied Dorothy politely。
〃How do you do？〃
〃I'm not feeling well；〃 said the Scarecrow； with a smile；
〃for it is very tedious being perched up here night and day to
scare away crows。〃
〃Can't you get down？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃No； for this pole is stuck up my back。 If you will please
take away the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you。〃
Dorothy reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole；
for； being stuffed with straw； it was quite light。
〃Thank you very much；〃 said the Scarecrow； when he had been
set down on the ground。 〃I feel like a new man。〃
Dorothy was puzzled at this； for it sounded queer to hear a
stuffed man speak； and to see him bow and walk along beside her。
〃Who are you？〃 asked the Scarecrow when he had stretched
himself and yawned。 〃And where are you going？〃
〃My name is Dorothy；〃 said the girl； 〃and I am going to the
Emerald City； to ask the Great Oz to send me back to Kansas。〃
〃Where is the Emerald City？〃 he inquired。 〃And who is Oz？〃
〃Why； don't you know？〃 she returned； in surprise。
〃No； indeed。 I don't know anything。 You see； I am stuffed；
so I have no brains at all；〃 he answered sadly。
〃Oh；〃 said Dorothy； 〃I'm awfully sorry for you。〃
〃Do you think；〃 he asked； 〃if I go to the Emerald City with you；
that Oz would give me some brains？〃
〃I cannot tell；〃 she returned； 〃but you may come with me；
if you like。 If Oz will not give you any brains you will be
no worse off than you are now。〃
〃That is true；〃 said the Scarecrow。 〃You see；〃 he continued
confidentially； 〃I don't mind my legs and arms and body being
stuffed； because I cannot get hurt。 If anyone treads on my toes
or sticks a pin into me； it doesn't matter； for I can't feel it。
But I do not want people to call me a fool； and if my head stays
stuffed with straw instead of with brains； as yours is； how am I
ever to know anything？〃
〃I understand how you feel；〃 said the little girl； who was
truly sorry for him。 〃If you will come with me I'll ask Oz to
do all he can for you。〃
〃Thank you；〃 he answered gratefully。
They walked back to the road。 Dorothy helped him over the
fence； and they started along the path of yellow brick for the
Emerald City。
Toto did not like this addition to the party at first。
He smelled around the stuffed man as if he suspected there
might be a nest of rats in the straw； and he often growled
in an unfriendly way at the Scarecrow。
〃Don't mind Toto；〃 said Dorothy to her new friend。
〃He never bites。〃
〃Oh； I'm not afraid；〃 replied the Scarecrow。 〃He can't hurt
the straw。 Do let me carry that basket for you。 I shall not mind
it； for I can't get tired。 I'll tell you a secret；〃 he continued；
as he walked along。 〃There is only one thing in the world I am
afraid of。〃
〃What is that？〃 asked Dorothy； 〃the Munchkin farmer who made you？〃
〃No；〃 answered the Scarecrow； 〃it's a lighted match。〃
4。 The Road Through the Forest
After a few hours the road began to be rough； and the walking
grew so difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over the
yellow bricks； which were here very uneven。 Sometimes； indeed；
they were broken or missing altogether； leaving holes that Toto
jumped across and Dorothy walked around。 As for the Scarecrow；
having no brains； he walked straight ahead； and so stepped into
the holes and fell at full length on the hard bricks。 It never hurt
him； however； and Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon his
feet again； while he joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap。
The farms were not nearly so well cared for here as they were
farther back。 There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees； and
the farther they went the more dismal and lonesome the country became。
At noon they sat down by the roadside； near a little brook；
and Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread。 She offered
a piece to the Scarecrow； but he refused。
〃I am never hungry；〃 he said； 〃and it is a lucky thing I am not；
for my mouth is only painted； and if I should cut a hole in it so
I could eat； the straw I am stuffed with would come out； and that
would spoil the shape of my head。〃
Dorothy saw at once that this was true； so she only nodded and
went on eating her bread。
〃Tell me something about yourself and the country you came from；〃
said the Scarecrow； when she had finished her dinner。 So she told him
all about Kansas； and how gray everything was there； and how the cyclone
had carried her to this queer Land of Oz。
The Scarecrow listened carefully； and said； 〃I cannot
understand why you should wish to leave this beautiful country and
go back to the dry； gray place you call Kansas。〃
〃That is because you have no brains〃 answered the girl。
〃No matter how dreary and gray our homes are； we people of
flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country；
be it ever so beautiful。 There is no place like home。〃
The Scarecrow sighed。
〃Of course I cannot understand it；〃 he said。 〃If your heads
were stuffed with straw； like mine； you would probably all live in
the beautiful places； and then Kansas would have no people at all。
It is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains。〃
〃Won't you tell me a story； while we are resting？〃 asked the child。
The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully； and answered：
〃My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever。
I was only made day before yesterday。 What happened in the world
before that time is all unknown to me。 Luckily； when the farmer
made my head； one of the first things he did was to paint my ears；
so that I heard what was going on。 There was another Munchkin with him；
and the first thing I heard was the farmer saying； ‘How do you like
those ears？'
〃‘They aren't straight；'〃 answered the other。
〃‘Never mind；'〃 said the farmer。 〃‘They are ears just the same；'〃
which was true enough。
〃‘Now I'll make the eyes；'〃 said the farmer。 So he painted my
right eye； and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking
at him and at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity；
for this was my first glimpse of the world。
〃‘That's a rather pretty eye；'〃 remarked the Munchkin who was
watching the farmer。 〃‘Blue paint is just the color for eyes。'
〃‘I think I'll make the other a little bigger；'〃 said the
farmer。 And when the second eye was done I could see much better
than before。 Then he made my nose and my mouth。 But I did not
speak； because at that time I didn't know what a mouth was for。
I had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs；
and when they fastened on my head； at last； I felt very proud；
forI thought I was just as good a man as anyone。
〃‘This fellow will scare the crows fast enough；' said the
farmer。 ‘He looks just like a man。'
〃‘Why； he is a man；' said the other； and I quite agreed with him。
The farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield； and set me up
on a tall stick； where you found me。 He and his friend soon after
walked away and left me alone。
〃I did not like to be deserted this way。 So I tried to walk
after them。 But my feet would not touch the ground； and I was
forced to stay on that pole。 It was a lonely life to lead； for I
had nothing to think of； having been made such a little while before。
Many crows and other birds flew into the cornfield； but as soon as
they saw me they flew away again； thinking I was a Munchkin； and this
pleased me and made me feel that I was quite an important person。
By and by an old crow flew near me； and after looking at me carefully
he perched upon my shoulder and said：
〃‘I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsy
manner。 Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed
with straw。' Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn
he wanted。 The other birds； seeing he was not harmed by me； came
to eat the corn too； so in a short time there was a great flock of
them about me。
〃I felt sad at this； for it showed I was not such a good
Scarecrow after all； but the old crow comforted me； saying；
‘If you only had brains in your head you would be as good a man
as any of them； and a better man than some of them。 Brains are
the only things worth having in this world； no matter whether one
is a crow or a man。'
〃After the crows had gone I thought this over； and decided I
would try hard to get some brains。 By good luck you came along
and pulled me off the stake； and from what you say I am sure the
Great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City。〃
〃I hope so；〃 said Dorothy earnestly； 〃since you seem anxious
to have them。〃
〃Oh； yes； I am anxious；〃 returned the Scarecrow。 〃It is such
an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool。〃
〃Well；〃 said the girl； 〃let us go。〃 And she handed the basket
to the Scarecrow。
There were no fences at all by the roadside now； and the land
was rough and untilled。 Toward evening they came to a great
forest； where the trees grew so big and close together that their
branches met over the road of yellow brick。 It was almost dark
under the t