Chapter 7. The Journey to the Great Oz

They had to spend the night outdoors under a big forest tree. There were no houses nearby. The tree provided a thick canopy, shielding them from the dew. The Tin Woodman cut a heap of wood with his axe. Dorothy used it to build a nice, warming fire. The fire comforted her, making her feel less lonely.

Dorothy and Toto had their last piece of bread. Now, she was unsure about their breakfast.

"If you want," said the Lion, "I can go into the woods and hunt a deer for you. You can cook it over a fire. I know you like your food cooked, so it would make a great breakfast."

"No, please don't," pleaded the Tin Woodman. "I would certainly cry if you killed a poor deer. Then, my jaws would rust again."

But the Lion left for the forest and found his own dinner. He didn't tell anyone what he ate.

Meanwhile, the Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts. He filled Dorothy's basket so she would not be hungry for a long time. Dorothy found this very kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow. However, she laughed wholeheartedly at how awkwardly he picked the small nuts. His padded hands were clumsy, and he dropped many of them.

The Scarecrow didn't care how long it took him to fill the basket. It gave him a reason to stay away from the fire. He was afraid a spark might set his straw on fire. He stayed far from the flames. He only came close to covering Dorothy with dry leaves for sleep. The leaves kept her warm, and she slept soundly until morning.

When day broke, Dorothy washed her face in a small stream. Soon after, they all set off for the Emerald City.

This day was going to be very eventful for them. They hadn't walked for an hour when they encountered a large ditch. It cut across the path and split the forest in two. The ditch was very wide. When they edged closer and looked down, they saw it was also very deep. Big, jagged rocks were at the bottom. The sides were too steep for them to climb down. It seemed, for a moment, that they couldn't go any further.

"What shall we do?" Dorothy asked in despair.

"I don't have a clue," replied the Tin Woodman. The Lion shook his shaggy mane, looking thoughtful.

"We can't fly, that's clear," said the Scarecrow. "We can't climb down this big ditch either. We must end our journey here if we can't jump over it."

"I think I could jump it," said the Cowardly Lion after estimating the distance in his mind.

"Then we're okay," replied the Scarecrow. "You can carry us over on your back, one by one."

"I'll give it a shot," said the Lion. "Who will go first?"

"I'll go," said the Scarecrow. "If you can't make the jump, Dorothy could die, or the Tin Woodman might get badly damaged on the rocks below. But if I'm on your back, it wouldn't matter. A fall wouldn't hurt me."

"I'm terrified of falling, myself," said the Cowardly Lion. "But I guess there's no other option. So get on my back, and let's try."

The Scarecrow climbed onto the Lion's back. The big creature walked to the edge of the ditch and crouched.

"Why don't you run and jump?" asked the Scarecrow.

"That's not how we Lions do it," he replied. Then, with a giant leap, he landed safely on the other side. They were all happy to see how easily he did it. After the Scarecrow got down, the Lion jumped back over the ditch again.

Dorothy decided to go next. She took Toto in her arms and climbed onto the Lion's back. Dorothy held onto his mane tightly. Suddenly, she felt like she was flying through the air. Before she knew it, she was safe on the other side.

The Lion went back a third time for the Tin Woodman. Then, they all sat down to let the Lion rest. His big jumps had made him short of breath, and he was panting like a tired dog.

The forest on this side was very dense and looked dark and gloomy. After the Lion had rested, they set off on the yellow brick road. They all silently wondered if they would ever see the sunlight again. The strange noises coming from the forest didn't help. The Lion whispered that the Kalidahs lived in this part of the country.

"What are the Kalidahs?" asked Dorothy.

"They're monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers," said the Lion. "Their claws are so long and sharp, they could tear me apart as easily as I could kill Toto. I'm terrified of the Kalidahs."

"I don't blame you," replied Dorothy. "They sound terrifying."

The Lion was about to respond when suddenly, they reached another ditch across the road. This one was so wide and deep that the Lion knew he couldn't jump it.

They sat down to consider their options. After some serious thinking, the Scarecrow suggested:

"There's a big tree near the ditch. If the Tin Woodman can cut it down so it falls across the ditch, we can walk over it."

"That's an excellent idea," said the Lion. "You almost seem like you have a brain in your head, not straw."

The Woodman began to work immediately. His axe was so sharp that the tree was nearly cut through quickly. Then, the Lion pushed against the tree with his strong front paws. Slowly, the tree tipped and fell across the ditch, its top branches reaching the other side.

A harsh growl made them look up as they started crossing this makeshift bridge. To their horror, they saw two massive beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers running towards them.

"They are the Kalidahs!" said the Cowardly Lion, trembling.

"Quick!" shouted the Scarecrow. "Let us get across."

Dorothy, holding Toto, went first. The Tin Woodman was next, followed by the Scarecrow. The Lion, despite his fear, faced the Kalidahs. Then he let out a loud and terrifying roar that Dorothy screamed. The Scarecrow fell over, and even the beasts stopped in surprise.

But, realizing they were bigger than the Lion and that there were two of them against one, the Kalidahs charged again. The Lion crossed the tree and waited to see their next move. Without pausing, the fearsome beasts also started crossing. The Lion said to Dorothy: "We're in trouble. They'll definitely tear us apart with their sharp claws. But stand close behind me. I'll fight them as long as I'm alive."

"Wait a minute!" shouted the Scarecrow. He had been thinking about what to do. He asked the Woodman to chop the part of the tree on their side of the ditch. The Tin Woodman began to work immediately. As the two Kalidahs were almost across, the tree crashed into the ditch, taking the snarling beasts with it. They were smashed to pieces on the sharp rocks below.

"Well," said the Cowardly Lion, taking a deep breath, "it seems we'll live a bit longer. I'm glad because not being alive must be quite uncomfortable. Those creatures scared me so much, my heart is still beating."

"Ah," said the Tin Woodman sadly, "I wish I had a heart to beat."

This adventure made the travelers even more eager to leave the forest. They walked so fast that Dorothy got tired and had to ride on the Lion's back. To their joy, the trees got sparser the further they went. In the afternoon, they suddenly came upon a wide, fast-flowing river. On the other side, they could see the yellow brick road running through beautiful green meadows dotted with bright flowers. The road was bordered with trees full of delicious fruits. They were happy to see this wonderful country before them.

"How do we cross the river?" Dorothy asked.

"That's simple," replied the Scarecrow. "The Tin Woodman needs to build us a raft so we can float across."

So, the Woodman began chopping small trees to make a raft. While occupied with this, the Scarecrow discovered a tree full of excellent fruit by the riverbank. This was a pleasant surprise for Dorothy, who had only eaten nuts all day and enjoyed a hearty meal of the ripe fruit.

However, building a raft takes time, even for someone as diligent and tireless as the Tin Woodman. By nightfall, the work was still not complete. They found a comfortable spot under the trees to sleep until morning. Dorothy dreamt of the Emerald City and the benevolent Wizard Oz, who would soon return her to her home.
