Chapter 5. The Rescue of the Tin Woodman

When Dorothy woke up, the sun was shining through the trees. Toto was already chasing birds and squirrels. She sat up and looked around. The Scarecrow was still waiting patiently in his corner.

"We must find water," she told him.

"Why do you need water?" he asked.

"To clean my face from the road dust and to drink," she replied. "So, the dry bread won't get stuck in my throat."

"It must be hard to be made of flesh," the Scarecrow said thoughtfully. "You need to sleep, eat, and drink. But you have brains. That's worth all the trouble."

They left the cottage and walked through the trees. Then, they found a small spring of clear water. Dorothy drank, washed her face and hands, and had breakfast there. She saw there was little bread left in the basket. The girl was thankful that the Scarecrow didn't need to eat. There was barely enough bread for her and Toto for the day.

After eating, Dorothy was about to return to the yellow brick road. But she heard a deep groan nearby.

"What was that?" she asked nervously.

"I don't know," replied the Scarecrow. "But we can go and check."

Right at that moment, they heard another groan. This time, it seemed to come from behind them. They turned and walked a few steps into the forest. Dorothy saw something shiny in a sunbeam between the trees. She ran to it and stopped short, letting out a small cry of surprise.

There was a big tree that had been partly cut down. A man made entirely of tin was standing next to it. He held an axe. His head, arms, and legs were joined to his body. But he was absolutely still as if he couldn't move at all.

Dorothy and the Scarecrow looked at him in surprise. Toto barked loudly and bit the tin man's leg, which hurt his teeth.

"Did you groan?" Dorothy asked.

"Yes," the tin man replied. "I've been groaning for over a year. Nobody has heard me or helped me."

"What can I do for you?" she asked gently. Dorothy was touched by the sadness in the man's voice.

"Find an oil can and oil my joints," he said. "They are so rusted I can't move them. As soon as I am well-oiled, I will be okay again. You can find an oil can on a shelf in my cottage."

Dorothy immediately ran back to the cottage, found the oil can, and returned. She asked anxiously, "Where should I oil?"

"Start with my neck," the Tin Woodman instructed. So, she oiled his neck. It was badly rusted. The Scarecrow helped move the tin head gently side-to-side until it could move freely. The tin man could then turn it himself.

"Now, oil the joints in my arms," he said. Dorothy oiled them. The Scarecrow bent them carefully until the rust was gone, and they were like new.

The Tin Woodman sighed in relief and put down his axe. He leaned it against the tree.

"This feels much better," he said. "I've been holding that axe in the air since I rusted. I'm glad to finally put it down. Now, if you can oil the joints in my legs, I'll be completely fine."

So they oiled his legs until he could move them freely. He thanked them repeatedly. He seemed very polite and grateful.

"I might have been stuck there forever if you hadn't come," he said. "You've truly saved my life. What brought you here?"

"We're on our way to the Emerald City to see the Great Oz," Dorothy said. "We stayed at your cottage for the night."

"Why do you want to see Oz?" he asked.

"I want him to send me back to Kansas, and the Scarecrow wants a brain," she answered.

The Tin Woodman seemed to think hard for a moment. Then he asked, "Do you think Oz could give me a heart?"

"I suppose so," Dorothy said. "It would be as easy as giving the Scarecrow a brain."

"True," the Tin Woodman agreed. "So, if it's alright with you, I'll join your party. I'll also go to the Emerald City and ask Oz for help."

"Come along," said the Scarecrow excitedly. Dorothy said she was happy to have his company. The Tin Woodman picked up his axe and put it on his shoulder. They all walked through the forest to the yellow brick road.

The Woodman asked Dorothy to put the oil can in her basket. "If I rust in the rain, I'll need it," he said.

Their new friend was a good addition. Soon, they reached a road blocked by thick trees. The Tin Woodman started chopping with his axe and cleared a path for all of them.

As they walked, Dorothy was deep in thought. She did not notice when the Scarecrow stumbled into a hole and rolled over to the side of the road. He had to call her for help.

"Why didn't you go around the hole?" asked the Tin Woodman. "I'm not smart enough," said the Scarecrow. "My head is full of straw." "That's why I'm going to Oz," he added. "I want to ask for brains."

"I see," said the Woodman. "But brains are not the best things in the world."

The Scarecrow asked, "Do you have any?"

"No, my head is quite empty," answered the Woodman. "I once had a brain and a heart. I'd rather have a heart."

"Why?" asked the Scarecrow.

"I'll tell you my story, and then you will understand," he said.

While walking through the forest, the Tin Woodman began his story.

"I was a woodman's son," he said. "He cut down trees in the forest and made a living by selling the wood. When I grew up, I became a woodchopper, too."

"After my father died, I looked after my elderly mother for as long as she was alive. Then I decided to marry, so I won't be so lonely."

"One Munchkin girl was so beautiful. I quickly fell in love with her with all my heart. She promised to marry me, but she wanted me to build a better house for her first. So, I worked very hard.

The girl lived with a lazy old woman. This woman didn't want her to get married. She wanted the girl to stay with her and handle all the cooking and the housework. The old woman went to the Wicked Witch of the East. She wanted the Witch to stop the marriage and promised her two sheep and a cow.

The Wicked Witch cast a spell on my axe. I was chopping wood one day. I was eager to build the house and marry quickly. Suddenly, the axe slipped, and it cut off my left leg."

"At first, I thought losing a leg was a complete disaster. As a woodchopper, I couldn't continue my work without one of my legs. So I went to a tinsmith, who made me a tin leg.

The leg worked well once I got used to it. But the Wicked Witch of the East was angry because she had promised the old woman I wouldn't marry the pretty Munchkin girl.

After I started chopping wood again, my axe slipped and cut off my right leg. I went to the tinsmith again, and he made me another tin leg. The cursed axe cut off my arms next. But I wasn't afraid. I had tin arms made.

The Wicked Witch made the axe slip again. It cut off my head. At first, I thought I was dead. But the tinsmith showed up and made me a new tin head.

"I thought I had defeated the Wicked Witch. I worked harder than ever. But I didn't know how cruel my enemy was.

She devised a fresh plan to kill my love for the beautiful Munchkin girl. My axe slipped and cut my body in half. The tinsmith made me a tin body. He attached my tin arms, legs, and head. Now, I could move around as before. But I had no heart. I lost my love for the Munchkin girl. I didn't care about marrying her. I guess she still lives with the old woman, waiting for me.

My body glowed brilliantly under the sunlight, and I felt very proud of it. The axe couldn't cut me anymore. There was only one danger: my joints could rust. I kept an oil can in my cottage and oiled myself when needed. But one day, I forgot to do this. A rainstorm caught me. My joints rusted, and I was stuck in the woods until you came to help me.

It was a horrible experience. But during the year I stood there, I had a lot of time to think. I realized that the greatest loss was my heart. When I was in love, I was so happy. But without a heart, you can't love. So, I decided to ask Oz for a heart. If he gives me one, I will return to the Munchkin girl and marry her."

Both Dorothy and the Scarecrow listened with interest to the story of the Tin Woodman. They understood now why he wanted a new heart.

"Still," said the Scarecrow, "I will ask for brains, not a heart. A fool wouldn't know how to use a heart."

"I want the heart," replied the Tin Woodman. "Brains don't bring happiness, but happiness is everything."

Dorothy didn't know who was right. She wanted to go back to Kansas and Aunt Em. It didn't matter for her who got what.

She worried about the food. They were almost out of bread. Another meal would empty the basket. The Woodman and the Scarecrow didn't eat, but she needed food to live.