Chapter 13. The Rescue

The Cowardly Lion was happy to learn the Wicked Witch was melted by a bucket of water. Dorothy quickly unlocked his prison gate and released him. Together, they entered the castle. Dorothy's first act was to call all the Winkies. She told them they were no longer slaves. Now, they were free.

The yellow Winkies were overjoyed. They had worked for the Wicked Witch for many years. She had always been cruel to them. They decided to celebrate this day as a holiday forever, spending it on feasting and dancing.

"I'd be completely happy if our friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, were here," said the Lion.

"Do you think we could rescue them?" asked Dorothy anxiously.

"We can try," the Lion replied.

They asked the yellow Winkies if they could help in rescuing their friends. The Winkies were eager to do everything they could for Dorothy, who had freed them. She selected some of the most knowledgeable Winkies, and they started their journey. They traveled for a day and a bit more until they reached the rocky plain where the Tin Woodman lay, severely damaged. His axe lay nearby with a rusted blade and a broken handle.

The Winkies carefully picked him up and carried him back to the Yellow Castle. Dorothy shed a few tears seeing her friend's sad state and the Lion looked grave and remorseful. When they reached the castle, Dorothy said to the Winkies:

"Are any of your people tinsmiths?"

"Yes, some of us are quite good," they responded.

"Bring them to me," Dorothy requested. When the tinsmiths arrived with their tools, she asked, "Can you fix the Tin Woodman, straighten his dents, put him back into shape, and solder him together where he is broken?"

The tinsmiths carefully examined the Tin Woodman and assured Dorothy they could repair him. They started their work in a large yellow room in the castle. They hammered, twisted, bent, soldered, polished, and pounded the Tin Woodman for three days and four nights. Finally, they restored him to his old shape, and his joints worked perfectly. Though there were some patches, the humble Woodman, didn't mind them at all.

When he entered Dorothy's room to thank her for his rescue, he was so grateful that he shed tears of joy. Dorothy had to wipe each tear from his face with her apron, ensuring his joints didn't rust. She, too, wept out of joy at meeting her old friend. Her tears didn't need wiping. The Lion kept wiping his eyes with his tail until they got wet and had to be dried in the sun.

"If only we had the Scarecrow here," said the Tin Woodman after Dorothy told him everything that happened.

"We must look for him," said Dorothy.

Dorothy asked the Winkies to help her, and they walked all day and part of the next. Then they reached a tall tree where the Winged Monkeys had thrown the Scarecrow's clothes. Its trunk was so smooth that they couldn't climb it. "I'll chop it down to get the Scarecrow's clothes," the Woodman immediately suggested.

While the tinsmiths were repairing the Woodman, a Winkie goldsmith had made a solid gold handle for his axe. Others polished the blade until it shone like polished silver.

The Tin Woodman started chopping, and soon the tree crashed down. The Scarecrow's clothes fell from the branches and landed on the ground.

Dorothy picked them up, and the Winkies carried them back to the castle. They filled the clothes with clean straw. The Scarecrow returned to his original form, expressing gratitude for their help.

Once reunited, Dorothy and her friends enjoyed several happy days at the Yellow Castle. The castle had everything they needed for comfort.

But one day, Dorothy remembered Aunt Em and said, "We must return to Oz to claim his promise."

"Yes, I'll finally get my heart," the Woodman responded.

"And I'll get my brains," the Scarecrow added happily.

"And I'll get my courage," the Lion said thoughtfully.

"And I'll return to Kansas," Dorothy exclaimed, clapping her hands. "Let's start for the Emerald City tomorrow!"

They decided to leave the next day. They called the Winkies to say goodbye. The Winkies were sad to see them go. They had become so fond of the Tin Woodman that they asked him to stay and rule over them. But seeing the group's resolve to leave, the Winkies gave Toto and the Lion each a golden collar. They presented Dorothy with a beautiful diamond-studded bracelet. They gave the Scarecrow a gold-headed walking stick to prevent him from stumbling. Finally, they offered the Tin Woodman a silver oil-can decorated with gold and precious jewels.

Each traveler expressed their gratitude with a lovely speech and shook hands with them until their arms tired.

Dorothy went to the Witch's cupboard to gather food for the journey and discovered the Golden Cap. She tried it on and found it fit perfectly. Unaware of its charm, she decided to wear it for its beauty and put her sunbonnet in the basket.

Finally, ready for their journey, they set off for the Emerald City. The Winkies cheered for them and sent them off with many good wishes.