Dorothy presently asked him a question the Tin Woodman could not open
his mouth, for his jaws were tightly rusted together. He became greatly
frightened at this and made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but
she could not understand. The Lion was also puzzled to know what was
wrong. But the Scarecrow seized the oil-can from Dorothy s basket and
oiled the Woodman s jaws, so that after a few moments he could talk as
well as before.
This will serve me a lesson, said he, to look where I step. For if I
should kill another bug or beetle I should surely cry again, and crying
rusts my jaws so that I cannot speak.
Thereafter he walked very carefully, with his eyes on the road, and
when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it, so as not to
harm it. The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore
he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.
You people with hearts, he said, have something to guide you, and
need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very
careful. When Oz gives me a heart of course I needn t mind so much.
Chapter VII
The Journey to the Great Oz
They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in the
forest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thick
covering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped a
great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that
warmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last of
their bread, and now she did not know what they would do for breakfast.
If you wish, said the Lion, I will go into the forest and kill a
deer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since your tastes are so
peculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you will have a very
good breakfast.
32