The TIN WOODMAN by L. Frank Baum of Oz CHAPTER 11 - JINJUR’S RANCH As they followed a path down the blue- So Woot gathered a lot of the cream- grass hillside, the first house that met the puffs that were golden yellow and filled with view of the travelers was joyously recognized a sweet, creamy substance, and ate until his by the Scarecrow Bear as the one inhabited hunger was satisfied. Then he entered the by his friend Jinjur, so they increased their house with his friends and sat in a rocking- speed and hurried toward it. chair—just as he was accustomed to do when On reaching the place, however, they a boy. The Canary perched herself upon the found the house deserted. The front door mantel and daintily plumed her feathers; the stood open, but no one was inside. In the Tin Owl sat on the back of another chair; the garden surrounding the house were neat Scarecrow squatted on his hairy haunches in rows of bushes bearing cream-puffs and the middle of the room. macaroons, some of which were still green, “I believe I remember the girl Jinjur,” re- but others ripe and ready to eat. Farther marked the Canary, in her sweet voice. “She back were fields of caramels, and all the land cannot help us very much, except to direct seemed well cultivated and carefully tended. us on our way to Glinda’s castle, for she does They looked through the fields for the girl not understand magic. But she’s a good girl, farmer, but she was nowhere to be seen. honest and sensible, and I’ll be glad to see “Well,” finally remarked the little Brown her.” Bear, “let us go into the house and make “All our troubles,” said the Owl with a ourselves at home. That will be sure to please deep sigh, “arose from my foolish resolve to my friend Jinjur, who happens to be away seek Nimmie Amee and make her Empress from home just now. When she returns, she of the Winkies, and while I wish to reproach will be greatly surprised.” no one, I must say that it was Woot the Wan- “Would she care if I ate some of those derer who put the notion into my head.” ripe cream-puffs?” asked the Green Monkey. “Well, for my part, I am glad he did,” re- “No, indeed; Jinjur is very generous. sponded the Canary. “Your journey resulted Help yourself to all you want,” said the in saving me from the Giantess, and had you Scarecrow Bear. not traveled to the Yoop Valley, I would still — — Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu The Tin Woodman of Oz: Chapter 11 By L. Frank Baum be Mrs. Yoop’s prisoner. It is much nicer to “I feel the same way,” announced the be free, even though I still bear the enchanted stuffed Bear. “What do you suppose my friend form of a Canary-Bird.” the Patchwork Girl would think of me, if she “Do you think we shall ever be able to saw me wearing this beastly shape?” get our proper forms back again?” asked the “She’d laugh till she cried,” admitted the Green Monkey earnestly. Tin Owl. “For my part, I’ll have to give up Polychrome did not make reply at once the notion of marrying Nimmie Amee, but to this important question, but after a period I’ll try not to let that make me unhappy. If it’s of thoughtfulness she said: my duty, I’d like to do my duty, but if magic “I have been taught to believe that prevents my getting married I’ll flutter along there is an antidote for every magic charm, all by myself and be just as contented.” yet Mrs. Yoop insists that no power can al- Their serious misfortunes made them all ter her transformations. I realize that my silent for a time, and as their thoughts were own fairy magic cannot do it, although I busy in dwelling upon the evils with which have thought that we Sky Fairies have more fate had burdened them, none noticed that power than is accorded to Earth Fairies. Jinjur had suddenly appeared in the doorway The Yookoohoo magic is admitted to be and was looking at them in astonishment. The very strange in its workings and different next moment her astonishment changed to from the magic usually practiced, but per- anger, for there, in her best rocking-chair, sat haps Glinda or Ozma may understand it a Green Monkey. A great shiny Owl perched better than I. In them lies our only hope. upon another chair and a Brown Bear squatted Unless they can help us, we must remain upon her parlor rug. Jinjur did not notice the forever as we are.” Canary, but she caught up a broomstick and “A Canary-Bird on a Rainbow wouldn’t dashed into the room, shouting as she came: be so bad,” asserted the Tin Owl, winking “Get out of here, you wild creatures! and blinking with his round tin eyes, “so if How dare you enter my house?” you can manage to find your Rainbow again With a blow of her broom she knocked you need have little to worry about.” the Brown Bear over, and the Tin Owl tried “That’s nonsense, Friend Chopper,” ex- to fly out of her reach and made a great clat- claimed Woot. “I know just how Polychrome ter with his tin wings. The Green Monkey feels. A beautiful girl is much superior to a was so startled by the sudden attack that he little yellow bird, and a boy—such as I was— sprang into the fireplace—where there was far better than a Green Monkey. Neither of fortunately no fire—and tried to escape by us can be happy again unless we recover our climbing up the chimney. But he found the rightful forms.” opening too small, and so was forced to drop — — Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu The Tin Woodman of Oz: Chapter 11 By L. Frank Baum down again. Then he crouched trembling in “Goodness me!” cried Jinjur, amazed; the fireplace, his pretty green hair all black- “that Giantess must be a powerful Sorceress, ened with soot and covered with ashes. From and as wicked as she is powerful.” this position Woot watched to see what would “She’s a Yookoohoo,” said Polychrome. happen next. “Fortunately, we managed to escape from her “Stop, Jinjur—stop!” cried the Brown castle, and we are now on our way to Glinda Bear, when the broom again threatened him. the Good to see if she possesses the power to “Don’t you know me? I’m your old friend the restore us to our former shapes.” Scarecrow?” “Then I must beg your pardons; all of “You’re trying to deceive me, you naugh- you must forgive me,” said Jinjur, putting ty beast! I can see plainly that you are a bear, away the broom. “I took you to be a lot of and a mighty poor specimen of a bear, too,” wild, unmannerly animals, as was quite nat- retorted the girl. ural. You are very welcome to my home and “That’s because I’m not properly stuffed,” I’m sorry I haven’t the power to help you out he assured her. “When Mrs. Yoop trans- of your troubles. Please use my house and all formed me, she didn’t realize I should have that I have, as if it were your own.” more stuffing.” At this declaration of peace, the Bear got “Who is Mrs. Yoop?” inquired Jinjur, upon his feet and the Owl resumed his perch pausing with the broom still upraised. upon the chair and the Monkey crept out of “A Giantess in the Gillikin Country.” the fireplace. Jinjur looked at Woot critically, “Oh; I begin to understand. And Mrs. and scowled. Yoop transformed you? You are really the fa- “For a Green Monkey,” said she, “you’re mous Scarecrow of Oz?” the blackest creature I ever saw. And you’ll “I was, Jinjur. Just now I’m as you see get my nice clean room all dirty with soot me—a miserable little Brown Bear with a and ashes. Whatever possessed you to jump poor quality of stuffing. That Tin Owl is none up the chimney?” other than our dear Tin Woodman—Nick “I—I was scared,” explained Woot, Chopper, the Emperor of the Winkies— somewhat ashamed. while this Green Monkey is a nice little boy “Well, you need renovating, and that’s we recently became acquainted with, Woot what will happen to you, right away. Come the Wanderer.” with me!” she commanded. “And I,” said the Canary, flying close to “What are you going to do?” asked Jinjur, “am Polychrome, the Daughter of the Woot. Rainbow, in the form of a bird.” “Give you a good scrubbing,” said Jinjur. — — Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu The Tin Woodman of Oz: Chapter 11 By L. Frank Baum Now, neither boys nor monkeys relish be- “You’re as pretty a girl as I’ve ever seen,” ing scrubbed, so Woot shrank away from the he replied. energetic girl, trembling fearfully. But Jinjur Jinjur frowned. That is, she tried hard to grabbed him by his paw and dragged him out frown. to the back yard, where, in spite of his whines “Come out into the garden with me,” and struggles, she plunged him into a tub of she said, “and I’ll give you some of the most cold water and began to scrub him with a stiff delicious caramels you ever ate.