The Patchwork Girl of Oz

Jo

supposed to know anything of the Land of Oz, while the Glass Cat admitted she had never wandered very far away from the Magician's house. There was only one path before them, at the begi

because her cheeks wrinkled up, her nose tipped, her silver button

who was feeling solemn and joyless thr

nd intended to be a slave to Margolotte, rendered free as air by an accident that none of you could foresee. I am enjoying life and seeing t

ocent Scraps," remarked the Cat. "The world doesn't co

brown yarn curls fluttered in the breeze. "Growing between them I can see lovely ferns and wild-flow

e world is like, I'm sure," said

gloomy and sad and the wild-flowers seem lonesome. It must be nicer where

seen, so far, have pale, colorless skins and clothes as blue as the country they live in, while I am of many gor

brains," observed the boy. "Perhaps, as the Magician said

do with my brai

t enough to keep you going-but when she wasn't looking I added a good

ead of Ojo and then dancing back to his side. "If

oy, "and I had no time to be careful. From the way

t, which was trotting along in a very dainty and graceful manner. "The onl

He found that the Magician had given him part of a loaf of bread and a slice of cheese. He broke off some of the bread and was surprised to find the

pt has enchanted the bread and the cheese, so it wil

, gazing at him in astonishment. "Do you need more stuffing

ed that kin

is to talk wi

y. "If I didn't put food into my mouth,

w that," she said

of the bread and sh

e asked, scarce

swallow it,"

he bread and beyond her mouth there was no opening. Bein

and starve, for I c

enough to try. Can't you understand that you and I are

the girl. "Don't bother my head by asking conundrums,

g herself by leaping acros

u'll fall in the w

er m

'll be soggy and can't walk. Your

run whenever I

s and yellows and purples of your patches might run into ea

be careful, for if I spoiled my splendi

in bad taste. Please notice that my body has no color at all. I'm transparent, e

ery proud of what little color you have. Shoo, Miss Bungle, shoo-shoo-shoo! If you were all colors and many colors, as I am, you'd be too stuck up for anything."

te-dood

has lost

bare, but sh

the odds

t; "don't you think the cre

answered, with

I'll scratch off her suspender

urney. "Let us be good comrades and as happy and cheerful as poss

med houses, none of which, however, was very near to the place where they stood. Just at the point where the path left the forest stood a tiny house covered with leaves from the trees, and before this stood a Munchkin man with an axe

little house. He had bushy blue whiskers and merry b

d stop laughing. "Who would think such a funny harlequin li

e?" asked the

se," he

. I'm not a crazy-quilt;

hen my old grandmother sews such things together she calls it a c

Powder that did

the Magician will get in trouble for this; it's against the law for anyone to work magic except Glinda the Good and the royal Wizard

ared Scraps, sitting upon the ben

f us take

e arres

no res

rest we m

nodding; "you're as crazy as

mber how many different things she's made of. For my part, I'm made of pure glass-except my je

of thing, but a Patchwork Girl is really useful. She makes me laugh, and laughter is the best thing in life. Th

er?" said Ojo. "

his axe, and used to chop himself very badly. Whenever he lost an arm

hop wood then?"

with her to the Emerald City, where he made his fortune. He is now one of the favorites of P

?" inquired the

now a Princess of Oz. She's Ozma's best friend,

ade of tin?"

rk, like me?" i

, and that is Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman; and there will never be but one Patch

odman, for we are going to the Cou

asked the

t wing of a yel

will go through lonely parts of Oz and cross rive

id Scraps. "I'll get a c

e; or give yourself to some little girl to play with. Those wh

ttle hut, but they were anxious to get on and so left him and con

dark, but the twilight was brief and Ojo soon began to

path," he said at last.

l, who was holding fast to the

ss Cat. "My eyes are better t

y; "just run ahead and show us the way. Wait a minute

er that the creature guided them along the path. They had proceeded in thi

ill surely welcome us and give us a night's lodging." But however far they walk

all never be able to catch up with it. But here

the hous

beside us

y. It was dark and silent, but the boy was tired and

" cried a voic

h me are Miss Scraps Patchwork

want?" aske

to sleep,

any noise, and you must go dire

dark inside and he could see nothing at all. B

aid the boy. "Some

"and no one is present but ourselves. But here are th

" inquired the

o when you go to

to bed?" persisted

uch noise," cried the Voice they had heard b

ut could discover no one, although the Voice had seemed close beside them. She arched her

and plenty of blankets. So he took off his shoes and hat and crept into the bed. Then the c

quiet," whispered

sing?" as

N

histle?" a

N

morning, if I want

iet," said the ca

ing as loudly as usual. "What right have you to orde

door, which closed behind her with a sharp slam. She found herself bumping and rolling in t

pened to Scra

p, or something will happen t

ell asleep, and he was so tired that