Between the Lines: The Tin Woodman

A while back, we walked down the Yellow Brick Road with two characters from L. Frank Baum's beloved Oz books, Dorothy Gale and the Scarecrow. Today, I'm lucky enough to have one of their friends and companions, the Tin Woodman. Let's hear what he's got to say.

Greg:  Welcome, please make yourself at home. There's one thing I've always wanted to know about you. Were you always made of tin?

Tin Woodman:  Oh no. I was once a flesh and blood man. My name was Nick Chopper. I was happy to spend my days chopping wood in the forest and coming home in the evening to the girl I loved.

Greg:  I see. So, what happened?

Tin Woodman:  Well, you see, at the time, there were some in Oz who could not stand to see anyone happy and in love. One of these was the Wicked Witch of the East. She did not like it at all. She decided to put an end to our happiness.

One day when I was out in the forest chopping wood, she laid an enchantment upon my axe. With the very next swing, I chopped my arm clean off.

Greg:  Ugh, how awful. What did you do?

Tin Woodman:  I was pretty put out, I can tell you. I rushed right to the tinsmith, and he staunched the bleeding and made me a wonderful arm of tin to replace the one I'd lost. I was so happy--well, at least as happy as you can be when you've chopped one of your arms off. What I mean is, it could have been worse. I didn't realize that the worst was yet to come.

I probably shouldn't have, but the next day I went back out into the forest to chop wood. It never occurred to me that my axe was enchanted. I thought I was just really clumsy. I began to chop wood again, and what do you think happened?

Greg:  Let me guess, you had another accident?

Tin Woodman:  I'll say. On the first swing, I chopped off my other arm. I was really embarrassed when I had to go to the tinsmith for an arm for the second day in a row. But, the tinsmith got right to work and made me another arm. Once again I went home thinking that I was still in pretty good shape.

On the third day, I figured, "What could happen?", so I set out again to chop wood. Well, I cut one of my legs off! In fact, for thee next two weeks I managed to chop myself to bits, but my axe never touched any wood, not so much as a toothpick.  

Greg:  You mean the tinsmith replaced your whole body with tin parts?

Monday Interview Series: The Scarecrow

Now that fall has arrived and elections, both local and national, are coming up in a couple of months, I am growing thoroughly sick of all the political ads. I'm not one to get political, especially in this blog, but it seems to me that we would be better served to be led by folks who check their egos at the door and use their brains.

Instead, all these politicians do is talk, talk, talk and rake each other over the coals. This reminds me of something this week's interviewee once said--"I've noticed that some people without brains do an awful lot of talking," which I think sums up modern day politics perfectly.

Okay, I'm down off my soapbox. This week, I'm talking with someone who claims they have no brain himself, but who seems to me to be very wise. Of course, I'm referring to the Scarecrow from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Greg:  Thank you so much for coming over to chat with us a bit. What have you been up to?

Scarecrow:  Oh, quite a lot, actually. It's really been a whirlwind since I met Dorothy--no pun intended.

Greg:  Yes, well you certainly had an adventure what with meeting Dorothy and the Tin Man and the Lion, and nearly being burned by the Wicked Witch.

Scarecrow:  Ooh! Let's not talk about that. It certainly was scary, like being trapped inside my worst nightmare. Still it wasn't all bad. I got to meet Dorothy and made some wonderful friends. Oh yes, and don't forget that the Wizard gave me some brains. I was a real dolt before that.

Greg:  Oh I don't know about that. You seemed to come up with some great ideas before you got anywhere near the Emerald City. For instance, who was it that got the trees to throw apples at you? Who came up with the plan to get into the Witch's castle? And, who chopped the rope that dropped the chandelier onto the Witch's guards? That wasn't the work of a dummy.

Scarecrow:  That was just luck. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time is all. Besides, things didn't really start to take off for me until after the Wizard gave me my brains.

Greg:  Really? How so?

Scarecrow:  Well, you see, just before the Wizard took off in his balloon, he appointed me to rule in his stead. Now you can imagine how scary that was for a humble country bumpkin like myself who had only had his brains for a very short while. Of course, I did the best I could. Folks seemed to be reasonably happy with the job I did.

On the whole, I felt I did an okay job. Of course after a while there was this coup by General Jinjur, so I guess things might not have gone as smoothly as I would have liked. I was able to get help from Glinda the Good Witch on that occasion, so things turned out okay in the long run.

Greg:  That sounds exciting. Things seem to have worked out well for you. Are you still ruler of Oz?

Scarecrow:  It's funny how things work out. You see, I was almost happy that I got ousted. Once I was restored to power, I wasn't really happy. Then Ozma came along. I was more than happy to pass the job along to her, and to become one of her advisors. I found it was much easier to offer advice than to actually have to make a decision.

Greg:  Yes, well good for you. I'm glad you finally found your happy place. And after all, didn't the Tin Woodman declare you the wisest man in Oz?

Scarecrow:  It was very kind of him to say, and I must admit there is some truth to it. Not to sound conceited, but people do come to me from all corners of Oz and beyond ask for my advice.

Greg:  Really? Well, how very nice for you. And what are you up to these days?

Scarecrow:  I am currently outstanding in my field.

Greg:  Oh yes, and what field is that?

Scarecrow:  No, no, you misunderstand me. I've gone back to my roots. I've returned to thee field where Dorothy found me, and I can usually be found out standing in it. Get it? I'm usually out standing in my field? That's a little bit of brainy humor. Now if you'll excuse me, there are some crows that need outsmarting. Bye, now!

Monday Interview Series: Dorothy Gale

I'm pleased to announce that a special guest is visiting us this week at The Deliverers Publishing Headquarters. She just blew in all the way from Kansas, Miss Dorothy Gale!

Greg:  Welcome, Dorothy. Thanks for taking some time with us.

Dorothy:  Thank you very much for having me, I'm sure. You sure do have a lot of trees around here.

Greg:  Don't you have very many in Kansas?

Dorothy:  Oh no. It's all flat and kind of dusty and gray in Kansas, at least the part where I'm from. There aren't hardly any trees at all. And the twisters, my Aunt Em is always afraid of being caught in one. She always runs lickety split to the storm cellar whenever there's the faintest hint of a breeze, much less a twister. "Better safe than sorry, I always say," she always says.

Greg:  Yes, a wise woman, no doubt. If I remember correctly, it was being caught in a twister that started you on your adventure.

Dorothy:  Why, yes, yes it was. It's almost like you could read my mind, just like that Professor Marvel. Oh, he was a wise and wonderful man--he could see into the future. He didn't tell me that I'd be caught in a storm and taken to Munchkin Land. But then, I don't suppose that anyone in their right mind would have predicted that.

Greg:  No, I don't suppose they would. How did you get to Munchkin Land?

Dorothy:  By twister. Toto, that's my dog, and I were trying to get into the storm cellar, but Aunt Em and Uncle Henry had locked themselves in, so I took Toto into the house. That twister lifted us clear up and out of Kansas and into Munchkin Land. I guess that I was the first person to travel by twister who lived to tell the tale.

Greg:  What was Munchkin Land like?

Dorothy:  Oh is was beautiful. The Munchkins were very pleased to see me, mainly because my house had landed on the Wicked Witch of the East. The munchkins were happy, but the witch's sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, was pretty upset. I was very sorry. All I wanted to do was to get home, but she didn't listen to me. She just wanted her old ruby slippers, which her sister had, but which wound up on my feet somehow.

The Munchkins said that maybe the Wizard of Oz, a great and powerful wizard, might be able to send me home, so they had me follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City. I would have preferred to take a train instead of walking, but they didn't seem to have any such things, so I decided, when in Rome!

Greg:  So you were on your way. Did you make any friends on your way to Oz?