Dorothys Mystical Adventures in Oz | Page 6

"That's river and raft," explained the Scarecrow, trying to ease Dorothy's obvious
embarrassment. "The Pinheads make their living from supplying rivers and building
rafts." Then, turning to the Pinhead child, he asked, "How much will it cost?" Just then
some adult Pinheads approached.
"That depends," said a Pinhead male who appeared to be their leader.
"Depends on what?" asked the Scarecrow.
"On whether or not you have a pin cushion," the leader replied. "If you do, the R and R
will be free."
"Well, I don't have one," said the Scarecrow.
"And neither do I," said the Tin Woodman.
"I have one!" exclaimed Dorothy, digging into her purse. "But what on earth do you want
a pin cushion for?"
"Well, as you can see," replied the Pinhead," our feet are pointed; and since we sleep
standing up, pin cushions make wonderful beds. We just hold our feet tightly together
and jump onto the pin cushion and sink down to our heads. It is so cozy and warm, you
wouldn't believe it."
"I don't understand how that can be," said Dorothy. "I know you are not very big, but this
pin cushion seems far too small for you to stand on, let alone sink down to your head."
"Oh, that's not a problem for us," replied the Pinhead. "You see, we have the ability to
make little things big. How do you think we could make a big raft for you giants? We just
make the raft out of match-sticks and thread, and when it's enlarged it looks like it's made
out of big logs and rope."
"But how do you do that?" exclaimed the girl.
"Oh, that's easy," replied the Pinhead. "You see, after the object is made, we look at it
under our big magnifying glass. This magnifying glass is no ordinary magnifying glass,
but has the ability to magnify things permanently. It was given to our ancestors by a male
witch who had no further use for it."
"Why don't you look at each other's heads with it?" asked the Scarecrow seriously. "Then
you'd all have bigger heads."
"Oh, it won't work on living things," replied the Pinhead. "Besides, we like the way we

look. How would it be if everyone in Oz looked the same? All skinny or all fat, all tall or
all short, all white or all yellow, all blue or all green, all --"
"All right, all right! You've made your point," said the Scarecrow. "My brain is fairly
new and it's just not used to thinking that much yet."
"I agree with you, Mr. Pinhead," said Dorothy. The world would be a very dull place if
everyone looked the same. Imagine what it would be like if everyone looked exactly alike,
thought exactly alike, and talked exactly alike! There would be no point to existence."
"My sentiments entirely!" said the Pinhead.
"Getting back to the business at hand," said Dorothy. "I'm still mystified as to how you
create a river to order?"
"Well," answered the Pinhead. "It's quite simple, really. We have this huge reservoir that
was created by building a dam to capture the tears of a giant that was a bit of a cry-baby,
to say the least. The slightest little hurt would set him off on a crying spell. We turned his
excessive crying into a cottage industry by utilizing the stored up tears for our new
company, /Rivers on Demand, Inc.,/ and since the tears have magical qualities we can
direct the river to and fro', uphill or downhill, exactly as we wish to suit the customer's
order. The river even knows to avoid dwelling places and other inhabited areas, and to
return immediately to the reservoir when its passengers have disembarked."
"Remarkable!" replied Dorothy. "Just remarkable."
With that, they all went down to the newly created river to board the raft that had just
been completed for them. After stepping aboard they barely had time to wave goodbye to
their new friends as the river quickly whisked them on their way.
*

Chapter Five
:
A Visit from the Wicked Witch of the Deep South
*
"My, the river's flowing fast. I'm glad it's not that deep," said the Tin Woodman, after
they were underway. "If it were, and I fell overboard, I could rust up solid for all eternity.
Do you think the raft will stay big? Oh dear, what if it gets little again? We'll all be
spilled into the water!"
"Don't worry so much," said Dorothy, smiling. "You'll worry yourself to death."

"Can people really do that?" asked the Tin Woodman. "Worry themselves to death?"
"Of course not," laughed the girl. "But I suppose a person could become quite sick if he
constantly worried over things."
"Never worry worry, 'til worry worries you," said the Scarecrow