The Tin Woodman of Oz | Page 6

I returned to Nimmie Amee,
the girl was delighted and threw her arms around my neck and kissed
me, declaring she was proud of me. The Witch saw the kiss and was
more angry than before. When I went to work in the forest, next day,
my axe, being still enchanted, slipped and cut off my other leg. Again I
hopped -- on my tin leg -- to my friend the tinsmith, who kindly made
me another tin leg and fastened it to my body. So I returned joyfully to
Nimmie Amee, who was much pleased with my glittering legs and
promised that when we were wed she would always keep them oiled
and polished. But the Witch was more furious than ever, and as soon as
I raised my axe to chop, it twisted around and cut off one of my arms.
The tinsmith made me a tin arm and I was not much worried, because
Nimmie Amee declared she still loved me."

Chapter Two
The Heart of the Tin Woodman
The Emperor of the Winkies paused in his story to reach for an oil-can,
with which he carefully oiled the joints in his tin throat, for his voice
had begun to squeak a little. Woot the Wanderer, having satisfied his
hunger, watched this oiling process with much curiosity, but begged the

Tin Man to go on with his tale.
"The Witch with the Silver Shoes hated me for having defied her,"
resumed the Emperor, his voice now sounding clear as a bell, "and she
insisted that Nimmie Amee should never marry me. Therefore she
made the enchanted axe cut off my other arm, and the tinsmith also
replaced that member with tin, including these finely-jointed hands that
you see me using. But, alas! after that, the axe, still enchanted by the
cruel Witch, cut my body in two, so that I fell to the ground. Then the
Witch, who was watching from a near-by bush, rushed up and seized
the axe and chopped my body into several small pieces, after which,
thinking that at last she had destroyed me, she ran away laughing in
wicked glee.
"But Nimmie Amee found me. She picked up my arms and legs and
head, and made a bundle of them and carried them to the tinsmith, who
set to work and made me a fine body of pure tin. When he had joined
the arms and legs to the body, and set my head in the tin collar, I was a
much better man than ever, for my body could not ache or pain me, and
I was so beautiful and bright that I had no need of clothing. Clothing is
always a nuisance, because it soils and tears and has to be replaced; but
my tin body only needs to be oiled and polished.
"Nimmie Amee still declared she would marry me, as she still loved me
in spite of the Witch's evil deeds. The girl declared I would make the
brightest husband in all the world, which was quite true. However, the
Wicked Witch was not yet defeated. When I returned to my work the
axe slipped and cut off my head, which was the only meat part of me
then remaining. Moreover, the old woman grabbed up my severed head
and carried it away with her and hid it. But Nimmie Amee came into
the forest and found me wandering around helplessly, because I could
not see where to go, and she led me to my friend the tinsmith. The
faithful fellow at once set to work to make me a tin head, and he had
just completed it when Nimmie Amee came running up with my old
head, which she had stolen from the Witch. But, on reflection, I
considered the tin head far superior to the meat one -- I am wearing it
yet, so you can see its beauty and grace of outline -- and the girl agreed

with me that a man all made of tin was far more perfect than one
formed of different materials. The tinsmith was as proud of his
workmanship as I was, and for three whole days, all admired me and
praised my beauty. "Being now completely formed of tin, I had no
more fear of the Wicked Witch, for she was powerless to injure me.
Nimmie Amee said we must be married at once, for then she could
come to my cottage and live with me and keep me bright and sparkling.
"'I am sure, my dear Nick,' said the brave and beautiful girl -- my name
was then Nick Chopper, you should be told -- 'that you will make the
best husband any girl could have. I shall not be obliged to cook for you,
for now you do