the cowardly lion
all this time dorothy and her panions had been walking through the thick woods. the road was still paved with yellow brick, but these were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees, and the walking was not at all good.
there were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love the open try where there is plenty of sunshine. but now and then there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees. these sounds made the little girls heart beat fast, for she did not know what made them; but toto knew, and he walked close to dorothys side, and did not even bark iurn.
"how long will it be," the child asked of the tin woodman, "before we are out of the forest?”
"i ot tell," was the answer, "for i have never been to the emerald city. but my father went there once, when i was a boy, and he said it was a long jourhrough a dangerous try, although o the city where oz dwells the try is beautiful. but i am not afraid so long as i have my oil-, and nothing hurt the scarecrow, while you bear upon your forehead the mark of the good witchs kiss, and that will protect you from harm.”
"but toto!" said the girl anxiously. "what will protect him?”
"we must protect him ourselves if he is in danger," replied the tin woodman.
just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar, and the moment a great lion bounded into the road. with one blow of his paw he sent the scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the road, and theruck at the tin woodman with his sharp claws. but, to the lions surprise, he could make no impression oin, although the woodman fell over in the road and lay still.
little toto, now that he had ao face, ran barking toward the lion, and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog, when dorothy, fearing toto would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed forward and slapped the lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while she cried out:
"dont you dare to bite toto! you ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!”
"i didnt bite him," said the lion, as he rubbed his h his paw where dorothy had hit it.
"no, but you tried to," she retorted. "you are nothing but a big coward.”
"i know it," said the lion, hanging his head in shame. "ive always known it. but how i help it?”
"i dont know, im sure. to think of your striking a stuffed man, like the poor scarecrow!”
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