Witch, and destroy her."
"But suppose we cannot?" said the girl."Then I shall never have courage," declared the Lion."And I shall never have brains," added the Scarecrow."And I shall never have a heart," spoke the Tin of Woodman."And I shall never see Aunt Em and Uncle Henry," said Dorothy,beginning to cry.
"Be careful!" cried the green girl. "The tears will fall onyour green silk gown and spot it."So Dorothy dried her eyes and said, "I suppose we must try it;but I am sure I do not want to kill anybody, even to see Aunt Em again.""I will go with you; but I'm too much of a coward to kill theWitch," said the Lion.
"I will go too," declared the Scarecrow; "but I shall not beof much help to you, I am such a fool.""I haven't the heart to harm even a Witch," remarked the TinWoodman; "but if you go I certainly shall go with you."Therefore it was decided to start upon their journey the nextmorning, and the Woodman sharpened his axe on a green grindstoneand had all his joints properly oiled. The Scarecrow stuffedhimself with fresh straw and Dorothy put new paint on his eyesthat he might see better. The green girl, who was very kind tothem, filled Dorothy's basket with good things to eat, andfastened a little bell around Toto's neck with a green ribbon.They went to bed quite early and slept soundly until daylight,when they were awakened by the crowing of a green cock that livedin the back yard of the Palace, and the cackling of a hen that hadlaid a green egg.
12. The Search for the Wicked Witch
The soldier with the green whiskers led them through thestreets of the Emerald City until they reached the room where theGuardian of the Gates lived. This officer unlocked their spectaclesto put them back in his great box, and then he politely opened thegate for our friends.
"Which road leads to the Wicked Witch of the West?" askedDorothy.
"There is no road," answered the Guardian of the Gates."No one ever wishes to go that way.""How, then, are we to find her?" inquired the girl."That will be easy," replied the man, "for when she knows youare in the country of the Winkies she will find you, and make youall her slaves."
"Perhaps not," said the Scarecrow, "for we mean to destroy her.""Oh, that is different," said the Guardian of the Gates."No one has ever destroyed her before, so I naturally thought shewould make slaves of you, as she has of the rest. But take care;for she is wicked and fierce, and may not allow you to destroy her.Keep to the West, where the sun sets, and you cannot fail to find her."They thanked him and bade him good-bye, and turned toward the West,walking over fields of soft grass dotted here and there with daisies
