When the Lion had recovered from his poppy sleep, the party set out. Over the green grass they came to a road paved with yellow bricks, and they welcomed her as if she were a dear old friend.
Soon there were beautiful hedges on either side of the road, farmhouses behind them, and men and women working in the fields. The hedges and houses were painted a beautiful bright green, and the people wore green clothes.
"It means the Green Country has begun," Goode said.
— Why not?" "What is it?" asked the Scarecrow.
— Don't you know that the emerald is green?" Kaggi-Carr asked her friend.
— I don't know anything, " said the Scarecrow proudly. — When I have a brain, then I'll know everything!"
The inhabitants of the Emerald Country were no taller than Munchkins. On their heads were wide-brimmed hats with a pointed top, but without bells. They seemed unfriendly: no one approached Ellie and Nikita, and even from a distance did not address them with questions. In fact, they were just afraid of the big menacing Lion and Tiger and little Toto.
"I think we'll have to spend the night in the fields, — said the Scarecrow.
"I'm hungry," Ellie said. "The fruit is good here, and yet I'm so tired of it that I can't bear to see it, and I'd trade all of it for a crust of bread!"
"I agree, Ellie," Nikita said. — I'm also tired of fruit, I want a normal meal.
"And Toto is getting very thin," said Ellie, looking at her pet. "What are you eating, poor?"
— Yes, so that you have to... - evasively answered the dog.
He did not want to admit that every night he accompanied the Cowardly Lion on a hunt and fed on the remains of its prey.
When she saw the cottage, with its owner standing on the porch, who seemed more friendly than the other residents of the village, Ellie decided to ask for a bed for the night. Leaving her friends behind the fence, she boldly approached the porch. The woman asked:
— What do you want, child?"
"Please let us stay the night!"
— But you have a lion and a tiger with you!"
- Do not be afraid of them: The lion is tame, and, moreover, a coward! And the Tiger doesn't hurt anyone.
"If so, come in," the woman replied, " and you will have your supper and your beds."
The company entered the house, surprising and frightening the children and the owner of the house. When the general consternation had passed, the landlord asked:
— Who are you and where are you going?"
"We're going to the Emerald City," Ellie said, — and we want to see the Great Goodwin."
"Oh, really? Are you sure that Goodwin will want to see you?
— Why not?" Taffy asked.
"You see, he doesn't see anyone. I have been to the Emerald City many times, it is an amazing and beautiful place, but I have never been able to see the Great Goodwin, and I know that no one has ever seen him…
— Isn't he coming out?" Toto asked.
- No. And day and night he sits in the great throne room of his palace, and even those who serve him do not see his face.
— What does he look like, then?" Nikita asked.
"It's hard to say," said the landlord thoughtfully. "The fact is that Goodwin is a Great Sage and can take on any appearance. Sometimes he appears in the form of a bird or a leopard, and then suddenly turns into a mole. Others saw him in the form of a fish or a fly, and in any other form that he chose to take. But no one knows what its real appearance is.
"But we will try to see it, or our journey will be in vain."
— Why do you want to see Goodwin?" "What is it?" the landlord asked.
— I want to ask him for some brains for my straw head, " said the Scarecrow.
"Oh, it's nothing to him! He's got a lot more brains than he needs. They are all laid out in bags, and in each bag — a special grade.
— And I want him to give me a heart, — said the Woodman.
— And it is not difficult for him, — replied the landlord, with a sly wink. — He has a whole collection of hearts of all shapes and sizes hanging on a string.
"I'd like to get some courage from Goodwin," said the Lion.
"Goodwin has a large pot of courage in the throne room —" the host announced. It's covered with a gold lid, and Goodwin is watching to keep his courage from boiling over. Of course, he will be happy to give you a portion.
"I'm going to ask Goodwin for my height," Taffy said.
"It's not difficult," said the landlord. — With his magic, he will magnify you as much as you want.
"I want to remember the name of my creator," said the Elemental Tiger.
"Well, that's the easiest part! the landlord chuckled. — He has the names of all the wizards in the archives. And how not to help our legendary defender?
All five friends, having heard the detailed explanations of the owner, beamed and looked at each other with satisfied smiles.
"What I want," Ellie said, " is for Goodwin to bring Toto and me back to Kansas."
"And I'm going to Moscow," Nikita said.
— Where are Kansas and Moscow?" — What is it? " the surprised owner asked the children.
"We don't know," the friends replied sadly. — But these are our homelands, and they are somewhere.
"Well, I'm sure Goodwin will find both Kansas and Moscow for you. But you have to see him first, and that's not an easy task. Goodwin doesn't like to show himself, and obviously he has his own ideas about it, " the landlord added in a whisper, and looked around as if afraid that Goodwin would jump out from under the bed or out of the closet.
Everyone was a little creepy, and Lev almost went outside: he thought it was safer there.
— Why are you going?" the owner asked the crow and the dog.
"I'm going to keep you company," said the crow.
"And I have to protect Ellie," Toto said proudly.
Dinner was served, and they all sat down. Ellie and Nikita ate buckwheat porridge, and scrambled eggs, and black bread; they were very happy with these dishes, which reminded them of their distant homelands. The lion was also given porridge, but he ate it with disgust and said that it was food for rabbits, not for lions. Kaggi-Carr took a bite of bread. The Scarecrow, the Tiger, and Goode ate nothing. Toto and Taffy ate their portions and asked for more.
The woman put Ellie and Nikita to bed, and Toto and Taffy settled down next to their little mistress. Kaggi-Carr fell asleep on the ledge. The lion was stretched out on the threshold of the room, and kept watch to prevent any one from entering, while Goode, the Scarecrow, and the Tiger stood all night in a corner, occasionally talking in whispers.