Chapter 4: A Scottish Lion
Jack was glad he had a woodsman on the journey now. As the forest got thicker, the trees were posing more of a problem. Once they found a large fallen tree blocking their way. Jack's sword could easily cut through the wood, but it was good having someone else working at it too.
"I hope we don't have too much more to do of this," Nick said. "We need our weapons prepared for danger."
"What kind of danger?" Jack asked.
"I've heard there are many dangerous creatures in this forests, like lions and tigers and bears."
Jack nodded and walked on cautiously.
"Ahem! That was your cue!"
"What?"
"You know, for the frightful, 'Oh my!'"
"How come? I am not afraid, not even of the King of Beasts."
Scarcely had he spoke that, though, that the travelers heard a great roar. A lion had sprung onto the pathway. He bounded over to the Scarecrow and easily pushed him over. Then he went for Nick, but his tin hurt the lion's paw. Jack thought it was best to attack him while he was still injured. He drew his sword and charged with a war cry, but to his surprise, the lion screamed, covered his head with his forepaws, and started crying.
"Don' hurt m', please!" the lion cried. "I wasn' gonna eat ye, I just wan'ed to shake ye up a wee bit. I'll leave ye alone, I will, if you just don' hurt me!"
Jack knew that voice. It was the Scotsman he had met more than once on his travels. He was ashamed at the scene he was making. "Why are you acting so much like a coward?"
"'CAUSE I AM A COWARD!" the lion bawled. "I was born a coward, and I'll die a coward! And don' ye go into the lecture! I know I'm not supposed to be a coward, that I will be King of the Beasts one day. My roar seems to make up for it, but every little bi' of danger makes me want to run! Oh, how I wish I had some courage in me!"
"Absurd!" Jack cried. "You are one of the bravest men I know. Have you forgotten when we took on all those bounty hunters handcuffed together? Or when we faced an entire army of demons to save your wife?"
"I'm not following ye, laddie," the lion shook his head.
Jack sighed. "Perhaps I should say that you misunderstand courage. It is not being completely unafraid in the face of danger. It is standing up for yourself in spite of your fear. What you truly need is confidence in yourself, and I am sure you can gain that from being yourself."
"Well, all the same, I'd like to forget I'm a coward every once in a while."
"What makes you a coward?" Nick asked. "Is it a heart disease?"
"I don' know. Maybe it is. Every time I face danger, my heart does beat something crazy."
"Well then, you should feel glad that you have a heart, for I have none. But I'm going to get one from the Wizard of Oz, and Scarecrow is going to get a brain, and Jack is going to go back to his home. I'm sure the wizard could get you some courage just as easily."
"Will he? Splendid! Let me come with you, please!"
"You are welcome," Jack replied. It may be useful traveling with such a frightful beast after all.
The journey was rather uneventful after that. At one time, Nick stepped on a beetle. He felt sad for the insect and started to cry. His jaws rusted together. Jack oiled the corners of his mouth so that he could speak again. "I'd better look where I step from now on," Nick said. "I don't want another little thing to be so hurt."
"Do you not see that this proves you have a heart?" Jack asked. "You care for the life of an almost insignificant insect!"
"On the contrary, it proves I do not have a heart. For your heart guides you and keeps you from doing wrong. Once I have a heart again, I will not have to be so cautious."
Jack thought that notion was ridiculous, but he did not say anything.
They found a place on the side of the road for Jack and the lion to call it a day. Nick and the Scarecrow stood guard.
The danger was yet to come.
Jack was glad he had a woodsman on the journey now. As the forest got thicker, the trees were posing more of a problem. Once they found a large fallen tree blocking their way. Jack's sword could easily cut through the wood, but it was good having someone else working at it too.
"I hope we don't have too much more to do of this," Nick said. "We need our weapons prepared for danger."
"What kind of danger?" Jack asked.
"I've heard there are many dangerous creatures in this forests, like lions and tigers and bears."
Jack nodded and walked on cautiously.
"Ahem! That was your cue!"
"What?"
"You know, for the frightful, 'Oh my!'"
"How come? I am not afraid, not even of the King of Beasts."
Scarcely had he spoke that, though, that the travelers heard a great roar. A lion had sprung onto the pathway. He bounded over to the Scarecrow and easily pushed him over. Then he went for Nick, but his tin hurt the lion's paw. Jack thought it was best to attack him while he was still injured. He drew his sword and charged with a war cry, but to his surprise, the lion screamed, covered his head with his forepaws, and started crying.
"Don' hurt m', please!" the lion cried. "I wasn' gonna eat ye, I just wan'ed to shake ye up a wee bit. I'll leave ye alone, I will, if you just don' hurt me!"
Jack knew that voice. It was the Scotsman he had met more than once on his travels. He was ashamed at the scene he was making. "Why are you acting so much like a coward?"
"'CAUSE I AM A COWARD!" the lion bawled. "I was born a coward, and I'll die a coward! And don' ye go into the lecture! I know I'm not supposed to be a coward, that I will be King of the Beasts one day. My roar seems to make up for it, but every little bi' of danger makes me want to run! Oh, how I wish I had some courage in me!"
"Absurd!" Jack cried. "You are one of the bravest men I know. Have you forgotten when we took on all those bounty hunters handcuffed together? Or when we faced an entire army of demons to save your wife?"
"I'm not following ye, laddie," the lion shook his head.
Jack sighed. "Perhaps I should say that you misunderstand courage. It is not being completely unafraid in the face of danger. It is standing up for yourself in spite of your fear. What you truly need is confidence in yourself, and I am sure you can gain that from being yourself."
"Well, all the same, I'd like to forget I'm a coward every once in a while."
"What makes you a coward?" Nick asked. "Is it a heart disease?"
"I don' know. Maybe it is. Every time I face danger, my heart does beat something crazy."
"Well then, you should feel glad that you have a heart, for I have none. But I'm going to get one from the Wizard of Oz, and Scarecrow is going to get a brain, and Jack is going to go back to his home. I'm sure the wizard could get you some courage just as easily."
"Will he? Splendid! Let me come with you, please!"
"You are welcome," Jack replied. It may be useful traveling with such a frightful beast after all.
The journey was rather uneventful after that. At one time, Nick stepped on a beetle. He felt sad for the insect and started to cry. His jaws rusted together. Jack oiled the corners of his mouth so that he could speak again. "I'd better look where I step from now on," Nick said. "I don't want another little thing to be so hurt."
"Do you not see that this proves you have a heart?" Jack asked. "You care for the life of an almost insignificant insect!"
"On the contrary, it proves I do not have a heart. For your heart guides you and keeps you from doing wrong. Once I have a heart again, I will not have to be so cautious."
Jack thought that notion was ridiculous, but he did not say anything.
They found a place on the side of the road for Jack and the lion to call it a day. Nick and the Scarecrow stood guard.
The danger was yet to come.
