Chapter 3-An explanation and a delay
The Scarecrow sighed. "Well, it all started just a little while after Dorothy here left Oz…"
"It had been 3 weeks since Dorothy left, and Lion, the Tinman and I were all together. Tinman was helping me rule Oz, and he was the head of the army, working with
Tik-Tok.
Lion was King of the Forest where he had spent his childhood-or cub hood. We had met to talk about the fact that there was now no witch of the West or East, and it was traditional that there had to be four witches of Oz. Of course, we wanted to make them all Good witches, so we'd spent ages searching every good witch school in the whole of Oz, but we couldn't find anyone who was right for the job.
We had just found a girl who seemed perfect. Clever, powerful and kind. She was the perfect witch. We were planning to make her the Good Witch of the East. Then, on the day we were going to crown her the Good Witch, we got a very surprising visitor.
Glinda was there, and so was her sister, Belinda. The Tinman wasn't there because the Munchkins had decided they didn't want a witch, so he was calming them down with all his heart. But as the new Good Witch was about to have the crown for the East placed on her head, we heard a cackle. "Replacing my sister so soon, hmm? Well, you thought wrong!" and before our eyes the girl we'd picked for being so perfect had turned before our eyes into the most evil witch Oz had ever faced. Dorothy had melted her, with a bucket of water, but it hadn't killed her. Now the Wicked Witch of the West was back and worse then ever!
She'd killed the girl who we'd decided to make the witch, and then transformed herself so that she would look like her. It was too late by then to stop her. She magicked Glinda and her sister, Belinda, away to Belinda's castle in the South. They were trapped there, unable to help, as in one fell swoop the Witch scattered Tinman, lion and I far away from Oz. She did a spell which would transport us to your world, but far away from you. She made it so we would appear we belonged in your world. That was why I couldn't speak until I saw you. The Wicked Witch knew I'd be able to break the spell if you were there, so her spell separated us all and sent us far away from you. But Glinda managed to alter her spell a little, so that we would end up nearer your home. Since then, for the past 11 months, I have been on that pole as an ordinary Kansas scarecrow. I couldn't even talk to the crows, although only a few dared to come near me. I don't know what happened to the others." He finished his story sadly, not looking Dorothy in the eye. He didn't want to see her disappointment that he'd failed as King. Dorothy hugged him. "Oh Scarecrow! We must try to find the others, they'll be scared. Well, the lion won't be, but Tinman will be so lonely! And Lion will have to fight other lions in order to be king of the forest!" She didn't seem to blame him, but she was definitely very worried about the others.
"Yes, but you can't go and find them Now, Dorothy! Its nearly nightfall! Now lets get going back home and your friend can stay the night." Aunt Em told her firmly. Dorothy protested. "Oh, but Auntie Em, they're my friends! Please let me help them!" she cried desperately. Aunt Em wanted to let her look but she had to stay firm. "Tomorrow, Dorothy. We'll never find them in the dark, and I'm sure they wouldn't want you getting yourself into danger for them. And I don't like the sound of this Wicked Witch. I'm not going to allow you to endanger yourself fighting witches. Now, lets go…"
"She's right, Dorothy. You can't find them now. It would help them far more if you went home and set off looking tomorrow." The Scarecrow agreed.
"But I could use my Ruby Slippers! They appeared on my feet after my dream last night, and Glinda said she needed my help! I can just appear wherever they might be and the grab them!" the girl cried.
The Scarecrow stared. "You have the slippers? Really? But…WE should still wait until morning. The witch will be more active during the night, and its not safe. Come-on. We'll find them in the morning."
And Dorothy reluctantly agreed. She didn't want to run into the witch!
So they went home, Dorothy overjoyed to have the Scarecrow there, and the Scarecrow glad that she'd found him.
But nethertheless, both of them dreamt of lions and tin men and evil witches.