The Cowardly Lion (The Wizard of Oz (Full Cast))

01Chapter VI.

02All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the thick woods.

03The 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 good at all.

04There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love the open country where there is plenty of sunshine, but now and then there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees.

05In the lion's surprise, he could make no impression on the tin, although the woodman fell over in the road and lay still.

06Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to 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 the danger, rushed forward, and slapped the lion upon his nose as hard as she could while she cried out, Don't you dare bite to do it.

07Don't you dare bite to do it.

08You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog.

09I didn't bite him, said the lion, as he rubbed his nose with his paw where Dorothy had hit it.

10No, but you tried to, she retorted.

11You are nothing but a big coward.

12I know it, said the lion, hanging his head in shame.

13I've always known it, but how can I help it?

14I don't know, I'm sure.

15To think of your striking a stuffed man like the poor scarecrow.

16Is he stuffed?

17asked the lion in surprise, as he watched her pick up the scarecrow and set him upon his feet, while she patted him into shape again.

18Of course he's stuffed, replied Dorothy, who was still angry.

19That's why he went over so easily, remarked the lion.

20It astonished me to see him whirl around so.

21Is the other one stuffed also?

22No, said Dorothy.

23He's made of tin.

24And she helped the woodman up again.

25That's why he nearly blunted my claws, said the lion.

26When they scratched against the tin, it made a cold shiver run down my back.

27What is that little animal you are so tender of?

28He is my dog, Toto, answered Dorothy.

29Is he made of tin, or stuffed?

30asked the lion.

31Neither.

32He's a, a, a meat dog, said the girl.

33Oh, he is a curious animal, and seems remarkably small.

34Now that I look at him, no one would think of biting such a little thing, except a coward like me.

35He, continued the lion, sadly.

36What makes you a coward?

37asked Dorothy, looking at the great beast in wonder, for he was as big as a small horse.

38It's a mystery, replied the lion.

39I suppose I was born that way.

40All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be brave, for the lion is everywhere thought to be the king of beasts.

41I learned that if I roared very loudly, every living thing was frightened and got out of my way.

42Whenever I met a man, I've been awfully scared.

43But I just roared at him, and he has always run away as fast as he could go.

44If the elephants, and the tigers, and the bears, had ever tried to fight me, I should have run myself.

45I'm such a coward.

46But just as soon as they hear me roar, they all tried to get away from me.

47And of course I let them go.

48But that isn't right.

49The king of beasts shouldn't be a coward, said the scarecrow.

50I know it, returned the lion, wiping a tear from his eye with the tip of his tail.

51It is my great sorrow, and makes my life very unhappy.

52But whenever there is danger, my heart begins to beat fast.

53Perhaps you have heart disease, said the tin man.

54It may be, said the lion.

55If you have, continued the tin woodman, you ought to be glad, for it proves you have a heart.

56For my part, I have no heart.

57So I cannot have heart disease.

58Perhaps, said the lion, thoughtfully.

59If I had no heart, I should not be a coward.

60Have you brains?

61asked the scarecrow.

62I suppose so.

63I've never looked to see.

64I'm going to the great Oz to ask him to give me some, remarked the scarecrow.

65For my head is stuffed with straw.

66And I am going to ask him to give me a heart, said the woodman.

67And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas, added Dorothy.

68Do you think Oz could give me courage?

69asked the cowardly lion.

70Just as easily as he could give me brains, said the scarecrow.

71Or give me a heart, said the tin woodman.

72Or send me back to Kansas, said Dorothy.

73Then, if you don't mind, I'll go with you, said the lion.

74For my life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage.

75You will be very welcomed, answered Dorothy.

76For you will help to keep away the other wild beasts.

77It seems to me they must be more cowardly than you are, if they allow you to scare them so easily.

78They really are, said the lion.

79But that doesn't make me any braver.

80And as long as I know myself to be a coward, I shall be unhappy.

81So once more the little company set off upon the journey, the lion walking with stately strides at Dorothy's side.

82Toto did not approve this new comrade at first, for he could not forget how nearly he had been crushed between the lion's great jaws.

83But after a time he became more at ease, and presently Toto and the cowardly lion had grown to be good friends.

84During the rest of that day, there was no other adventure to mar the peace of their journey.

85Once, indeed, the tin woodman stepped upon a beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little thing.

86This made the tin woodman very unhappy, for he was always careful not to hurt any living creature, and as he walked along he wept several tears of sorrow and regret.

87These tears ran slowly down his face and over the hinges of his jaw.

88And there they rested.

89When Dorothy presently asked him a question, the tin woodman could not open his mouth, for his jaws were tightly rusted together.

90He became greatly frightened at this, and made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him.

91But she could not understand.

92The lion was also puzzled to know what was wrong.

93But the scarecrow seized the oil-can from Dorothy's basket, and oiled the woodman's jaws, so that after a few moments he could talk as well as before.

94This will serve me as a lesson, said he, to look where I step.

95For if I should kill another bug or beetle, I should surely cry again, and crying rusts my jaws, so that I cannot speak.

96Thereafter he walked very carefully, with his eyes on the road, and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by, he would step over it, so as not to harm it.

97The tin woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.

98You people with hearts, he said, have something to guide you.

99You need never do wrong.

100But I have no heart, and so I must be very careful.

101When Oz gives me a heart, of course I needn't mind so much.

102The End of Chapter 6 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Recording by Jenny Lundack, South Padre Island, Texas.

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