Bedtime Anytime Classic Stories for Children - The Marvelous Land of Oz - Pt 7

Hello from the Classic Children’s Story podcast. We bring you narrations of classic children's stories of all kinds to keep your young ones entertained, read by a professional voice actress. The themes range from animal stories to stories that teach, to classic favourites like Tom Thumb, Red Riding Hood and more.

 We’ve begun a new book – The Marvelous Land of Oz. This is L. Frank Baum’s sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of OZ. Our 7th story/chapter is “His Majesty the Scarecrow”. You’ll have to have a listen to find out what Jack Pumpkinhead has gotten up to this time!!   So, cuddle up to your little ones, settle in, have a listen and enjoy.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, everyone is Stefania. Welcome to the classic children's story podcast,
Stories for Bedtime, Playtime, any time to keep your little
ones entertained and happy. We've been an international collection.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Of stories, Stories to teach, stories to entertain, and more.
We're back in our book, The Marvelous Land of Oz.
In our last chapter, Jack Pumpkinhead was having an audience
with the Scarecrow, who was the King of the Emerald City.

(00:37):
But Jack was quite surprised at what he saw when
he finally came face to face with a scarecrow. And
so our story begins, His Majesty, the Scarecrow. I suppose

(01:10):
every reader of this book knows what a scarecrow is,
but Jack Pumpkinhead, never having seen such a creature, was
more surprised at meeting the remarkable King of the Emerald
City than by any other experience of his brief life.
His Majesty the Scarecrow was dressed in a suit of

(01:31):
faded blue clothes.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
And his head was merely a small sack stuffed with straw,
upon which eyes, a nose, and the mouth had been
rudely painted to represent a face. The clothes were also
stuffed with straw, and that so unevenly and carelessly that
his Majesty's legs and arms seemed more bumpy than was necessary.

(01:58):
Upon his hands were gloves. I was with long fingers,
and these were padded with cotton. Wisps of straw stuck
out from the Monarch's coat and also from its neck
and boottops. Upon his head he wore a heavy golden crown,

(02:19):
set thick with sparkling jewels, and the weight of this
crown crossed his brow to sag in wrinkles, giving a
thoughtful expression to the painted face. Indeed, the crown alone
betoked majesty and all else the scarecrow King was but

(02:39):
a simple scarecrow, flimsy, awkward, and that's essential. But if
the strange appearance of his Majesty the scarecrow seemed startling
to Jack, no less wonderful was the form of the
pumpkinhead to the scarecrow. The purple trowlues and pink waistcoat

(03:01):
and red shirt hung loosely over the wooden joint's tip
had manufactured, and the carved face on the pumpkin grinned perpetually,
as if his wearer considered life the jolliest thing imaginable
at first. Indeed, his Majesty thought his strange visitor was

(03:21):
laughing at him, and was inclined to resent such a liberty.
But it was not without reason that the Scarecrow had
attained the reputation of being the wisest personage in the
land of Oz. He made a more careful examination of
his visitor, and soon discovered that Jack's features were carved

(03:45):
into a smile, and that he could not look grave
if he wished to. The King was the first to speak.
After regarding Jack for some minutes, he said, in a
tone of wonder, where on earth did you come from?
And how do you happen to be alive? I beg

(04:08):
your Majesty's pardon, returned the pumpkin head. But I do
not understand you. What don't you understand, asked the scarecrow.
Why I don't understand your language? You see, I come
from the country of the Gillikins, so that I am

(04:30):
a foreigner. Ah, to be sure, exclaimed the scarecrow, I
myself speak the language of the munchkins, which is also
the language of the Emerald City. But you, I suppose,
speak the language of the pumpkinheads exactly so, your majesty

(04:51):
replied the other, bowing, So it will be impossible for
us to understand one another. That is unfortunate, certainly, said
the scarecrow thoughtfully. We must have an interpreter. What is
an interpreter, asked Jack, A person who understands both my

(05:16):
language and your own. When I say anything, the interpreter
can tell you what I mean, and when you say anything,
the interpreter can tell me what you mean. For the
interpreter can speak both languages as well as understand them.
That is certainly clover, said Jack, greatly pleased at finding

(05:40):
so simple a way out of the difficulty. So the
scarecrow commanded the soldier with the green whiskers to search
among his people until he found the one who understood
the language of the Gillikins as well as the language
of the Emo city, and to bring that person to
him at once. When the soldier had departed, the scarecrow said,

(06:04):
won't you take a chair while we are waiting? Your
majesty forgets that I cannot understand you, replied the pumpkinhead.
If you wish me to sit down, you must make
a sign for me to do so. The scarecrow came
down from his throne and rolled an armchair to a

(06:26):
position behind the pumpkinhead. Then he gave Jack a sudden
push that sent him sprawling upon the cushions in so
awkward a fashion that he doubled up like a jackknife
and had hard work to untangle himself. Did you understand that, sign,

(06:47):
asked his majesty politely, perfectly declared Jack, reaching up his
arms to turn his head to the front, the pumpkin
having twisted around upon the stick that supported it. You
seem hastily made, remarked the scarecrow, watching Jack's efforts to

(07:08):
straighten himself. Not more so than your majesty, was a
frank reply. There is this difference between us, said the
scarecrow that weres. I will bend but not break. You
will break but not bend. At this moment, the soldier returned,

(07:34):
leading a young girl by the hand. She seemed very
sweet and modest, having a pretty face and beautiful green
eyes and hair. A dainty, silk green skirt reached to
her knees, showing silk stockings embroidered with pea pots, and
green satin slippers with bunches of lettuce for decorations instead

(07:57):
of bows or buckles. Upon her silken waist, clover leaves
were embroidered, and she wore a jaunty little jacket trimmed
with sparkling emeralds of her uniform size. Why it's little
jelly a jum, exclaimed the scarecrow, as the Green Maiden

(08:20):
bowed her pretty head before him. Do you understand the
language of the Gillikins, My dear, yes, your majesty, she answered,
For I was born in the North Country. Then you
shall be our interpreter, said the scarecrow, and explained to
this pumpkinhead all that I say, and also explained to

(08:43):
me all that he says. Is this arrangement satisfactory? He asked,
turning towards his guests. Very satisfactory, indeed, was the reply
the nazcum to begin with? Is the scarecrow, turning to Jellia,
what brought him to the Emerald City. But instead of this,

(09:09):
the girl who had been staring at Jack, said to him,
you certainly are a wonderful creature. Who made you? A
boy named Tip? Answered Jack? What does he say? Inquired
the scarecrow. My ears must have deceived me. What did

(09:29):
he say? He says that your Majesty's brains seem to
have come loose, replied the girl demierily. The scarecrow moved
uneasily upon his throne and fell to his head with
his left hand. What a fine thing it is to

(09:51):
understand two different languages, he said, with a perplexed sigh.
Ask him, my dear, if he has any objection to
being put in jail for insulting the ruler of the
Emerald City. I didn't insult you, protested Jack, indignly. Tut tut,

(10:13):
cautioned the scarecrow. Wait till Jellia translates my speech. What
have we got an interpreted for if you break out
in this rush way? All right, I'll wait, replied the
pumpkinhead in a surly tone, although his face smiled as
genially as ever. Translate the speech, young woman. His majesty

(10:38):
inquires if you were hungry, said Jellia, Oh not at all,
answered Jack more pleasantly, For it is impossible for me
to eat. It is the same way with me, remarked
the scarecrow. What did he say, Jellia, my dear, He asks,
if you were aware that one of your eyes is

(11:02):
painted larger than the other, said the girl mischievously. Don't
you believe her, your majesty, cried Jack. I don't, answered
the scarecrow calmly. Then, casting a sharp look at the girl,
he asked, are you quite certain you understand the languages

(11:24):
of both the Gillikins and the Munchkins? Quite quite certain,
your majesty, said Julia jem, trying hard not to laugh
in the face of Royald. Then how is it that
I seem to understand them myself, inquired the scarecrow. Because

(11:46):
they are one and the same, declared the girl, now
laughing merrily. Does not her majesty know that in all
the land of Oz, but one language is spoke? Good?
Is it? Indeed?

Speaker 2 (12:03):
So?

Speaker 1 (12:04):
Cried the scarecrow, much relieved to hear this. Then I
might easily have been my own interpreter. It was all
my fault, your majesty, said Jack, looking rather foolish, I
thought we must surely speak different languages, since we came
from different countries. This should be a warning to you

(12:28):
never to think, returned the scarecrow severely, For unless one
can think wisely, it is better to remain a dummy,
which you most certainly are. I am I surely am,
agreed the pumpkinhead. It seems to me, continued the scarecrow,

(12:51):
more mildly, that your manufacturer spoiled some good pipes to
create an indifferent I assure your majesty that I did
not ask to be created, answered Jack. Ah, it was

(13:11):
the same in my case, said the king pleasantly. And
so as we differ from all ordinary people, let us
become friends with all my heart, exclaimed Jack, What have
you a heart, asked the scarecrow, surprised. No, that was

(13:34):
only imaginative, I might say, a figure of speech, said
the other. Well, your most prominent figure seems to be
a figure of wood. So I must beg you to
restrain an imagination which, having no brains, you have no
right to exercise, suggested the scarecrow, warningly. To be sure, Jack,

(14:00):
without in the least comprehending his majesty, then dismissed Julia,
jam and the social with the green whiskers, And when
they were gone, he took his new friend by the
arm and led him into the courtyard to play a
game of quoits. And that's the end of today's story.

(14:38):
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(15:02):
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(15:24):
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(15:46):
Bye for now, Excreting Co.