Bedtime Anytime Classic Stories for Children - The Marvelous Land of Oz - Pt 10

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 continue with – The Marvelous Land of Oz. This is L. Frank Baum’s sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of OZ. Our 9th story/chapter is “The Scarecrow Plans an Escape”. You’ll have to have a listen to find out what Tip 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 Stefania, and welcome to the classic children's story podcast,
Stories for Bedtime, play Time, anytime to keep your little
ones entertained and happy, we bring an international collection of stories,
Stories that teach, stories that entertain, and more. Now we're

(00:21):
back with our story, the Marvelous Land of Oz, the
Journey to the ten Woodmen. As you know, the Scarecrow
King is on the run from the army. He's going
to visit his friend, the ten Woodmen to see if

(00:44):
he can keep him safe. And they had just gotten
soaked when the wooden horse flew over a lake. And
now our story continues the Journey to the Tin Woodman.

(01:15):
Tip was well soaked and dripping water from every angle
of his body, but he managed to lean forward and
shout in the ear of the sawhorse, Keep still, you fool,
Keep still. The horse at once seexed struggling, and floated
calmly upon the surface, its wooden body being as buoyant

(01:37):
as a raft. What does the word fool mean, inquired
the horse. It's a term of reproach, announced Tip, somewhat
ashamed of the expression. I only use it when I
am angry. Then it pleases me to be able to
call you a fool. In return, said the horse, for

(02:02):
I did not make the river nor put it in
our way. So only a term of reproach is fit
for one who becomes angry with me for falling into
the water. That is quite evident, replied Tip. So I

(02:23):
will acknowledge myself in the wrong. Then he called out
to the pumpkinhead, are you all right? Jack? There was
no reply, so the boy called to the king, are
you all right, your majesty. The scarecrow groaned, I'm all
wrong somehow, he said, in a weak voice, how very

(02:46):
wet this water is. Tip was bound so tightly by
the cord that he could not turn his head to
look at his companions. So he said to the sawhorse,
pedal with your legs toward the shore. The horse obeyed,
and although their progress was slow, they finally reached the

(03:09):
opposite river bank at a place where it was low
enough to enable the creature to scramble upon dry land.
With some difficulty, the boy managed to get his knife
out of his pocket and cut the cords that bound
the riders to one another and to the wooden horse.
He heard the scarecrow fall to the ground with a

(03:30):
mushy sound, and then he himself quickly dismounted and looked
at his friend Jack. The wooden body, with his gorgeous
clothing still sat upright upon the horse's back, but the
pumpkin head was gone, and only the sharpened stick that
served for a neck was visible. As for the scarecrow,

(03:55):
the straw in his body had shaken down with the
jolting and packed itself into his legs and the lower
part of his body, which appeared very plump and round,
while his upper half seemed like an empty sack. Upon
his head, the scarecrow still wore the heavy crown, which
had been sewed on to prevent his losing it, but

(04:17):
the head was now so damp and limp that the
weight of the gold and jewels sagged forward and crushed
the painted face into a massive wrinkles that made him
look exactly like a Japanese pug dog. Tip would have
laughed had he not been so anxious about his man Jack.
But the scarecrow, however damaged, was all there, while the

(04:41):
pumpkinhead that was so necessary to Jack's existence was missing.
So the boy seized a long pole that fortunately lay
near the hand and anxiously turned again towards the river.
Far out upon the waters, he sighted the golden hue

(05:02):
of the pumpkin, which gently bobbed up and down with
the motion of the waves. At that moment it was
quite out of Tip's reach, but after a time it
floated nearer, and still nearer, until the boy was able
to reach it with his pole and draw it to
the shore. Then he brought it to the top of

(05:25):
the bank, carefully wiped the water from its pumpkin face
with his handkerchief, and ran it back to Jack and
replaced the head upon the man's neck. Dear me, were
Jack's first words, What a dreadful experience. I wonder if
water is liable to spoil pumpkins. Tip did not think

(05:48):
a reply was necessary, for he knew that the scarecrow
also stood in need of his help, so he carefully
removed the straw from the king's body and legs and
spread it out in the sun to dry the wet
clothing he hung over the body of the sawhorse. If

(06:09):
water soils pumpkins, oh, observed Jack, with a deep sigh,
then my days are numbered. I've never noticed that water
spoils pumpkins. Returned Tip, unless the water happens to be boiling.
If your head isn't cracked, my friend, you must be

(06:30):
in fairly good condition. Oh my head isn't cracked in
the least, declared Jack, more cheerfully. Then don't worry, retorted
the boy. Care once killed a cat, then, said Jack seriously.
I am very glad, indeed that I am not a cat.

(06:51):
The sun was fast drying their clothing, and Tip stirred
up his majesty straw so that the warm rays might
absorb the moisture and make it as crisp and dry
as ever. When this had been accomplished, he stuffed the
scarecrow into symmetrical shape and smoothed out his face so
that he wore his usual charming and gay expression. Thank

(07:17):
you very much, said the monarch brightly, as he walked
about and found himself to be well balanced. There are
several distinct advantages in being a scarecrow. For if one
has friends near at hand to repair damages, nothing very
serious can happen to you. I wonder if the hot

(07:37):
sunshine is liable to crack pumpkins, said Jack, with an
anxious ring in his voice. Not at all, not at all,
replied the scarecrow gaily. All you need here, my boy,
is old age. When your golden youth has decayed, we
shall quickly part company, but you needn't look forward to it.

(07:59):
We'll discover the fact ourselves and notify you. But come,
let us resume our journey. I am anxious to greet
my friend, the tin woodman. So they remounted, the sawhorse,
Tip holding to the post, and Pumpkinhead clinging to Tip,

(08:19):
and the scarecrow with both arms around the wooden form
of Jack. Go slowly now, but there is no danger
of pursuit, said Tip to his deed right, responded the creature,
in a voice rather gruff. Aren't you a little horse,
asked the pumpkinhead politely. The sawhorse gave an angry prance

(08:44):
and rode one naughty eye backward toward Tip. See here,
he growled. Can't you protect me from insult? To be sure?
Answered Tip soothingly. I am sure Jack meant no harm,
and it will not do for us to quarrel. You
know we must all remain good friends. I've nothing more

(09:06):
to do with that pumpkinhead, declared the sawhorse viciously. He
loses his head too easily to suit me. There seemed
no fitting reply to this speech, so for a time
they rode along in silence. After a while, the scarecrow remarked,
this reminds me of old times. It was upon this

(09:28):
grassy all that I once saved Dorothy from the stinging
bees of the wicket Witch of the West. Do sting
bees injure? Pompkins asked Jack, glancing around fearfully. They are
all dead, so it doesn't matter, replied the scarecrow. And
here is where nick Chopper destroyed the wicked witch is

(09:51):
gray wolves? Who was Nick Chopper, asked Tip. That is
the name of my friend. The tin woodman answered his majesty,
And here is where the winged monkeys captured and bound
us and flew away with little Dorothy, he continued, after
they traveled a little way further. Do winged monkeys ever eat?

(10:17):
Pumpkins asked Jack, with a shiver of fear. I do
not know, but you have little cause to worry, for
the winged monkeys are now the slaves of Glinda the Good,
who owns the golden cap that commenced their services, said
the scarecrow reflectively. Then the stuff monarch became lost in thought,

(10:39):
recalling the days of past adventures. And the sawhorse rocked
and rolled over the flower strewn fields, and carried its
riders swiftly on their way. Twilight fell by and by,
and then the dark shadows of night. So Tip stopped
the horse and they all proceeded to Mount will Alt

(11:03):
hired out, said the boy, yawning wearily. And the grass
is soft and cool. Let us lie down here and
sleep until morning. I can't sleep, said Jack. I never do,
said the scarecrow. I do not even know what sleep is,
said the saw horse. Still we must have consideration for

(11:26):
this poor boy, who is made of flesh and blood
and bone and gets tired, suggested the scarecrow in his
usual thoughtful manner. I remember it was the same way
with little Dorothy. We always had to sit through the
night while she slept. I'm sorry, said Tip meekly, but

(11:47):
I can't help it. And I'm dreadfully hungry too. Here's
a new danger, remarked Jack gloomily. And I hope you
are not fond of eating pumpkins, not unless there stood
and made into pies, answered the boy, laughing. So have
no fear of me, friend Jack, what a coward that

(12:11):
pumpkinhead is, said the saw horse scornfully. You might be
a coward yourself if you knew you were liable to spoil,
retorted Jack angrily. There there, interrupted the scarecrow. Don't let
us quarrel. We all have a wigness's dear friends, so

(12:32):
we must strive to be considerate of one another. And
since this poor boy is hungry and has nothing whatever
to eat, let us all remain quiet and allow him
to sleep, For it is said that in sleep a
myrtle may forget even hunger. Thank you, exclaimed Tip gratefully.

(13:00):
Your majesty is fully as good as you are wise,
and that is saying a good deal. He then stretched
himself upon the grass, and, using the stuffed form of
the scarecrow for a pillow, was personally fast asleep. And

(13:31):
that's the end of today's story. I'll be back again
with the next chapter, a nico plated emperor, and we
know who that is. We'll be back with that story soon.
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(13:53):
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(14:16):
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(14:39):
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(15:01):
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