ads were
stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the
beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is
fortunate for Kansas that you have brains."

"Won't you tell me a story, while we are resting?" asked the child.

The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully, and answered:

"My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever. I was
only made day before yesterday. What happened in the world before that
time is all unknown to me. Luckily, when the farmer made my head, one
of the first things he did was to paint my ears, so that I heard what
was going on. There was another Munchkin with him, and the first thing
I heard was the farmer saying, `How do you like those ears?'

"`They aren't straight,'" answered the other.

"`Never mind,'" said the farmer. "`They are ears just the same,'"
which was true enough.

"`Now I'll make the eyes,'" said the farmer. So he painted my right
eye, and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking at him and
at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity, for this was my
first glimpse of the world.

"`That's a rather pretty eye,'" remarked the Munchkin who was watching
the farmer. "`Blue paint is just the color for eyes.'

"`I think I'll make the other a little bigger,'" said the farmer. And
when the second eye was done I could see much better than before. Then
he made my nose and my mouth. But I did not speak, because at that
time I didn't know what a mouth was for. I had the fun of watching
them make my body and my arms and legs; and when they fastened on my
head, at last, I felt very proud, for I thought I was just as good a
man as anyone.

"`This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,' said the farmer. `He
looks just like a man.'

"`Why, he is a man,' said the other, and I quite agreed with him. The
farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield, and set me up on a
tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon after walked
away and left me alone.

"I did not like to be deserted this way. So I tried to walk after
them. But my feet would not touch the ground, and I was forced to stay
on that pole. It was a lonely life to lead, for I had nothing to think
of, having been made such a little while before. Many crows and other
birds flew into the cornfield, but as soon as they saw me they flew
away again, thinking I was a Munchkin; and this pleased me and made me
feel that I was quite an