The Journey to the Great Oz

           Ourlittlepartyoftravelersawakenedthenextmorningrefreshedandfullofhope,andDorothybreakfastedlikeaprincessoffpeachesandplumsfromthetreesbesidetheriver. Behindthemwasthedarkforesttheyhadpassedsafelythrough,althoughtheyhadsufferedmanydiscouragements;butbeforethemwasalovely,sunnycountrythatseemedtobeckonthemontotheEmeraldCity. 

           Tobesure,thebroadrivernowcutthemofffromthisbeautifulland. Buttheraftwasnearlydone,andaftertheTinWoodmanhadcutafewmorelogsandfastenedthemtogetherwithwoodenpins,theywerereadytostart. DorothysatdowninthemiddleoftheraftandheldTotoinherarms. WhentheCowardlyLionsteppedupontheraftittippedbadly,forhewasbigandheavy; buttheScarecrowandtheTinWoodmanstoodupontheotherendtosteadyit,andtheyhadlongpolesintheirhandstopushtheraftthroughthewater. 

           Theygotalongquitewellatfirst,butwhentheyreachedthemiddleoftherivertheswiftcurrentswepttheraftdownstream,fartherandfartherawayfromtheroadofyellowbrick. Andthewatergrewsodeepthatthelongpoleswouldnottouchthebottom. 

           "Thisisbad,"saidtheTinWoodman, "forifwecannotgettothelandweshallbecarriedintothecountryoftheWickedWitchoftheWest,andshewillenchantusandmakeusherslaves." 

           "AndthenIshouldgetnobrains,"saidtheScarecrow. 

           "AndIshouldgetnocourage,"saidtheCowardlyLion.