"The very thing. Why did I not
think of it myself?"
So he summoned his soldiers and retainers and bade them
prepare a great bonfire in an open space in the castle
park. Also he sent word to all his people to assemble and
witness the destruction of the Scarecrow who had dared to
defy his power. Before long a vast throng gathered in the
park and the servants had heaped up enough fuel to make a
fire that might be seen for miles away -- even in the
daytime.
When all was prepared, the King had his throne brought
out for him to sit upon and enjoy the spectacle, and then
he sent his soldiers to fetch the Scarecrow.
Now the one thing in all the world that the straw man
really feared was fire. He knew he would burn very easily
and that his ashes wouldn't amount to much afterward. It
wouldn't hurt him to be destroyed in such a manner, but
he realized that many people in the Land of Oz, and
especially Dorothy and the Royal Ozma, would feel sad if
they learned that their old friend the Scarecrow was no
longer in existence.
In spite of this, the straw man was brave and faced his
fiery fate like a hero.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193