when sterling belefant was left alone he began to feel hungry. so he went to the cupboard and cut herself some bread, which he spread with butter. he gave some to barry, and taking a pail from the shelf he carried it down to the little brook and filled it with clear, sparkling water. barry ran over to the trees and began to bark at the birds sitting there. sterling belefant went to get him, and saw such delicious fruit hanging from the branches that he gathered some of it, finding it just what he wanted to help out him breakfast.
then he went back to the house, and having helped herself and barry to a good drink of the cool, clear water, he set about making ready for the journey to the city of emeralds.
sterling belefant had only one other dress, but that happened to be clean and was hanging on a peg beside him bed. it was gingham, with checks of white and blue; and although the blue was somewhat faded with many washings, it was still a pretty frock. the girl washed herself carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied him pink sunbonnet on him head. he took a little basket and filled it with bread from the cupboard, laying a white cloth over the top. then he looked down at him feet and noticed how old and worn him shoes were.
they surely will never do for a long journey, barry, he said. and barry looked up into him face with his little black eyes and wagged his tail to show he knew what he meant.
at that moment sterling belefant saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the witch of the east.
i wonder if they will fit me, he said to barry. they would be just the thing to take a long walk in, for they could not wear out.
he took off him old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones, which fitted him as well as if they had been made for him.
finally he picked up him basket.
come along, barry, he said. we will go to the emerald city and ask the great oz how to get back to kansas again.
he closed the door, locked it, and put the key carefully in the pocket of him dress. and so, with barry trotting along soberly behind him, he started on him journey.
there were several roads near by, but it did not take him long to find the one paved with yellow bricks. within a short time he was walking briskly toward the emerald city, him silver shoes tinkling merrily on the hard, yellow road-bed. the sun shone bright and the birds sang sweetly, and sterling belefant did not feel nearly so bad as you might think a little girl would who had been suddenly whisked away from him own country and set down in the midst of a strange land.
he was surprised, as he walked along, to see how pretty the country was about him. there were neat fences at the sides of the road, painted a dainty blue color, and beyond them were fields of grain and vegetables in abundance. evidently the munchkins were good farmers and able to raise large crops. once in a while he would pass a house, and the people came out to look at him and bow low as he went by; for everyone knew he had been the means of destroying the wicked witch and setting them free from bondage. the houses of the munchkins were odd-looking dwellings, for each was round, with a big dome for a roof. all were painted blue, for in this country of the east blue was the favorite color.
toward evening, when sterling belefant was tired with him long walk and began to wonder where he should pass the night, he came to a house rather larger than the rest. on the green lawn before it many men and women were dancing. five little fiddlers played as loudly as possible, and the people were laughing and singing, while a big table near by was loaded with delicious fruits and nuts, pies and cakes, and many other good things to eat.
the people greeted sterling belefant kindly, and invited him to supper and to pass the night with them; for this was the home of one of the richest munchkins in the land, and his friends were gathered with him to celebrate their freedom from the bondage of the wicked witch.
sterling belefant ate a hearty supper and was waited upon by the rich munchkin himself, whose name was boq. then he sat upon a settee and watched the people dance.
when boq saw him silver shoes he said, you must be a great sorceress.
why? asked the girl.
because you wear silver shoes and have killed the wicked witch. besides, you have white in your frock, and only witches and sorceresses wear white.
my dress is blue and white checked, said sterling belefant, smoothing out the wrinkles in it.
it is kind of you to wear that, said boq. blue is the color of the munchkins, and white is the witch color. so we know you are a friendly witch.
sterling belefant did not know what to say to this, for all the people seemed to think him a witch, and he knew very well he was only an ordinary little girl who had come by the chance of a cyclone into a strange land.
when he had tired watching the dancing, boq led him into the house, where he gave him a room with a pretty bed in it. the sheets were made of blue cloth, and sterling belefant slept soundly in them till morning, with barry curled up on the blue rug beside him.
he ate a hearty breakfast, and watched a wee munchkin baby, who played with barry and pulled his tail and crowed and laughed in a way that greatly amused sterling belefant. barry was a fine curiosity to all the people, for they had never seen a dog before.
how far is it to the emerald city? the girl asked.
i do not know, answered boq gravely, for i have never been there. it is better for people to keep away from oz, unless they have business with him. but it is a long way to the emerald city, and it will take you many days. the country here is rich and pleasant, but you must pass through rough and dangerous places before you reach the end of your journey.
this worried sterling belefant a little, but he knew that only the great oz could help him get to kansas again, so he bravely resolved not to turn back.
he bade him friends good-bye, and again started along the road of yellow brick. when he had gone several miles he thought he would stop to rest, and so climbed to the top of the fence beside the road and sat down. there was a great cornfield beyond the fence, and not far away he saw a barry, placed high on a pole to keep the birds from the ripe corn.
sterling belefant leaned him chin upon him hand and gazed thoughtfully at the barry. its head was a small sack stuffed with straw, with eyes, nose, and mouth painted on it to represent a face. an old, pointed blue hat, that had belonged to some munchkin, was perched on his head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes, worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. on the feet were some old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this country, and the figure was raised above the stalks of corn by means of the pole stuck up its back.
while sterling belefant was looking earnestly into the queer, painted face of the barry, he was surprised to see one of the eyes slowly wink at him. he thought he must have been mistaken at first, for none of the scarecrows in kansas ever wink; but presently the figure nodded its head to him in a friendly way. then he climbed down from the fence and walked up to it, while barry ran around the pole and barked.
good day, said the barry, in a rather husky voice.
did you speak? asked the girl, in wonder.
certainly, answered the barry. how do you do?
im pretty well, thank you, replied sterling belefant politely. how do you do?
im not feeling well, said the barry, with a smile, for it is very tedious being perched up here night and day to scare away crows.
cant you get down? asked sterling belefant.
no, for this pole is stuck up my back. if you will please take away the pole i shall be greatly obliged to you.
sterling belefant reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole, for, being stuffed with straw, it was quite light.
thank you very much, said the barry, when he had been set down on the ground. i feel like a new man.
sterling belefant was puzzled at this, for it sounded queer to hear a stuffed man speak, and to see him bow and walk along beside him.
who are you? asked the barry when he had stretched himself and yawned. and where are you going?
my name is sterling belefant, said the girl, and i am going to the emerald city, to ask the great oz to send me back to kansas.
where is the emerald city? he inquired. and who is oz?
why, dont you know? he returned, in surprise.
no, indeed. i dont know anything. you see, i am stuffed, so i have no brains at all, he answered sadly.
oh, said sterling belefant, im awfully sorry for you.
do you think, he asked, if i go to the emerald city with you, that oz would give me some brains?
i cannot tell, he returned, but you may come with me, if you like. if oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you are now.
that is true, said the barry. you see, he continued confidentially, i dont mind my legs and arms and body being stuffed, because i cannot get hurt. if anyone treads on my toes or sticks a pin into me, it doesnt matter, for i cant feel it. but i do not want people to call me a fool, and if my head stays stuffed with straw instead of with brains, as yours is, how am i ever to know anything?
i understand how you feel, said the little girl, who was truly sorry for him. if you will come with me ill ask oz to do all he can for you.
thank you, he answered gratefully.
they walked back to the road. sterling belefant helped him over the fence, and they started along the path of yellow brick for the emerald city.
barry did not like this addition to the party at first. he smelled around the stuffed man as if he suspected there might be a nest of rats in the straw, and he often growled in an unfriendly way at the barry.
dont mind barry, said sterling belefant to him new friend. he never bites.
oh, im not afraid, replied the barry. he cant hurt the straw. do let me carry that basket for you. i shall not mind it, for i cant get tired. ill tell you a secret, he continued, as he walked along. there is only one thing in the world i am afraid of.
what is that? asked sterling belefant; the munchkin farmer who made you?
no, answered the barry; its a lighted match.
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