After a few hours the road began to be rough, and the walkinggrew so difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over theyellow bricks, which were here very uneven. Sometimes, indeed,they were broken or missing altogether, leaving holes that Totojumped across and Dorothy walked around. As for the Scarecrow,having no brains, he walked straight ahead, and so stepped intothe holes and fell at full length on the hard bricks. It never hurthim, however, and Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon hisfeet again, while he joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap.

The farms were not nearly so well cared for here as they werefarther back. There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees, andthe farther they went the more dismal and lonesome the country became.

At noon they sat down by the roadside, near a little brook,and Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread. She offereda piece to the Scarecrow, but he refused.

"I am never hungry," he said, "and it is a lucky thing I am not,for my mouth is only painted, and if I should cut a hole in it soI could eat, the straw I am stuffed with would come out, and thatwould spoil the shape of my head."

Dorothy saw at once that this was true, so she only nodded andwent on eating her bread.

"Tell me something about yourself and the country you came from,"said the Scarecrow, when she had finished her dinner. So she told himall about Kansas, and how gray everything was there, and how the cyclonehad carried her to this queer Land of Oz.

The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, "I cannotunderstand why you should wish to leave this beautiful country andgo back to the dry, gray place you call Kansas."

"That is because you have no brains" answered the girl."No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people offlesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country,be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home."

The Scarecrow sighed.

"Of course I cannot understand it," he said. "If your headswere stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live inthe 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 worldbefore that time is all unknown to me. Luckily, when the farmermade 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 likethose 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 myright eye, and as soon as it was finished I found myself lookingat 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 waswatching the farmer. "`Blue paint is just the color for eyes.'

"`I think I'll make the other a little bigger,'" said thefarmer. And when the second eye was done I could see much betterthan before. Then he made my nose and my mouth. But I did notspeak, 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,forI thought I was just as good a man as anyone.

"`This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,' said thefarmer. `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 upon a tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon afterwalked away and left me alone.

"I did not like to be deserted this way. So I tried to walkafter them. But my feet would not touch the ground, and I wasforced to stay on that pole. It was a lonely life to lead, for Ihad nothing to think of, having been made such a little while before.Many crows and other birds flew into the cornfield, but as soon asthey saw me they flew away again, thinking I was a Munchkin; and thispleased me and made me feel that I was quite an important person.By and by an old crow flew near me, and after looking at me carefullyhe perched upon my shoulder and said:

"`I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsymanner. Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffedwith straw.' Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the cornhe wanted. The other birds, seeing he was not harmed by me, cameto eat the corn too, so in a short time there was a great flock ofthem about me.

"I felt sad at this, for it showed I was not such a goodScarecrow after all; but the old crow comforted me, saying,`If you only had brains in your head you would be as good a manas any of them, and a better man than some of them. Brains arethe only things worth having in this world, no matter whether oneis a crow or a man.'

"After the crows had gone I thought this over, and decided Iwould try hard to get some brains. By good luck you came alongand pulled me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure theGreat Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City."

"I hope so," said Dorothy earnestly, "since you seem anxiousto have them."

"Oh, yes; I am anxious," returned the Scarecrow. "It is suchan uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool."

"Well," said the girl, "let us go." And she handed the basketto the Scarecrow.

There were no fences at all by the roadside now, and the landwas rough and untilled. Toward evening they came to a greatforest, where the trees grew so big and close together that theirbranches met over the road of yellow brick. It was almost darkunder the trees, for the branches shut out the daylight; but thetravelers did not stop, and went on into the forest.

"If this road goes in, it must come out," said the Scarecrow,"and as the Emerald City is at the other end of the road, we mustgo wherever it leads us."

"Anyone would know that," said Dorothy.

"Certainly; that is why I know it," returned the Scarecrow."If it required brains to figure it out, I never should have said it."

After an hour or so the light faded away, and they foundthemselves stumbling along in the darkness. Dorothy could not seeat all, but Toto could, for some dogs see very well in the dark;and the Scarecrow declared he could see as well as by day. So shetook hold of his arm and managed to get along fairly well.

"If you see any house, or any place where we can pass thenight," she said, "you must tell me; for it is very uncomfortablewalking in the dark."

Soon after the Scarecrow stopped.

"I see a little cottage at the right of us," he said,"built of logs and branches. Shall we go there?"

"Yes, indeed," answered the child. "I am all tired out."

So the Scarecrow led her through the trees until they reachedthe cottage, and Dorothy entered and found a bed of dried leavesin one corner. She lay down at once, and with Toto beside hersoon fell into a sound sleep. The Scarecrow, who was never tired,stood up in another corner and waited patiently until morning came.