Fighting Trees Forest

The Fighting Trees Forest is a dense woodland that Dorothy and her companions encounter on their journey south from the Emerald City to seek Glinda's help. It presents a unique obstacle: the trees themselves actively attack travelers to prevent passage, making it a memorable test of the group's resourcefulness and cooperation.

Location and Appearance

The Fighting Trees Forest lies directly in the path of the travelers as they head south from the Emerald City toward the Land of the Quadlings. The wood is so thick that there is no way to go around it, as it extends to the right and left as far as they can see. The travelers dare not change direction for fear of getting lost, so they must find a way through. The first row of trees is especially formidable, with wide-spreading branches that can bend down and seize anyone who approaches.

The Attack and the Solution

The Scarecrow, who is in the lead, discovers a big tree with branches spread wide enough for the party to pass underneath. But as he walks forward, the first branches bend down and twine around him, lifting him from the ground and flinging him headlong among his fellow travelers. The Scarecrow is not hurt, but he is surprised and looks rather dizzy when Dorothy picks him up. The Lion spots another space between the trees, but when the Scarecrow tries it, the branches immediately seize him and toss him back again. Dorothy exclaims that this is strange, and the Lion remarks that the trees seem determined to fight them and stop their journey. The Tin Woodman then steps forward, shouldering his axe. He marches up to the first tree that had handled the Scarecrow so roughly. When a big branch bends down to seize him, the Woodman chops at it so fiercely that he cuts it in two. The tree begins shaking all its branches as if in pain, and the Tin Woodman passes safely under it. He shouts for the others to be quick, and they all run forward and pass under the tree without injury, except Toto, who is caught by a small branch and shaken until he howls. The Woodman promptly chops off the branch and sets the little dog free. The other trees of the forest do nothing to stop them, leading the travelers to conclude that only the first row of trees can bend down their branches, and that these are probably the policemen of the forest, given this wonderful power to keep strangers out.

Narrative Significance

The Fighting Trees Forest serves as a brief but effective obstacle that tests the group's ability to solve problems through cooperation and the unique skills of each member. The Scarecrow's initial attempts fail because he lacks the physical strength to fight back, while the Tin Woodman's axe proves decisive. The episode reinforces the theme that each companion contributes something essential to the journey, and that brute force alone is not always the answer—the Woodman's precise, targeted action is what succeeds. The forest also marks the transition from the civilized lands near the Emerald City to the more wild and unpredictable territories that lie ahead, setting the stage for the even stranger challenges to come, such as the Dainty China Country and the Hammer-Heads.