The River Crossing and the Stork Rescue

The River Crossing and the Stork Rescue marks a decisive turn in the travelers' journey, transforming a moment of hopeful progress into a crisis of separation and a lesson in unexpected rescue. After emerging from the dark forest, the party finds itself cut off from the beautiful, sunny country before them by a broad, swift-flowing river. The Scarecrow proposes that the Tin Woodman build a raft, and while the Woodman chops down small trees, the Scarecrow discovers a tree full of fine fruit on the riverbank, providing a hearty meal for Dorothy, who has eaten nothing but nuts all day. The work takes so long that night falls before the raft is finished, and the travelers sleep under the trees, with Dorothy dreaming of the Emerald City and the good Wizard Oz who will send her home.

Building the Raft and the Crossing

The next morning, refreshed and full of hope, the party awakens to find the raft nearly complete. The Tin Woodman cuts a few more logs and fastens them together with wooden pins. Dorothy sits in the middle of the raft, holding Toto in her arms. When the Cowardly Lion steps aboard, the raft tips badly under his weight, but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stand at the other end to steady it, using long poles to push through the water. They get along well at first, but when they reach the middle of the river, the swift current sweeps the raft downstream, far from the road of yellow brick. The water grows so deep that the long poles cannot touch the bottom. The Tin Woodman warns that if they cannot reach land, they will be carried into the country of the Wicked Witch of the West, who will enchant them and make them slaves. Each companion voices the loss of their desired gift—brains, courage, heart, and a return to Kansas—if that happens.

The Scarecrow Lost and the Lion's Swim

In a desperate attempt to steer, the Scarecrow pushes so hard on his pole that it sticks fast in the mud at the bottom of the river. Before he can pull it out or let go, the raft is swept away, leaving the Scarecrow clinging to the pole in the middle of the river. The Tin Woodman begins to cry but remembers he might rust and dries his tears on Dorothy's apron. The Scarecrow, left behind, reflects that he is now worse off than when he first met Dorothy, stuck on a pole in a cornfield where he could at least pretend to scare crows; now he is stuck on a pole in the middle of a river, with no hope of ever getting brains. The Lion then proposes that he swim to shore and pull the raft after him, asking the others to hold fast to the tip of his tail. He springs into the water, and the Tin Woodman catches hold of his tail. The Lion swims with all his might, and with Dorothy using the Tin Woodman's long pole to help push, they eventually draw out of the current and reach the shore. They step off onto pretty green grass, but they know the stream has carried them far past the road of yellow brick.

The Stork's Rescue

Tired and uncertain, the party decides to walk along the riverbank to find the road again. The country is lovely, with flowers, fruit trees, and sunshine, but they feel sorry for the lost Scarecrow. As they walk, the Tin Woodman spots the Scarecrow still perched on his pole in the middle of the water, looking lonely and sad. They sit down on the bank, unsure how to save him, until a Stork flies by and stops to rest at the water's edge. The Stork asks who they are and where they are going; Dorothy explains that they are on their way to the Emerald City but have lost the Scarecrow. The Stork remarks that if he were not so big and heavy, she would get him, but Dorothy eagerly assures her that he is stuffed with straw and not heavy at all. The Stork agrees to try, warning that if he is too heavy she will have to drop him. She flies over the water, grabs the Scarecrow by the arm with her great claws, and carries him back to the bank. The Scarecrow is so happy to be among his friends again that he hugs them all, even the Lion and Toto, and sings "Tol-de-ri-de-oh!" at every step. He vows that if he ever gets brains, he will find the Stork again and do her some kindness in return. The Stork replies that she always likes to help anyone in trouble but must return to her babies in the nest, and she hopes they will find the Emerald City and that Oz will help them. She flies away, and the party continues, now walking through fields of brilliant scarlet poppies that will soon pose a new danger.