Jumping the First Ditch

The travelers had hardly been walking an hour when they saw before them a great ditch that crossed the road and divided the forest as far as they could see on either side. It was a very wide ditch, and when they crept up to the edge and looked into it they could see it was also very deep, and there were many big, jagged rocks at the bottom. The sides were so steep that none of them could climb down, and for a moment it seemed that their journey must end. Dorothy asked despairingly what they should do; the Tin Woodman had not the faintest idea, and the Lion shook his shaggy mane and looked thoughtful. But the Scarecrow reasoned that since they could not fly and could not climb down, they must either jump over it or stop where they were.

The Lion's Leap

The Cowardly Lion, after measuring the distance carefully in his mind, declared that he thought he could jump over it. The Scarecrow immediately proposed that the Lion carry them all over on his back, one at a time. The Lion agreed to try, though he admitted he was terribly afraid of falling. The Scarecrow volunteered to go first, reasoning that if the Lion failed to clear the gulf, Dorothy would be killed or the Tin Woodman badly dented on the rocks below, but the fall would not hurt him at all. The Scarecrow sat upon the Lion's back, and the big beast walked to the edge of the gulf and crouched down. When the Scarecrow asked why he did not run and jump, the Lion replied that was not the way Lions did things. Then, giving a great spring, he shot through the air and landed safely on the other side.

The Crossing Completed

They were all greatly pleased to see how easily he did it, and after the Scarecrow had got down from his back the Lion sprang across the ditch again. Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her arms and climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane with one hand. The next moment it seemed as if she were flying through the air; and then, before she had time to think about it, she was safe on the other side. The Lion went back a third time and got the Tin Woodman, and then they all sat down for a few moments to give the beast a chance to rest, for his great leaps had made his breath short, and he panted like a big dog that has been running too long.