The China Country Encounter

The China Country Encounter is a whimsical yet perilous episode in Dorothy's journey south, where she and her companions cross a fragile land inhabited entirely by living china people and animals, learning a lesson in gentleness and the value of imperfection.

The Landscape and Its Inhabitants

After climbing a high white wall that seemed made of china, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto found themselves looking down upon a strange country. The floor was as smooth, shining, and white as the bottom of a big platter. Scattered around were many houses made entirely of china and painted in the brightest colors, the biggest reaching only as high as Dorothy's waist. There were also pretty little barns with china fences, and many cows, sheep, horses, pigs, and chickens, all made of china, standing about in groups. The people were all made of china, even to their clothes, and were so small that the tallest was no higher than Dorothy's knee. Among them were milkmaids and shepherdesses with brightly colored bodices, princesses in gorgeous frocks of silver and gold and purple, shepherds in knee breeches with colorful stripes, princes with jeweled crowns, and funny clowns in ruffled gowns with round red spots on their cheeks. A little purple china dog with an extra-large head came to the wall and barked at them in a tiny voice before running away.

The Fragility of the China World

The travelers quickly discovered the extreme fragility of this world. As they drew near a china milkmaid milking a china cow, the cow suddenly kicked over the stool, the pail, and even the milkmaid herself, all falling with a great clatter. The cow broke her leg off, the pail lay in several small pieces, and the poor milkmaid had a nick in her left elbow. The milkmaid angrily blamed the strangers for frightening her cow. Later, Dorothy met a beautifully dressed young Princess who, when chased, cried out in a frightened little voice that if she ran she might fall down and break herself. She explained that while she could be mended, one is never so pretty after being mended. She pointed to Mr. Joker, a clown who was completely covered with cracks from standing on his head too often, showing that he had been mended in a hundred places and did not look at all pretty. The Clown himself, after puffing out his cheeks and nodding saucily, stood upon his head, and the Princess remarked that he was considerably cracked in his head, which made him foolish.

The Encounter with the China Princess

Dorothy was captivated by the beautiful china Princess and asked if she could carry her back to Kansas to stand on Aunt Em's mantel. The Princess refused, explaining that in her own country she could talk and move around as she pleased, but if taken away her joints would stiffen and she could only stand straight and look pretty. Dorothy, not wanting to make her unhappy for the world, said goodbye. The travelers then walked carefully through the china country, with all the little animals and people scampering out of their way, fearing the strangers would break them.

The Departure and Its Consequences

After an hour or so, the travelers reached the other side of the china country and came to another china wall, not as high as the first. By standing on the Lion's back, they managed to scramble to the top. As the Lion jumped, his tail upset a china church, smashing it all to pieces. Dorothy remarked that it was too bad, but that they were lucky not to have done more harm than breaking a cow's leg and a church. The Scarecrow, thankful he was made of straw and could not be easily damaged, reflected that there were worse things in the world than being a Scarecrow.