Rereading: THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ by L. Frank Baum

In his twelfth Oz book, Baum delves into the past history of the Tin Woodman, and even Oz itself, briefly, a tale that has fresh elements as well as familiar ones.

The Tin Woodman and his best friend The Scarecrow are enjoying time together in the Woodman’s palace in the Winkie country when a boy asks to see them. He is Woot the Wanderer, who has been doing just that around Oz for some time before happening on the royal palace of the Woodman. He asks to hear the stories of the famous pair, and in telling his, Nick Chopper recounts his origin before he was rescued from rust by Dorothy and the Scarecrow. One thing that puzzles Woot is what happened to Nick’s betrothed, Nimmie Amee, and the Woodman admits he doesn’t know. Woot convinces him that the three of them should set out to find her. Perhaps she would still care for Nick after all this time.

Thus begins an adventure that takes them to the daunting castle of the giantess Mrs. Yoop, where they are transformed and made prisoners, joining Polychrome, the rainbow’s daughter, who has met the same fate. Mrs. Yoop’s magic is powerful, and she claims her transformations are permanent. What will happen to the adventurers then, and will they ever find Nimmie Amee?

A fun reread, and Baum floats the idea that Oz itself was transformed from an ordinary land to a magical one by a passing Fairy Queen, Lurline, the first time the magic nature of Oz had an origin. He makes other interesting statements about the nature of Oz and its magic, too. Recommended.

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