I suppose every reader of this book knows what a scarecrow is; but JackPumpkinhead, never having seen such a creation, was more surprised atmeeting the remarkable King of the Emerald City than by any other oneexperience of his brief life.

His Majesty the Scarecrow was dressed in a suit of faded blue clothes, andhis head was merely a small sack stuffed with straw, upon which eyes, ears,a nose and a mouth had been rudely painted to represent a face. The clotheswere also stuffed with straw, and that so unevenly or carelessly that hisMajesty's legs and arms seemed more bumpy than was necessary. Upon his handswere gloves with long fingers, and these were padded with cotton. Wisps ofstraw stuck out from the monarch'scoat and also from his neck and boot-tops. Upon his head he wore a heavygolden crown set thick with sparkling jewels, and the weight of this crowncaused his brow to sag in wrinkles, giving a thoughtful expression to thepainted face. Indeed, the crown alone betokened majesty; in all else the,Scarecrow King was but a simple scarecrow -- flimsy, awkward, andunsubstantial.

But if the strange appearance of his Majesty the Scarecrow seemed startlingto Jack, no less wonderful was the form of the Pumpkinhead to the Scarecrow.The purple trousers and pink waistcoat and red shirt hung loosely over thewooden joints Tip had manufactured, and the carved face on the pumpkingrinned perpetually, as if its wearer considered life the jolliest thingimaginable.

At first, indeed, His Majesty thought his queer visitor was laughing at him,and was inclined to resent such a liberty; but it was not without reasonthat the Scarecrow had attained the reputation of being the wisest personagein the Land of Oz. He made a more careful examination of his visitor, andsoon discovered that Jack's features were carved into a smile and that hecould not look grave if he wished to.

The King was the first to speak. After regardingJack for some minutes he said, in a tone of wonder:

"Where on earth did you come from, and how do you happen to be alive?"

"I beg your Majesty's pardon," returned the Pumpkinhead; "but I do notunderstand you."

"What don't you understand?" asked the Scarecrow.

"Why, I don't understand your language. You see, I came from the Country ofthe Gillikins, so that I am a foreigner."

"Ah, to be sure!" exclaimed the Scarecrow. "I myself speak the language ofthe Munchkins, which is also the language of the Emerald City. But you, Isuppose, speak the language of the Pumpkinheads?"

"Exactly so, your Majesty" replied the other, bowing; "so it will beimpossible for us to understand one another."

"That is unfortunate, certainly," said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "We musthave an interpreter."

"What is an interpreter?" asked Jack.

"A person who understands both my language and your own. When I sayanything, the interpreter can tell you what I mean; and when you sayanything the interpreter can tell me what you mean. For the interpreter canspeak both languages as well as understand them."

"That is certainly clever," said Jack, greatly pleased at finding so simplea way out of the difficulty.

So the Scarecrow commanded the Soldier with the Green Whiskers to searchamong his people

until he found one who understood the language of the Gillikins as well asthe language of the Emerald City, and to bring that person to him at once.

When the Soldier had departed the Scarecrow said:

"Won't you take a chair while we are waiting?"

"Your Majesty forgets that I cannot understand you," replied thePumpkinhead. "If you wish me to sit down you must make a sign for me to doso." The Scarecrow came down from his throne and rolled an armchair to aposition behind the Pumpkinhead. Then he gave Jack a sudden push that senthim sprawling upon the cushions in so awkward a fashion that he doubled uplike a jackknife, and had hard work to untangle himself.

"Did you understand that sign?" asked His Majesty, politely.

"Perfectly," declared Jack, reaching up his arms to turn his head to thefront, the pumpkin having twisted around upon the stick that supported it.

"You seem hastily made," remarked the Scarecrow, watching Jack's efforts tostraighten himself.

"Not more so than your Majesty," was the frank reply.

"There is this difference between us," said the Scarecrow, "that whereas Iwill bend, but not break, you will break, but not bend."

At this moment the soldier returned leading a young girl by the hand. Sheseemed very sweet and modest, having a pretty face and beautiful green eyesand hair. A dainty green silk skirt reached to her knees, showing silkstockings embroidered with pea-pods, and green satin slippers with bunchesof lettuce for decorations instead of bows or buckles. Upon her silken waistclover leaves were embroidered, and she wore a jaunty little jacket trimmedwith sparkling emeralds of a uniform size.

"Why, it's little Jellia Jamb!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, as the green maidenbowed her pretty head before him. "Do you understand the language of theGillikins, my dear?"

"Yes, your Majesty, she answered, "for I was born in the North Country."

"Then you shall be our interpreter," said the Scarecrow, "and explain tothis Pumpkinhead all that I say, and also explain to me all that he says. Isthis arrangement satisfactory?" he asked, turning toward his guest.

"Very satisfactory indeed," was the reply.

"Then ask him, to begin with," resumed the Scarecrow, turning to Jellia,"what brought him to the Emerald City"

But instead of this the girl, who had been staring at Jack, said to him:

"You are certainly a wonderful creature. Who made you?"

"A boy named Tip," answered Jack.

"What does he say?" inquired the Scarecrow. "My ears must have deceived me.What did he say?"

"He says that your Majesty's brains seem to have come loose," replied thegirl, demurely.

The Scarecrow moved uneasily upon his throne, and felt of his head with hisleft hand.

"What a fine thing it is to understand two different languages," he said,with a perplexed sigh. "Ask him, my dear, if he has any objection to beingput in jail for insulting the ruler of the Emerald City."

"I didn't insult you!" protested Jack, indignantly.

"Tut -- tut!" cautioned the Scarecrow "wait, until Jellia translates myspeech. What have we got an interpreter for, if you break out in this rashway?"

"All right, I'll wait," replied the Pumpkinhead, in a surly tone -- althoughhis face smiled as genially as ever. "Translate the speech, young woman."

"His Majesty inquires if you are hungry, said Jellia.

"Oh, not at all!" answered Jack, more pleasantly, "for it is impossible forme to eat."

"It's the same way with me," remarked the Scarecrow. "What did he say,Jellia, my dear?"

"He asked if you were aware that one of your eyes is painted larger than theother," said the girl, mischievously.

"Don't you believe her, your Majesty, cried Jack.

"Oh, I don't," answered the Scarecrow, calmly. Then, casting a sharp look atthe girl, he asked:

"Are you quite certain you understand the languages of both the Gillikinsand the Munchkins?"

"Quite certain, your Majesty," said Jellia Jamb, trying hard not to laugh inthe face of royalty.

"Then how is it that I seem to understand them myself?" inquired theScarecrow.

"Because they are one and the same!" declared the girl, now laughingmerrily. "Does not your Majesty know that in all the land of Oz but onelanguage is spoken?"

"Is it indeed so?" cried the Scarecrow, much relieved to hear this; "then Imight easily have been my own interpreter!"

"It was all my fault, your Majesty," said Jack, looking rather foolish," Ithought we must surely speak different languages, since we came fromdifferent countries."

"This should be a warning to you never to think," returned the Scarecrow,severely. "Forunless one can think wisely it is better to remain a dummy -- which you mostcertainly are."

"I am! -- I surely am!" agreed the Pumpkinhead.

"It seems to me," continued the Scarecrow, more mildly, "that yourmanufacturer spoiled some good pies to create an indifferent man."

"I assure your Majesty that I did not ask to be created," answered Jack.

"Ah! It was the same in my case," said the King, pleasantly. And so, as wediffer from all ordinary people, let us become friends."

"With all my heart!" exclaimed Jack.

"What! Have you a heart?" asked the Scarecrow, surprised.

"No; that was only imaginative -- I might say, a figure of speech," said theother.

"Well, your most prominent figure seems to be a figure of wood; so I mustbeg you to restrain an imagination which, having no brains, you have noright to exercise," suggested the Scarecrow, warningly.

"To be sure!" said Jack, without in the least comprehending.

His Majesty then dismissed Jellia Jamb and the Soldier with the GreenWhiskers, and when they were gone he took his new friend by the arm and ledhim into the courtyard to play a game of quoits.