Author's Note
AFTER the publication of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" I began to receive
letters from children, telling me of their pleasure in reading the story and
asking me to "write something more" about the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman.
At first I considered these little letters, frank and earnest though they
were, in the light of pretty compliments; but the letters continued to come
during succeeding months, and even years.
Finally I promised one little girl, who made a long journey to see me and
prefer her request, -- and she is a "Dorothy," by the way -- that when a
thousand little girls had written me a thousand little letters asking for
the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman I would write the book. Either little
Dorothy was a fairy in disguise, and waved her magic wand, or the success of
the stage production of "The Wizard of Oz" made new friends for the story.
For the thousand letters reached their destination long since -- and many
more followed them.
And now, although pleading guilty to long delay, I have kept my promise in
this book.
L. Frank Baum.
Chicago, June, 1904
To those excellent
good fellows
and
comedians
David C.
Montgomery
and
Frank A. Stone
whose clever
personations of
the
Tin Woodman
and the
Scarecrow
have delighted
thousands of
children
throughout the land,
this book is
gratefully dedicated
by
THE AUTHOR
This text is in the public domain.
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