She kept the rug on the floor of her front parlor."
"I've seen rugs like that," said the shaggy man, nodding, "but never
one made from a blue bear."
"Well," continued the Tin Woodman, "the old woman had an idea that the
Powder in the bottle must be moth-powder, because it smelled something
like moth-powder; so one day she sprinkled it on her bear rug to keep
the moths out of it. She said, looking lovingly at the skin: 'I wish
my dear bear were alive again!' To her horror, the bear rug at once
came to life, having been sprinkled with the Magic Powder; and now this
live bear rug is a great trial to her, and makes her a lot of trouble."
"Why?" asked the shaggy man.
"Well, it stands up on its four feet and walks all around, and gets in
the way; and that spoils it for a rug. It can't speak, although it is
alive; for, while its head might say words, it has no breath in a solid
body to push the words out of its mouth. It's a very slimpsy affair
altogether, that bear rug, and the old woman is sorry it came to life.
Every day she has to scold it, and make it lie down flat on the parlor
floor to be walked upon; but sometimes when she goes to market the
rug will hump up its back skin, and stand on its four feet, and trot
along after her."
"I should think Dyna would like that," said Dorothy.
"Well, she doesn't; because every one knows it isn't a real bear, but
just a hollow skin, and so of no actual use in the world except for a
rug," answered the Tin Woodman.
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