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Updated: May 1, 2025
While she worked, Toto sat by the hearth and growled low at Crinklink, and Crinklink sat in his chair and growled at Dorothy because she moved so slowly. He expected her to break a dish any minute, but as the hours passed away and this did not happen Crinklink began to grow sleepy. It was tiresome watching the girl wash dishes and often he glanced longingly at the tiny bed.
"What will Crinklink do with me?" she asked anxiously. "No one knows. You must wait and see," replied the wolf. "Some of his captives he whips," squeaked the weasel's head. "Some he transforms into bugs and other things," growled the bear's head. "Some he enchants, so that they become doorknobs," sighed the cat's head.
Toto could not talk, as many of the animals of Oz can, for he was just a common Kansas dog; but he looked at the sign so seriously that Dorothy almost believed he could read it, and she knew quite well that Toto understood every word she said to him. "Never mind Crinklink," said she. "I don't believe anything in Oz will try to hurt us, Toto, and if I get into trouble you must take care of me."
One day while on such a journey, Dorothy and Toto found themselves among the wild wooded hills at the southeast of Oz a place usually avoided by travelers because so many magical things abounded there. And, as they entered a forest path, the little girl noticed a sign tacked to a tree, which said: "Look out for Crinklink."
They were all soiled, and were piled upon the floor, in all the corners and upon every shelf. Evidently Crinklink had not washed a dish for years, but had cast them aside as he used them. Dorothy's captor sat down in the chair and frowned at her. "You are young and strong, and will make a good dishwasher," said he.
"I'm going to take a nap. But the buttons on my jacket will be wide awake and whenever you break a dish the crash will waken me. As I'm rather sleepy I hope you won't interrupt my nap by breaking anything for a long time." Then Crinklink made himself grow smaller and smaller until he was three inches high and of a size to fit the tiny bed. At once he lay down and fell fast asleep.
If you smash a dish, the penalty is one lash from my dreadful cat-o'-nine-tails for every piece the dish breaks into," and here Crinklink displayed a terrible whip that made the little girl shudder. Dorothy knew how to wash dishes, but she remembered that often she carelessly broke one. In this case, however, a good deal depended on being careful, so she handled the dishes very cautiously.
Dorothy came close to the buttons and whispered: "Would you really warn Crinklink if I tried to escape?" "You can't escape," growled the bear. "Crinklink would become a giant, and soon overtake you." "But you might kill him while he sleeps," suggested the cat, in a soft voice. "Oh!" cried Dorothy, drawing back; "I couldn't poss'bly kill anything even to save my life."
But Toto had heard this conversation and was not so particular about killing monsters. Also the little dog knew he must try to save his mistress. In an instant he sprang upon the wee bed and was about to seize the sleeping Crinklink in his jaws when Dorothy heard a loud crash and a heap of dishes fell from the table to the floor.
"Some he makes his slaves even as we are and that is the most dreadful fate of all," added the field-mouse. "As long as Crinklink exists we shall remain buttons, but as there are no more buttonholes on his jacket he will probably make you a slave." Dorothy began to wish she had not met Crinklink.
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