Once, indeed, the Tin Woodman stepped upon a beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little thing.

This made the Tin Woodman very unhappy, for he was always careful not to hurt any living creature; and as he walked along he wept several tears of sorrow and regret.

These tears ran slowly down his face and over the hinges of his jaw, and there they rusted.

When Dorothy presently asked him a question the Tin Woodman could not open his mouth, for his jaws were tightly rusted together.

He became greatly frightened at this and made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but she could not understand.