The Scarecrow understood at once that the old woman meant harm to his new friends, so as she drew near he stepped before her.

His appearance was so sudden and unexpected that Blinkie ran into him and toppled him over, but she tripped on his straw body and went rolling in the path beside him.
The Scarecrow sat up and said: "I beg your pardon!" but she whacked him with her stick and knocked him flat again.

Then, furious with rage, the old witch sprang upon her victim and began pulling the straw out of his body.

The poor Scarecrow was helpless to resist and in a few moments all that was left of him was an empty suit of clothes and a heap of straw beside it.

Fortunately, Blinkie did not harm his head, for it rolled into a little hollow and escaped her notice.