| Saw-Horse | |
|---|---|
 Jack Pumpkinhead with his "brother," the Sawhorse. | |
|
Real Name |
Sawhorse |
|
First Appearance |
The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904) |
|
Original Publisher |
Reilly & Britton |
|
Created by |
L. Frank Baum |
Origin[]
The Saw-Horse is literally a sawhorse brought to life with the Powder of Life by Tip to carry Jack Pumpkinhead (whose wooden joints were wearing out from walking). He is a log with a notch cut in one end for a mouth, two knots for eyes and a branch for a tail. When he was first made, he had no ears and could not follow directions, so Tip whittled him two. He also had a post installed on his back so Jack could hold on while riding.
The Saw-Horse is one of the fastest creatures in Oz because he never gets tired. He carries Glinda in her pursuit of Mombi into the Deadly Desert while the latter is in the form of a gryphon. Princess Ozma has his legs shod with plates of gold to keep his legs from wearing out.
In The Marvelous Land of Oz, Baum emphasizes the awkwardness with which the Saw-Horse walks, tottering one way and then the other because his legs do not bend, and front and hind move together. In Ozma of Oz, he is described as walking as well as a real horse; however, he approaches the Giant with the Hammer too quickly, and sends his rider, Omby Amby, up to the giant's arm. This knocks off his ears and leaves him deaf until they can be replaced. He is integral in defeating the Nome King, kicking him with his hind legs in order to protect Dorothy Gale.
Public Domain Appearances[]
Books:
- The Marvelous Land of Oz
- Ozma of Oz
- Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
- The Road to Oz
- Little Wizard Stories of Oz
- The Patchwork Girl of Oz
- Tik-Tok of Oz
- The Scarecrow of Oz
- The Magic of Oz
- The Royal Book of Oz
Stage:
- The Woggle-Bug
Film:
- His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz
Notes[]
- While the original character who appeared in Oz books published before 1929 is in public domain, any versions published post-1928 are NOT in the public domain.