- "The Saw-Horse, finding himself alive, seemed even more astonished than Tip. He rolled his knotty eyes from side to side, taking a first wondering view of the world in which he had now so important an existence. Then he tried to look at himself; but he had, indeed, no neck to turn; so that in the endeavor to see his body he kept circling around and around, without catching even a glimpse of it. His legs were stiff and awkward, for there were no knee-joints in them; so that presently he bumped against Jack Pumpkinhead and sent that personage tumbling upon the moss that lined the roadside."
- ―The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
Sawhorse by John R. Neill.
The Saw-Horse is literally a living sawhorse who lives in the magical Land of Oz. He is introduced in L. Frank Baum's second Oz book titled The Marvelous Land of Oz, published in 1904. He serves as a friend and getaway for the protagonist of the story named Tip, the slave boy of Witch Mombi and Jack Pumpkinhead, a sidekick main character who is the authentic invention created by Tip.
Description
Illustration by John R. Neill.
His body is a log with a notch cut in one end for a mouth, two knots for eyes and a branch for a tail. His legs are four straight tree limbs stuck into his body and spread wide apart for stability. When he was first made he had no ears, but that was soon corrected. His legs are shod with plates of gold, and he always wears Ozma's red leather saddle set with diamonds. He lives in a gold-paneled stable decorated with pearls and emeralds at the rear of the Royal Palace of Oz.
The Sawhorse can speak and follow directions, so it has never worn a bridle. It is a simple creature, and is one of the fastest creatures in Oz because he never gets tired.
History
Tip brought the Sawhorse to life with the Powder of Life to carry Jack Pumpkinhead, whose wooden joints were wearing out from walking. He accompanied Tip through his adventures with the Scarecrow until it was revealed that Tip was actually Princess Ozma, the rightful ruler of Oz.
As queen, Ozma had the Sawhorse's legs shod with gold the prevent them from wearing out. He remains her personal steed and she often rides him through the streets of the Emerald City and throughout the Land of Oz. (The Marvelous Land of Oz)
When Jim the Cab-horse visited the Land of Oz, the Sawhorse was honored to meet a Real Horse. They raced, and the Sawhorse won thanks to his untiring nature. (Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz)
Saw horse concept art
Book appearances
- The Marvelous Land of Oz (first appearance)
- 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
- Rinkitink in Oz
- The Lost Princess of Oz
- The Magic of Oz
- The Royal Book of Oz
- Kabumpo in Oz
- The Wonder City of Oz
- The Scalawagons of Oz
Background
In his modern Oz books, March Laumer gives the Sawhorse the name Lignum.
In the musical Wicked, the Sawhorse was a bike for Fiyero's arrival at Shiz.
He appeared in Marvel's The Marvelous Land of Oz.
In The Shirley Temple Show: The Land of Oz, the Sawhorse was voiced by Mel Blanc, in the 1981 Marvelous Land of Oz play it was voiced by James McNee. The Sawhorse also appears in His Majesty the Scarecrow of Oz, and the animated productions W krainie czarnokieznika Oza, Ozu no Mahotsukai The Oz Kids and Priklyucheniya v Izumrudnom Gorode.
Woodenhead Stallion III is a living wooden Merry-Go-Round horse that appears in the film Journey Back to Oz along with Jack Pumpkinhead and serves a similar purpose to Sawhorse. This character appears to be a blend of both the Sawhorse and Merry Go Round, a living Merry-Go-Round horse from Merry Go Round in Oz.
Unused concept art for Oz the Great and Powerful exists for the Saw Horse.
Gallery
