# Letters in the Sand explained — Ozma of Oz

> Chapter companion for Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum.

## What happens

Dorothy and Billina discover a warning written in the sand: 'Beware the Wheelers!' They explore a strange forest where lunch-boxes and dinner-pails grow on trees. After picking food, they are chased by a group of Wheelers, who claim the trees belong to them. Dorothy and Billina escape to a rocky hill where the Wheelers cannot follow, but they are now trapped.

## Themes in this chapter

### Resourcefulness and Cleverness

Dorothy uses her wits to read the warning in the sand and later climbs a rocky hill to escape the Wheelers, demonstrating quick thinking in a dangerous situation.

### Magic and Wonder

The chapter introduces a fairyland where lunch-boxes and dinner-pails grow on trees, highlighting the magical and wondrous nature of the setting.

## Character check-ins

### Dorothy Gale

Discovers the warning in the sand, picks lunch-boxes and dinner-pails from trees, and flees from the Wheelers to a rocky hill.

### Billina

Accompanies Dorothy, warns her about the Wheelers, and helps her escape to the rocky hill.

### Wheelers

A race of creatures with wheels instead of hands and feet; they chase Dorothy and Billina for picking from the trees and surround the hill.

## Key lines

> Beware the Wheelers!

Watch out for the Wheelers!

_Dorothy reads this warning written in the sand, alerting her to the danger of the Wheelers._

> I only picked one of each. I was hungry, and I didn't know the trees were yours.

I only took one lunch-box and one dinner-pail because I was hungry, and I didn't realize the trees belonged to you.

_Dorothy explains to the Wheeler leader that she took the food out of hunger and ignorance of ownership._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ozma_of_oz_se/chapters/iii-letters-in-the-sand
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ozma_of_oz_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ozma_of_oz_se/chapters