A possible pet for Tik-Tok?

For those of you who may not recall, Wikipedia describes Tik-Tok as follows:

Tik-Tok (sometimes spelled Tiktok) is a round-bodied mechanical man that runs on clockwork springs which periodically need to be wound, like a wind-up toy or mechanical clock. He has separate windings for thought, action, and speech. Tik-Tok is unable to wind any of them up himself. He becomes frozen or mute or, for one memorable moment in The Road to Oz, continues to speak but utters gibberish. When he speaks, only his teeth move. His knees and elbows are described as resembling those in a knight's suit of armor.

As Baum repeatedly mentions, Tik-Tok is not alive and feels no emotions. He therefore can no more love or be loved than a sewing machine, but as a servant he is utterly truthful and loyal. He describes himself as a "slave" to Dorothy and gives her deference.

Tik-Tok was invented by Smith and Tinker at their workshop in Evna. He is the only model of his kind before the two disappeared. He was purchased by the king of Ev, Evoldo, who gave him the name Tik-Tok because of the sound he made when wound. The cruel king also whipped his mechanical servant, but that simply kept Tik-Tok's round copper body polished.

Tik-Tok first appears in Ozma of Oz (1907) where Dorothy Gale discovers him locked up in a cave, immobilized. He becomes Dorothy's servant and protector, and, despite his tendency to run down at crucial moments, helps to subdue the Nome King. That novel also introduces Tik-Tok's monotonic, halting mode of speech: "Good morn-ing, lit-tle girl."

I was at our local auction the other day and ran across an item which got my brain working on a story idea.




Seeing this unique device, which is used by cobblers to cut leather for shoes, I got to thinking about Tik-Tok, one of Baum's more unique characters. It seemed to me like he needed a pet and I think I might have found him.

Another view shows the mechanical aspects which would make him an ideal pet for the mechanical man.



I've decided to name him "Cobbler the Dog."

I just love the auction barn. It seems I always find something that gets me started on stuff and such. Most of the Oz stuff I find is at the local auction houses of our area.

James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma