They were two very ordinary strawmen on
adjacent farms. Nice playmates for a couple of
imaginative kids. Then Jimmy gave a knife to—
The Dangerous Scarecrow
By Carl Jacobi
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
August 1954
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Both Mr. Maudsley and Mr. Trask were resplendent that October evening. Mr. Maudsley stood deep in the cornfield, overall trousers ballooning in the wind, one hand nailed to a pie-tin that caught the moonlight and reflected it like a mirror. While across the road the hat of Mr. Trask was bright with the strip of foil Jimmy had fastened to it that morning.
From the rear seat of the car Jimmy looked down upon the two figures as the road wound between the shocked fields.
Next to him his sister, Stella, said, "Mr. Trask looks fine tonight. I think he likes the silver ribbon you gave him."