Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.
Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.
Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“The
Vidunderlige
WonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,and
Tante
AuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumberto
bygge
buildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,a
gulv
floorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
bord
table,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryand
Tante
AuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
hul
holedugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanybygning
buildinginitspath.Itwas
nåede
reachedbyatrapdoorinthemidten
middleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderførte
leddownintothesmall,mørke
darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
træ
treenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatnåede
reachedtotheedgeofthehimlen
skyinalldirections.The
solen
sunhadbakedtheplowedjord
landintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnot
grønt
green,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseenoveralt
everywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
solen
sunblisteredthepaintandtherainsvaskede
washeditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.When
Tante
AuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.The
solen
sunandwindhadchangedher,too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andnever
smilede
smilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Tante
AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandtrykke
pressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerrystemme
voicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingto
grine
laughat.UncleHenrynever
grinede
laughed.Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
grine
laugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,wee
næse
nose.Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,
dog
however,theywerenotplaying.UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthe
himlen
sky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedatthe
himlen
skytoo.AuntEmwas
vaskede
washingthedishes.Fromthefar
nord
norththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthe
syd
south,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.Pludselig
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Tante
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
Toto
sprang
jumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandgemte
hidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.Tante
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthegulvet
floorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,mørke
darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
tante
aunt.Whenshewashalfway
over
acrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownpludselig
suddenlyuponthefloor.Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
nord
northandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthe
midten
middleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
bære
carryafeather.Itwasvery
mørkt
dark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasred
ridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthe
gulvet
floorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.OnceTotogottoo
tæt
neartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthe
hullet
hole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothe
hullet
hole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhourpassedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;
butshefeltquitelonely,andthewindshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.
Atfirstshehad
undret
wonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthe
fremtiden
futurewouldbring.Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
gulv
floortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathand
undre
wonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittle
næse
noseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.Dorothysatupand
mærke
noticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;heller ikke
norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthevinduet
window,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyes
voksede
growingbiggerandbiggeratthevidunderlige
wonderfulsightsshesaw.Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelous
skønhed
beauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearing
rige
richandlusciousfruits.Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetween
grønne
greenbanks,andmurmuringinastemme
voiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthe
mærkelige
strangeandbeautifulsights,shemærke
noticedcomingtowardheragruppe
groupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforher
alder
age,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddly
klædt
dressed.Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointa
fod
footabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwere
blå
blue;thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andshe
bar
woreawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
solen
sunlikediamonds.Themenwere
klædt
dressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andbar
worewell-polishedbootswithadyb
deeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewas
dækket
coveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly.WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madea
lav
lowbowandsaid,inasweetstemme
voice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothe
land
landoftheMunchkins.WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Øst
East,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Østen
East?Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeen
båret
carriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidently
forventede
expectedhertoanswer;soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,witha
grin
laugh,“andthatisthesamething.See!”
she
fortsatte
continued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.“Therearehertwo
fødder
feet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryoffright.
There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,two
fødder
feetwerestickingout,shodinsilversko
shoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
græd
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchofthe
Øst
East,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethepeoplewholiveinthis
land
landoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthe
land
landoftheNorth.WhentheysawtheWitchofthe
Østen
EastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
græd
criedDorothy.“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
Therewereonlyfourwitchesinallthe
Land
LandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNord
NorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewhodweltinthe
Øst
EastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinallthe
Land
LandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“Whois
Tante
AuntEm?”inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
tante
auntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”TheWitchoftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesuponthe
jorden
ground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,the
Land
LandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkingher
stemme
voicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,and
begyndte
begantolaugh.ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilver
sko
shoes.“Shewassoold,”
forklarede
explainedtheWitchoftheNordlige
North,“thatshedrieduphurtigt
quicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilver
sko
shoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereacheddownandpickedupthe
skoene
shoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“TheWitchoftheEastwas
stolt
proudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothy
bar
carriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthebordet
table.ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
tante
auntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“Atthe
Øst
East,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andingen
nonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthe
tredje
thirdman,“thatitisthesameattheVesten
West.Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchofthe
Vesten
West,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthis
Land
LandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothy
begyndte
begantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,forthey
straks
immediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegyndte
begantoweepalso.Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
næse
nose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnstemme
voice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
næse
nose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”
“Isheagoodman?”