Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsand
eventyr
fairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmore
lykke
happinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomefora
række
seriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandfe
fairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.Moderne
Moderneducationincludesmorality;thereforethe
moderne
modernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,andAuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.
Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.
Therewerefourwalls,aflooranda
tag
roof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,atable,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.
UncleHenryandAuntEmhadabigbedinone
hjørne
corner,andDorothyalittlebedinanotherhjørne
corner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmallhole
gravet
dugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanybuildinginitsvej
path.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderleddownintothesmall,darkhole.
WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Notatreenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtothe
kanten
edgeoftheskyinalldirections.Thesunhadbakedtheplowedlandintoagray
masse
mass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhe
græsset
grasswasnotgreen,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegrayfarve
colortobeseeneverywhere.Oncethehousehadbeen
malet
painted,butthesunblisteredthemalet
paintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewas
tynd
thinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’s
latter
laughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhat
glæde
joywas.Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.
Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.
DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelong
græs
grassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm
storm.Therenowcamea
skarp
sharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegræsset
grasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
Oneglancetoldherofthe
faren
dangercloseathand.“Quick,Dorothy!”
she
skreg
screamed.“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorand
klatrede
climbeddowntheladderintothesmall,darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowheraunt.
Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.
Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandrose
langsomt
slowlythroughtheair.Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
Thenorthandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeitthe
nøjagtige
exactcenterofthecyclone.Inthemiddleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreat
tryk
pressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphøjere
higherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereit
forblev
remainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaslet
easilyasyoucouldcarryafeather.Itwasverydark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquite
let
easily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetipped
dårligt
badly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthehole,forthestrong
tryk
pressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothehole,caughtTotobythe
øret
ear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhourpassedaway,and
langsomt
slowlyDorothygotoverherfright;butshefeltquite
ensom
lonely,andthewindshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenæsten
nearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.
Atlastshecrawledovertheswayingfloortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;
andTotofollowedandlaydown
ved siden af
besideher.ChapterIIThe
Rådet
CouncilwiththeMunchkinsShewasawakenedbya
chok
shock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;
andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.
Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthewindow,floodingthelittleroom.
ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswith
sjældne
rareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinavoicevery
taknemmelig
gratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthetørre
dry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardheragroupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.
Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutas
høje
tallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsældre
older.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.
Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’s
hat
hatwaswhite,andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.
Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops.
Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmuch
ældre
older.Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwas
næsten
nearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly.WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealowbowandsaid,inasweetvoice:.
“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.
WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWicked
Heks
WitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothis
tale
speechwithwonder.Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWicked
Heks
WitchoftheEast?Dorothywasan
uskyldig
innocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,withalaugh,“andthatisthesamething.
See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromundera
blok
blockofwood.”Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryoffright.
There,
faktisk
indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsølv
silvershoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWicked
Heks
WitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwheretheWicked
Heks
Witchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.
Whentheysawthe
Heksen
WitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.Iamthe
Heksen
WitchoftheNorth.”“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagood
heks
witch,andthepeopleloveme.IamnotaspowerfulastheWicked
Heks
Witchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingareal
heks
witch.“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
ThosewhodweltintheEastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;
butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWicked
Heks
WitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“SheismyauntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
The
Heksen
WitchoftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbøjet
bowedandhereyesupontheground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Derfor
Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredthe
Heksen
Witch,sinkinghervoicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavea
højt
loudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedHeks
Witchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbegantolaugh.
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhad
forsvundet
disappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.“Shewassoold,”explainedthe
Heks
WitchoftheNorth,“thatshetørrede
driedupquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andafter
rystet
shakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“The
Heks
WitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetable.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomyauntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandthe
Heksen
Witchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreat
ørken
desert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWicked
Heks
WitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslave
slaveifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatits
kant
edgeisthesamegreatørken
desertthatsurroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothybegantosobatthis,forshefelt
ensom
lonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapand
balancerede
balancedthepointontheendofhernose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnvoice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromhernose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”
“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupand
tørrede
dryinghertears.“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthe
midten
centerofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”