Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstories
fantastisch
fantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.
Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.
Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,and
Tante
AuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumberto
bouwen
buildithadtobevervoerd
carriedbywagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,a
vloer
floorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
tafel
table,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryand
Tante
AuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
gat
holedugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanygebouw
buildinginitspath.Itwas
bereikt
reachedbyatrapdoorinthemidden
middleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderleidde
leddownintothesmall,donkere
darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
boom
treenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeofthehemel
skyinalldirections.The
zon
sunhadbakedtheplowedland
landintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnot
groen
green,forthesunhadverbrand
burnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseenoveral
everywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
zon
sunblisteredthepaintandtherainswas
washeditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.When
Tante
AuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.The
zon
sunandwindhadchangedher,too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andnever
glimlachte
smilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Tante
AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamanddrukte
pressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerrystem
voicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwith
verwondering
wonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolachen
laughat.UncleHenrynever
lachte
laughed.Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
lachen
laugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,wee
neus
nose.Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,
echter
however,theywerenotplaying.UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthe
hemel
sky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedatthe
hemel
skytoo.AuntEmwas
was
washingthedishes.Fromthefar
noorden
norththeyheardalowwailofthewind
wind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthe
zuiden
south,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.Plotseling
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Tante
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
Toto
sprong
jumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.Tante
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthevloer
floorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,donkere
darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
tante
aunt.Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthe
wind
wind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownplotseling
suddenlyuponthefloor.Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
noordelijke
northandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthe
midden
middleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewind
windoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
dragen
carryafeather.Itwasvery
donker
dark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasreed
ridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthe
vloer
floorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthe
gat
hole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothe
gat
hole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhourpassedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;
butshefeltquitelonely,andthe
wind
windshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehad
afgevraagd
wonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthe
toekomst
futurewouldbring.Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
vloer
floortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathand
afvragen
wonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittle
neus
noseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasit
donker
dark,forthebrightsunshinecameinattheraam
window,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgavea
schreeuw
cryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgroeien
growingbiggerandbiggerattheprachtige
wonderfulsightsshesaw.Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelous
schoonheid
beauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearing
rijke
richandlusciousfruits.Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetween
groene
greenbanks,andmurmuringinastem
voiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardhera
groep
groupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,they
leken
seemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherleeftijd
age,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddly
gekleed
dressed.Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointa
voet
footabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwere
blauw
blue;thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andshe
droeg
woreawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
zon
sunlikediamonds.Themenwere
gekleed
dressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,anddroegen
worewell-polishedbootswithadeeprol
rollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalked
nogal
ratherstiffly.Whenthesepeopledrew
buurt
nearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madea
lage
lowbowandsaid,inasweetstem
voice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothe
land
landoftheMunchkins.WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Oosten
East,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwith
verwondering
wonder.Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Oosten
East?Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;
andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidently
verwachtte
expectedhertoanswer;soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesome
vergissing
mistake.Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,witha
lach
laugh,“andthatisthesamething.See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwo
voeten
feet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”Dorothylooked,andgavealittle
schreeuw
cryoffright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,two
voeten
feetwerestickingout,shodinsilverschoenen
shoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
huilde
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchofthe
Oosten
East,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethepeoplewholiveinthis
land
landoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthe
land
landoftheNorth.WhentheysawtheWitchofthe
Oosten
EastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
huilde
criedDorothy.“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreat
fout
mistake.Therewereonlyfourwitchesinallthe
Land
LandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNoorden
NorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewhodweltinthe
Oosten
EastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinallthe
Land
LandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“Whois
Tante
AuntEm?”inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
tante
auntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”TheWitchofthe
Noorden
Northseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,
noch
norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.But,yousee,the
Land
LandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkingher
stem
voicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,and
begon
begantolaugh.ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilver
schoenen
shoes.“Shewassoold,”explainedtheWitchofthe
Noorden
North,“thatshedriedupsnel
quicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilver
schoenen
shoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereacheddownandpickedupthe
schoenen
shoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“TheWitchofthe
Oosten
Eastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothy
droeg
carriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetafel
table.ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
tante
auntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“Atthe
Oosten
East,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andniemand
nonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
The
Zuiden
SouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”“Iamtold,”saidthe
derde
thirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWesten
West.Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchofthe
Westen
West,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”“The
Noorden
Northismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthisLand
LandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothy
begon
begantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertears
leken
seemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyonmiddellijk
immediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegonnen
begantoweepalso.Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
neus
nose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnstem
voice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
neus
nose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”
“Isheagoodman?”