Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthy
jongere
youngsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyonwerkelijk
unreal.ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotyped
geest
genie,dwarfandfairyaregeëlimineerd
eliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraal
moraltoeachtale.Moderneducation
omvat
includesmorality;thereforethemodernchildseeksonly
vermaak
entertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
It
streeft
aspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyarebehouden
retainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.L.
Hoofdstuk
ChapterITheCycloneDorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasa
boer
farmer,andAuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthe
hout
lumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagen
wagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,afloorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;
andthisroom
bevatte
containedarustylookingcookstove,akast
cupboardforthedishes,atable,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryandAuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.
Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmallholedugintheground,calledacyclone
kelder
cellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,machtig
mightyenoughtocrushanybuildinginitspath.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhicha
ladder
ladderleddownintothesmall,darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthe
deur
doorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairie
prairieoneveryside.Notatreenorahousebrokethe
brede
broadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeoftheskyinalldirections.Thesunhad
gebakken
bakedtheplowedlandintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnotgreen,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseeneverywhere.
Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthesunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasas
saai
dullandgrayaseverythingelse.WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthema
sober
sobergray;theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheywere
grijs
grayalso.Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasan
wees
orphan,firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewas
grijs
grayalso,fromhislongbaard
beardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandplechtig
solemn,andrarelyspoke.ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,andsavedherfromgrowingas
grijs
grayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnot
grijs
gray;hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthe
stoep
doorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.
Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenheran
naar
towardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
One
blik
glancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorandclimbeddownthe
ladder
ladderintothesmall,darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowheraunt.
Whenshewas
halverwege
halfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupina
ballon
balloon.Thenorthandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.
Inthemiddleofacyclonetheairis
algemeen
generallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucouldcarrya
veer
feather.Itwasverydark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquiteeasily.
Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrocked
zachtjes
gently,likeababyinawieg
cradle.Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,
blaffen
barkingloudly;butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.
She
kroop
crepttothehole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhourpassedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverher
schrik
fright;butshefeltquitelonely,andthewindshriekedso
luid
loudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowait
rustig
calmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.Atlastshe
kroop
crawledovertheswayingfloortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
Hoofdstuk
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkinsShewas
gewekt
awakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.Asitwas,the
pot
jarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.
Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthebright
zon
sunshinecameinatthewindow,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoather
hielen
heelsranandopenedthedoor.Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinavoiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.
Whileshestoodlooking
gretig
eagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingnaar
towardheragroupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.
Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkled
zoet
sweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andsheworeawhite
jurk
gownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitwere
gestrooid
sprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesame
schaduw
shadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly.
WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthe
deur
doorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealowbowandsaid,inasweetvoice:.
“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.
Wearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledthe
Boze
WickedWitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledthe
Boze
WickedWitchoftheEast?Dorothywasaninnocent,
onschadelijk
harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewoman
blijkbaar
evidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;soDorothysaid,with
aarzeling
hesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”
antwoordde
repliedthelittleoldwoman,withalaugh,“andthatisthesamething.See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryof
angst
fright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreat
balk
beamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewoman
rustig
calmly.“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“Shewasthe
Boze
WickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsin
slavernij
bondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
vroeg
inquiredDorothy.“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwherethe
Boze
WickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.
WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssenta
snelle
swiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
Iamnotaspowerfulasthe
Boze
WickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewho
woonden
dweltintheEastandtheWestwere,indeed,boze
wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutone
Boze
WickedWitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
vroeg
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.“SheismyauntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
TheWitchoftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.
Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isita
beschaafd
civilizedcountry?”“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
Inthe
beschaafde
civilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeen
beschaafd
civilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkinghervoicetoawhisper.
“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstanding
zwijgend
silentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheBoze
WickedWitchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbegantolaugh.
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappeared
volledig
entirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.“Shewassoold,”explainedtheWitchoftheNorth,“thatshedriedupquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.
Butthesilvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“TheWitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissome
charme
charmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetable.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomyauntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”
“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbythe
Boze
WickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthat
omringt
surroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothybeganto
snikken
sobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofhernose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”ina
plechtige
solemnvoice.Atoncethecapchangedtoa
leisteen
slate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantookthe
leisteen
slatefromhernose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreat
Tovenaar
WizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”