Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,forevery
terveellinen
healthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfand
keiju
fairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.Nykyaikainen
Moderneducationincludesmorality;thereforethe
nykyaikainen
modernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentand
ilo
joyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,andAuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.
Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.
Therewerefourwalls,aflooranda
katto
roof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,atable,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.
UncleHenryandAuntEmhadabigbedinone
nurkassa
corner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothernurkassa
corner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmallhole
kaivettu
dugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanybuildinginitspath.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderleddownintothesmall,darkhole.
WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Notatreenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeoftheskyinalldirections.
Thesunhadbakedtheplowedlandintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.
Eventhe
ruoho
grasswasnotgreen,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseeneverywhere.Oncethehousehadbeen
maalattu
painted,butthesunblisteredthemaalattu
paintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewould
huusi
screamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’siloinen
merryvoicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhat
ilo
joywas.Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.
Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.
DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.
Therenowcamea
terävä
sharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatsuuntaan
directionalso.SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
she
huusi
screamed.“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorand
kiipesi
climbeddowntheladderintothesmall,darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowheraunt.
Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.
Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesand
nousi
roseslowlythroughtheair.Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
Thenorthandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.
Inthemiddleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreat
paine
pressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereit
pysyi
remainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucouldcarryafeather.Itwasverydark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquiteeasily.
Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetipped
pahasti
badly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthehole,forthestrong
ilmanpaine
pressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothehole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.
Hourafterhourpassedaway,and
hitaasti
slowlyDorothygotoverherfright;butshefeltquitelonely,andthewindshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshe
melkein
nearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.
Atlastshecrawledovertheswayingfloortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;
andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIIThe
Neuvosto
CouncilwiththeMunchkinsShewasawakenedbyashock,so
äkillinen
suddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;
andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.
Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthe
kirkas
brightsunshinecameinatthewindow,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinavoiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.
Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardheragroupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.
Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.
Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.
Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’s
hattu
hatwaswhite,andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.
Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops.
Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwas
lähes
nearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly.WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealowbowandsaid,inasweetvoice:.
“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.
WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWicked
Noidan
WitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothis
puhetta
speechwithwonder.Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast?
Dorothywasan
viaton
innocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,withalaugh,“andthatisthesamething.
See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothe
nurkkaan
cornerofthehouse.“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryoffright.
There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.
“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWicked
Noita
WitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwheretheWicked
Noita
Witchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.
Whentheysawthe
Noidan
WitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.Iamthe
Noita
WitchoftheNorth.”“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagood
noita
witch,andthepeopleloveme.Iamnotas
voimakas
powerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingareal
noidan
witch.“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
ThosewhodweltintheEastandtheWestwere,
todellakin
indeed,wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWicked
Noita
WitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“SheismyauntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
The
Noita
WitchoftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Siksi
Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkinghervoicetoawhisper.
“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoud
huusivat
shoutandpointedtothenurkkaan
cornerofthehousewheretheWickedNoita
Witchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbegantolaugh.
Thefeetofthedead
Noidan
Witchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.“Shewassoold,”explainedthe
Noita
WitchoftheNorth,“thatshekuivui
driedupquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“The
Noita
WitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetable.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomyauntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandthe
Noita
Witchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreat
aavikko
desert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWicked
Noita
WitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreat
aavikko
desertthatsurroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothybegantosobatthis,forshefelt
yksinäinen
lonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofhernose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnvoice.
Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromhernose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”
“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthe
keskellä
centerofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”