The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

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Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.
Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.
Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“The
Merveilleux
Wonderful
WizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,and
Tante
Aunt
Em,whowasthefarmer’swife.
Theirhousewassmall,forthelumberto
construire
build
ithadtobe
transporté
carried
bywagonmanymiles.
Therewerefourwalls,a
sol
floor
andaroof,whichmadeoneroom;
andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
table
table
,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.
UncleHenryand
Tante
Aunt
Emhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.
Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
trou
hole
dugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushany
bâtiment
building
initspath.
Itwas
arrivait
reached
byatrapdoorinthe
milieu
middle
ofthefloor,fromwhichaladder
menait
led
downintothesmall,
sombre
dark
hole.
WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
arbre
tree
norahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythat
atteignait
reached
totheedgeofthe
ciel
sky
inalldirections.
The
soleil
sun
hadbakedtheplowed
terre
land
intoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.
Eventhegrasswasnotgreen,forthe
soleil
sun
hadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseen
partout
everywhere
.
Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
soleil
sun
blisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.
When
Tante
Aunt
Emcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
The
soleil
sun
andwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Tante
Aunt
Emhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerry
voix
voice
reachedherears;
andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingto
rire
laugh
at.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
rire
laugh
,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.
Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,wee
nez
nose
.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,
cependant
however
,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthe
ciel
sky
,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.
DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedatthe
ciel
sky
too.
AuntEmwas
laver
washing
thedishes.
Fromthefar
nord
north
theyheardalowwailofthe
vent
wind
,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.
Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthe
sud
south
,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.
Soudain
Suddenly
UncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Tante
Aunt
Emdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
Toto
sauté
jumped
outofDorothy’sarmsand
caché
hid
underthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
Tante
Aunt
Em,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthe
sol
floor
andclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,
sombre
dark
hole.
DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
tante
aunt
.
Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthe
vent
wind
,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdown
soudainement
suddenly
uponthefloor.
Thena
étrange
strange
thinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
nord
north
andsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.
Inthe
milieu
middle
ofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthe
vent
wind
oneverysideofthehouse
soulevé
raised
ituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;
andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
porter
carry
afeather.
Itwasvery
sombre
dark
,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewas
montait
riding
quiteeasily.
Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthe
sol
floor
andwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisears
tenait
sticking
upthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.
Shecrepttothe
trou
hole
,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.
Hourafterhour
passait
passed
away,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;
butshefeltquitelonely,andthe
vent
wind
shriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.
Atfirstshehad
demandée
wondered
ifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothing
terrible
terrible
happened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.
Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
sol
floor
toherbed,andlaydownuponit;
andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathand
se demander
wonder
whathadhappened;
andTotoputhiscoldlittle
nez
nose
intoherfaceandwhineddismally.
Dorothysatupand
remarqua
noticed
thatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthe
fenêtre
window
,floodingthelittleroom.
ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgavea
cri
cry
ofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyes
grandissant
growing
biggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelous
beauté
beauty
.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytrees
portant
bearing
richandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringina
voix
voice
verygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.
Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,she
remarqué
noticed
comingtowardhera
groupe
group
ofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.
Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,they
semblaient
seemed
aboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforher
âge
age
,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.
Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
They
portaient
wore
roundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafoot
au-dessus
above
theirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.
Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andshe
portait
wore
awhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
soleil
sun
likediamonds.
Themenweredressedin
bleu
blue
,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,and
portaient
wore
well-polishedbootswitha
profond
deep
rollofblueatthetops.
Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewas
couvert
covered
withwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalked
plutôt
rather
stiffly.
WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealowbowandsaid,inasweet
voix
voice:
.
“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.
WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”
Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast?
Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;
andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesome
erreur
mistake
.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,witha
rire
laugh
,“andthatisthesamething.
See!”
she
continué
continued
,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwo
pieds
feet
,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittle
cri
cry
offright.
There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,two
pieds
feet
werestickingout,shodinsilver
chaussures
shoes
withpointedtoes.
“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
pleurait
cried
Dorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”
“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandofthe
Nord
North
.
WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.
IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
pleurait
cried
Dorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreat
erreur
mistake
.
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveinthe
Nord
North
andtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
ThosewhodweltintheEastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;
butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”
“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“Whois
Tante
Aunt
Em?”
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
tante
aunt
wholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
TheWitchofthe
Nord
North
seemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesuponthe
sol
ground
.
Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountry
parler
mentioned
before.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,
ni
nor
wizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkingher
voix
voice
toawhisper.
“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,and
commencé
began
tolaugh.
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilver
chaussures
shoes
.
“Shewassoold,”
expliqua
explained
theWitchofthe
Nord
North
,“thatshedriedup
rapidement
quickly
inthesun.Thatistheendofher.
Butthesilver
chaussures
shoes
areyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickedupthe
chaussures
shoes
,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“TheWitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;
butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothy
porté
carried
theshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthe
table
table
.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
tante
aunt
anduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”
“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
The
Sud
South
isthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthe
troisième
third
man,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyou
passiez
passed
herway.”
“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”
Dorothy
commencé
began
tosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.
Hertears
semblaient
seemed
togrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,forthey
immédiatement
immediately
tookouttheirhandkerchiefsand
commencé
began
toweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
nez
nose
,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemn
voix
voice
.
Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
nez
nose
,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”
“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”
“Isheagoodman?”