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

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

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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“The
Wunderbare
Wonderful
WizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,and
Tante
Aunt
Em,whowasthefarmer’swife.
Theirhousewassmall,forthelumberto
bauen
build
ithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.
Therewerefourwalls,a
boden
floor
andaroof,whichmadeoneroom;
andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
tisch
table
,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.
UncleHenryand
Tante
Aunt
Emhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.
Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
loch
hole
dugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushany
gebäude
building
initspath.
Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthe
mitte
middle
ofthefloor,fromwhichaladderleddownintothesmall,dark
loch
hole
.
WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
baum
tree
norahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeofthe
himmel
sky
inalldirections.
The
sonne
sun
hadbakedtheplowed
land
land
intoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.
Eventhegrasswasnot
grün
green
,forthesunhad
verbrannt
burned
thetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseen
überall
everywhere
.
Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
sonne
sun
blisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.
When
Tante
Aunt
Emcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
The
sonne
sun
andwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andnever
lächelte
smiled
now.
WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Tante
Aunt
Emhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerry
stimme
voice
reachedherears;
andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingto
lachen
laugh
at.
UncleHenrynever
gelacht
laughed
.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
lachen
laugh
,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.
Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,wee
nase
nose
.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,
jedoch
however
,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthe
himmel
sky
,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.
DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedatthe
himmel
sky
too.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefar
norden
north
theyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.
Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthe
süden
south
,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.
Plötzlich
Suddenly
UncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Tante
Aunt
Emdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsand
versteckte
hid
underthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
Tante
Aunt
Em,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthe
boden
floor
andclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,dark
loch
hole
.
DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
tante
aunt
.
Whenshewashalfway
über
across
theroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthe
wind
wind
,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdown
plötzlich
suddenly
uponthefloor.
Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
nord-
north
andsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.
Inthe
mitte
middle
ofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;
andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
tragen
carry
afeather.
Itwasvery
dunkel
dark
,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquiteeasily.
Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthe
boden
floor
andwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthe
loch
hole
,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.
Shecrepttothe
loch
hole
,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.
Hourafterhour
verging
passed
away,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;
butshefeltquitelonely,andthe
wind
wind
shriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.
Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehours
vergingen
passed
andnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthe
zukunft
future
wouldbring.
Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
boden
floor
toherbed,andlaydownuponit;
andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeen
gelegen
lying
onthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;
andTotoputhiscoldlittle
nase
nose
intoherfaceandwhineddismally.
Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasit
dunkel
dark
,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthe
fenster
window
,floodingthelittleroom.
ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgavea
schrei
cry
ofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowing
größer
bigger
andbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelous
schönheit
beauty
.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringina
stimme
voice
verygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.
Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardhera
gruppe
group
ofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.
Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,they
schienen
seemed
aboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforher
alter
age
,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.
Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
They
trugen
wore
roundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafoot
über
above
theirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.
Thehatsofthemenwere
blau
blue
;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andshe
trug
wore
awhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
sonne
sun
likediamonds.
Themenweredressedin
blau
blue
,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,and
trugen
wore
well-polishedbootswithadeep
rolle
roll
ofblueatthetops.
Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalked
ziemlich
rather
stiffly.
WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madea
tief
low
bowandsaid,inasweet
stimme
voice:
.
“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothe
land
land
oftheMunchkins.
WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”
Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast?
Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;
andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,witha
lachen
laugh
,“andthatisthesamething.
See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwo
füße
feet
,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittle
schrei
cry
offright.
There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,two
füße
feet
werestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.
“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethepeoplewholiveinthis
land
land
oftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”
“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthe
land
land
oftheNorth.
WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.
IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreat
fehler
mistake
.
Therewereonlyfourwitchesinallthe
Land
Land
ofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveinthe
Norden
North
andtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewhodweltinthe
Osten
East
andtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;
butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinallthe
Land
Land
ofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”
“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“Whois
Tante
Aunt
Em?”
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
tante
aunt
wholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
TheWitchoftheNorth
schien
seemed
tothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesuponthe
boden
ground
.
Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountry
erwähnt
mentioned
before.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,the
Land
Land
ofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkingher
stimme
voice
toawhisper.
“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeen
lag
lying
.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,and
begann
began
tolaugh.
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.
“Shewassoold,”
erklärte
explained
theWitchoftheNorth,“thatshedriedupquicklyinthe
sonne
sun
.Thatistheendofher.
Butthesilver
schuhe
shoes
areyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickedupthe
schuhe
shoes
,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“TheWitchoftheEastwas
stolz
proud
ofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;
butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedthe
schuhe
shoes
intothehouseandplacedthemonthe
tisch
table
.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
tante
aunt
anduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“Atthe
Osten
East
,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”
“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
The
Süden
South
isthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthe
dritte
third
man,“thatitisthesameatthe
Westen
West
.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”
“The
Norden
North
ismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthis
Land
Land
ofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”
Dorothy
begann
began
tosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.
Hertears
schienen
seemed
togrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,forthey
sofort
immediately
tookouttheirhandkerchiefsand
begannen
began
toweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
nase
nose
,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemn
stimme
voice
.
Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
nase
nose
,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”
“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”
“Isheagoodman?”