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
WonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,and
Tante
AuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumberto
bauen
buildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,a
boden
floorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
tisch
table,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryand
Tante
AuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
loch
holedugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanygebäude
buildinginitspath.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthe
mitte
middleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderleddownintothesmall,darkloch
hole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
baum
treenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeofthehimmel
skyinalldirections.The
sonne
sunhadbakedtheplowedland
landintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnot
grün
green,forthesunhadverbrannt
burnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseenüberall
everywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
sonne
sunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.When
Tante
AuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.The
sonne
sunandwindhadchangedher,too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andnever
lächelte
smilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Tante
AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerrystimme
voicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingto
lachen
laughat.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
skytoo.AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefar
norden
norththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthe
süden
south,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.Plötzlich
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Tante
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsand
versteckte
hidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.Tante
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorintheboden
floorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,darkloch
hole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
tante
aunt.Whenshewashalfway
über
acrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind
wind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownplötzlich
suddenlyuponthefloor.Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
nord-
northandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthe
mitte
middleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
tragen
carryafeather.Itwasvery
dunkel
dark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthe
boden
floorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthe
loch
hole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothe
loch
hole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhour
verging
passedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;butshefeltquitelonely,andthe
wind
windshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehours
vergingen
passedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthezukunft
futurewouldbring.Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
boden
floortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeen
gelegen
lyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;
andTotoputhiscoldlittle
nase
noseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasit
dunkel
dark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthefenster
window,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgavea
schrei
cryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowinggrößer
biggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelous
schönheit
beauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringina
stimme
voiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardhera
gruppe
groupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,they
schienen
seemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforheralter
age,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
They
trugen
woreroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootüber
abovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwere
blau
blue;thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andshe
trug
woreawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
sonne
sunlikediamonds.Themenweredressedin
blau
blue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andtrugen
worewell-polishedbootswithadeeprolle
rollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalked
ziemlich
ratherstiffly.WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madea
tief
lowbowandsaid,inasweetstimme
voice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothe
land
landoftheMunchkins.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
cryoffright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,two
füße
feetwerestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethepeoplewholiveinthis
land
landoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthe
land
landoftheNorth.WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.
IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreat
fehler
mistake.Therewereonlyfourwitchesinallthe
Land
LandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorden
NorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewhodweltinthe
Osten
EastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinallthe
Land
LandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“Whois
Tante
AuntEm?”inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
tante
auntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”TheWitchoftheNorth
schien
seemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheboden
ground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountry
erwähnt
mentionedbefore.Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,the
Land
LandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkingher
stimme
voicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeen
lag
lying.“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,and
begann
begantolaugh.ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.
“Shewassoold,”
erklärte
explainedtheWitchoftheNorth,“thatshedriedupquicklyinthesonne
sun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilver
schuhe
shoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereacheddownandpickedupthe
schuhe
shoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“TheWitchoftheEastwas
stolz
proudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedthe
schuhe
shoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetisch
table.ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
tante
auntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“Atthe
Osten
East,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
The
Süden
SouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”“Iamtold,”saidthe
dritte
thirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWesten
West.Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”
“The
Norden
Northismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthisLand
LandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothy
begann
begantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertears
schienen
seemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheysofort
immediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegannen
begantoweepalso.Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
nase
nose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnstimme
voice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
nase
nose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”
“Isheagoodman?”