Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomefora
sor
seriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandtündér
fairyareeliminated,togetherwithalltheszörnyű
horribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.Modern
Moderneducationincludesmorality;thereforethe
modern
modernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentand
öröm
joyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,andAuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.
Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.
Therewerefourwalls,aflooranda
tető
roof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,atable,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.
UncleHenryandAuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.
Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmallholedugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanybuildinginitspath.
Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderleddownintothesmall,darkhole.
WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Notatreenorahousebrokethebroadsweepof
sík
flatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeoftheskyinalldirections.Thesunhadbakedtheplowedlandintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.
Eventhe
fű
grasswasnotgreen,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegrayszín
colortobeseeneverywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthesunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.
WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’s
vidám
merryvoicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhat
öröm
joywas.Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohis
durva
roughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.
Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.
DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelong
fű
grassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingvihar
storm.Therenowcamea
éles
sharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthefűben
grasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
AuntEm,
rosszul
badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowheraunt.
Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.
Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesand
emelkedett
roseslowlythroughtheair.Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
Thenorthandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeitthe
pontos
exactcenterofthecyclone.Inthemiddleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;
andthereit
maradt
remainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaskönnyen
easilyasyoucouldcarryafeather.Itwasverydark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquite
könnyen
easily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetipped
rosszul
badly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.
Shecrepttothehole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.
Hourafterhourpassedaway,and
lassan
slowlyDorothygotoverherfright;butshefeltquitelonely,andthewindshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshe
majdnem
nearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.
Atlastshecrawledovertheswayingfloortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;
andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbya
sokk
shock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthepuha
softbedshemighthavebeenhurt.Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;
andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.
Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthe
ragyogó
brightsunshinecameinatthewindow,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksof
gyönyörű
gorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithritka
rareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinavoicevery
hálás
gratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongontheszáraz
dry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardheragroupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.
Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutas
magas
tallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,bár
althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsidősebb
older.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.
Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.
Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops.
Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmuch
idősebb
older.Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwas
majdnem
nearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly.WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhispered
között
amongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealow
meghajolt
bowandsaid,inasweetvoice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.
WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”
Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast?
Dorothywasan
ártatlan
innocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,withalaugh,“andthatisthesamething.
See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromundera
tömb
blockofwood.”Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryoffright.
There,
valóban
indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinezüst
silvershoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwheretheWicked
Boszorkány
Witchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,
bár
althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.
IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagood
boszorkány
witch,andthepeopleloveme.Iamnotas
erős
powerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingareal
boszorkány
witch.“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
ThosewhodweltintheEastandtheWestwere,
valóban
indeed,wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWicked
Boszorkány
WitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“SheismyauntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
The
Boszorkány
WitchoftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Ezért
Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredthe
Boszorkány
Witch,sinkinghervoicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavea
hangosan
loudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedBoszorkány
Witchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbegantolaugh.
Thefeetofthedead
Boszorkány
Witchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbuttheezüst
silvershoes.“Shewassoold,”explainedthe
Boszorkány
WitchoftheNorth,“thatshedriedupquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthe
ezüst
silvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andaftershakingthe
port
dustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“The
Boszorkány
WitchoftheEastwasproudofthoseezüst
silvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetable.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomyauntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandthe
Boszorkány
Witchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”
“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”
“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”
Dorothybegantosobatthis,forshefeltlonely
között
amongallthesestrangepeople.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
közepén
centerofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”