Introduction
Folklore,legends,myths
e
andfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodattraverso
throughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasun
awholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelouse
andmanifestlyunreal.ThewingedfairiesofGrimm
e
andAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthantutte
allotherhumancreations.Yet
la
theoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,mayora
nowbeclassedas“historical”inla
thechildren’slibrary;forthetimehas
vengono
comeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”incui
whichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfe
andfairyareeliminated,togetherwithtutti
allthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointuna
afearsomemoraltoeachtale.Moderneducationincludesmorality;
therefore
il
themodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalese
andgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Having
questo
thisthoughtinmind,thestoria
storyof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopiacere
pleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeing
una
amodernizedfairytale,incui
whichthewondermentandjoyareretainede
andtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftfuori
out.L.
ChapterITheCyclone
Dorothy
viveva
livedinthemidstofla
thegreatKansasprairies,withZio
UncleHenry,whowasafarmer,e
andAuntEm,whowasla
thefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagon
molti
manymiles.Therewerefourwalls,afloor
e
andaroof,whichmadeoneroom;e
andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardfori
thedishes,atable,threeo
orfourchairs,andthebeds.Zio
UncleHenryandAuntEmavevano
hadabigbedinonecorner,e
andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Therewas
non
nogarretatall,andnon
nocellar—exceptasmallholeduginla
theground,calledacyclonecellar,dove
wherethefamilycouldgoincaso
caseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyabbastanza
enoughtocrushanybuildinginitspath.Itwasreachedby
una
atrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromcui
whichaladderleddownintothepiccolo
small,darkhole.WhenDorothystoodin
la
thedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldvedere
seenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieonogni
everyside.Notatreenora
casa
housebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountryche
thatreachedtotheedgeoftheskyintutte
alldirections.Thesunhadbakedtheplowedlandinto
una
agraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnotgreen,forthesun
aveva
hadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesfinché
untiltheywerethesamegraycolortobevedere
seeneverywhere.Oncethehouse
ha
hadbeenpainted,butthesunblisteredthepainte
andtherainswasheditaway,e
andnowthehousewasasdulle
andgrayaseverythingelse.Quando
WhenAuntEmcametheretovivere
liveshewasayoung,prettymoglie
wife.Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
They
avevano
hadtakenthesparklefromhereyese
andleftthemasobergray;they
avevano
hadtakentheredfromhercheekse
andlips,andtheyweregrayalso.Shewasthin
e
andgaunt,andneversmiledora
now.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,
prima
firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreame
andpressherhanduponhercuore
heartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoicereachedherears;e
andshestilllookedatla
thelittlegirlwithwonderche
thatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.Zio
UncleHenryneverlaughed.He
lavorava
workedhardfrommorningtillnighte
anddidnotknowwhatjoywas.Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,
e
andhelookedsternandsolemn,e
andrarelyspoke.ItwasToto
che
thatmadeDorothylaugh,andsalvava
savedherfromgrowingasgrayasheraltri
othersurroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewas
un
alittleblackdog,withlongsilkycapelli
hairandsmallblackeyesche
thattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.Toto
giocava
playedalldaylong,andDorothygiocava
playedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.Oggi
Today,however,theywerenotgiocando
playing.UncleHenrysatupon
il
thedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatil
thesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.Dorothy
stava
stoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,e
andlookedattheskytoo.AuntEmwaswashing
i
thedishes.Fromthefarnorththeyheard
un
alowwailofthewind,e
andUncleHenryandDorothycouldvedere
seewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesprima
beforethecomingstorm.There
ora
nowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,e
andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheyvisto
sawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.Suddenly
Zio
UncleHenrystoodup.“There’s
un
acyclonecoming,Em,”hechiamò
calledtohiswife.“I’ll
vado
golookafterthestock.”Thenherantowardthesheds
dove
wherethecowsandhorseswerekept.AuntEmdroppedher
lavoro
workandcametotheporta
door.Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runfor
la
thecellar!”TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarms
e
andhidunderthebed,e
andthegirlstartedtogethim.AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threw
aprì
openthetrapdoorinla
thefloorandclimbeddownla
theladderintothesmall,darkhole.Dorothy
catturò
caughtTotoatlastandstartedtoseguire
followheraunt.Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroom
ci
therecameagreatshriekfromthewind,e
andthehouseshooksohardche
thatshelostherfootinge
andsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.Then
una
astrangethinghappened.The
casa
housewhirledaroundtwoortre
threetimesandroseslowlyattraverso
throughtheair.Dorothyfeltas
se
ifsheweregoingupinun
aballoon.Thenorthandsouthwinds
incontrati
metwherethehousestood,e
andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthemiddleof
un
acyclonetheairisgenerallystill,ma
butthegreatpressureofthewindonogni
everysideofthehouseraiseditfino a
uphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverycima
topofthecyclone;andthereitremained
e
andwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucouldcarryuna
afeather.Itwasverydark,
e
andthewindhowledhorriblyintorno
aroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingabbastanza
quiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,
e
andoneothertimewhenthecasa
housetippedbadly,shefeltasse
ifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabout
la
theroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;ma
butDorothysatquitestillonthefloore
andwaitedtoseewhatsarebbe
wouldhappen.OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,
e
andfellin;andatfirst
la
thelittlegirlthoughtshehadperso
losthim.Butsoonshe
vide
sawoneofhisearsstickingupattraverso
throughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwasteneva
keepinghimupsothathecouldnotcadere
fall.Shecrepttothehole,caughtTotoby
la
theear,anddraggedhimintola
theroomagain,afterwardclosingla
thetrapdoorsothatnon
nomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Ora
Hourafterhourpassedaway,e
andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;ma
butshefeltquitelonely,e
andthewindshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherche
thatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwondered
se
ifshewouldbedashedtopiecesquando
whenthehousefellagain;ma
butasthehourspassede
andnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedpreoccuparsi
worryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlye
andseewhatthefuturewouldportato
bring.Atlastshecrawled
su
overtheswayingfloortoherletto
bed,andlaydownuponesso
it;andTotofollowedand
sdraiò
laydownbesideher.ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosudden
e
andseverethatifDorothyavrebbe
hadnotbeenlyingonthesoftletto
bedshemighthavebeenmale
hurt.Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreath
e
andwonderwhathadhappened;e
andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaccia
faceandwhineddismally.Dorothy
sedette
satupandnoticedthatla
thehousewasnotmoving;norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthewindow,floodingthelittleroom.
Shesprangfromher
letto
bedandwithTotoatherheelsrane
andopenedthedoor.Thelittlegirlgave
un
acryofamazementandguardò
lookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggere
andbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshevedeva
saw.Thecyclonehadsetthe
casa
housedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofun
acountryofmarvelousbeauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrich
e
andlusciousfruits.Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,
e
andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesange
andflutteredinthetreese
andbushes.Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushing
e
andsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,e
andmurmuringinavoiceverygratefultoalittlegirlche
whohadlivedsolongonle
thedry,grayprairies.Whileshe
stava
stoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangee
andbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardherun
agroupofthequeerestpersone
peopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehad
sempre
alwaysbeenusedto;butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,
che
whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,molti
manyyearsolder.Threeweremen
e
andoneawoman,andtutti
allwereoddlydressed.Theyworeroundhats
che
thatrosetoasmallpunto
pointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsattorno
aroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.I
Thehatsofthemenwereblue;il
thelittlewoman’shatwasbianco
white,andsheworeabianco
whitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Sopra
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsche
thatglistenedinthesuncome
likediamonds.Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,
e
andworewell-polishedbootswithun
adeeprollofblueatthetops.La
Themen,Dorothythought,werecirca
aboutasoldasUncleHenry,fordue
twoofthemhadbeards.Ma
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.Her
viso
facewascoveredwithwrinkles,hercapelli
hairwasnearlywhite,andshecamminava
walkedratherstiffly.Whenthese
persone
peopledrewnearthehousedove
whereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausede
andwhisperedamongthemselves,asse
ifafraidtocomefarther.Ma
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,fece
madealowbowanddisse
said,inasweetvoice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,to
la
thelandoftheMunchkins.Wearesogratefultoyouforhaving
ucciso
killedtheWickedWitchoftheEast,e
andforsettingourpeopleliberato
freefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedto
questo
thisspeechwithwonder.Whatcould
la
thelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingheruna
asorceress,andsayingsheaveva
hadkilledtheWickedWitchofla
theEast?Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,
che
whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemolte
manymilesfromhome;andshe
aveva
hadneverkilledanythinginallhervita
life.Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedherto
rispondesse
answer;soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,
ma
buttheremustbesomemistake.I
ho
havenotkilledanything.”“Your
casa
housedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,withuna
alaugh,“andthatisla
thesamething.See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthe
casa
house.“Therearehertwofeet,
ancora
stillstickingoutfromunderun
ablockofwood.”Dorothy
guardò
looked,andgavealittlecryoffright.There,indeed,
proprio
justunderthecornerofthegrande
greatbeamthehouserestedsu
on,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,
cara
dear!Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhands
insieme
togetherindismay.“Thehouse
deve
musthavefallenonher.Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereis
niente
nothingtobedone,”saidla
thelittlewomancalmly.“But
chi
whowasshe?”askedDorothy.
“Shewas
la
theWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”rispose
answeredthelittlewoman.“She
ha
hasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformolti
manyyears,makingthemslaveforhernotte
nightandday.Nowtheyare
tutti
allsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforil
thefavor.”“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethe
persone
peoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastdove
wheretheWickedWitchruled.”“Areyou
un
aMunchkin?”askedDorothy.
“No,
ma
butIamtheirfriend,althoughIvivo
liveinthelandoftheNorth.Quando
WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentun
aswiftmessengertome,e
andIcameatonce.Iam
la
theWitchoftheNorth.”“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyou
una
arealwitch?”“Yes,indeed,”
rispose
answeredthelittlewoman.“ButIam
una
agoodwitch,andthepeopleama
loveme.Iamnotaspowerfulas
la
theWickedWitchwaswhoruledqui
here,orIshouldhavesetla
thepeoplefreemyself.”“ButI
pensavo
thoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”disse
saidthegirl,whowasmezzo
halffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.“Oh,no,thatis
un
agreatmistake.Therewere
solo
onlyfourwitchesinallla
theLandofOz,anddue
twoofthem,thosewhovivono
liveintheNorthandla
theSouth,aregoodwitches.I
so
knowthisistrue,forIamuno
oneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.Those
che
whodweltintheEaste
andtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;ma
butnowthatyouhaveucciso
killedoneofthem,thereisma
butoneWickedWitchinallla
theLandofOz—theonewholivesinla
theWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,
dopo
afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmha
hastoldmethatthewitchesweretutte
alldead—yearsandyearsago.”“WhoisAuntEm?”
inquired
la
thelittleoldwoman.“Sheismyaunt
che
wholivesinKansas,whereIvengo
camefrom.”TheWitchof
la
theNorthseemedtothinkforun
atime,withherheadbowede
andhereyesupontheground.Thenshelookedup
e
andsaid,“Idonotso
knowwhereKansasis,forIho
haveneverheardthatcountrymentionedprima
before.Buttellme,isit
un
acivilizedcountry?”“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesI
credo
believetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.Ma
But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutfuori
offfromalltherestofla
theworld.Thereforewestill
abbiamo
havewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”“Whoare
i
thewizards?”askedDorothy.
“Ozhimselfisthe
Grande
GreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkinghervoicetoun
awhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthan
tutti
alltherestofusinsieme
together.Helivesinthe
Città
CityofEmeralds.”Dorothywasgoingtoaskanother
domanda
question,butjustthentheMunchkins,che
whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gaveun
aloudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthecasa
housewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
chiese
askedthelittleoldwoman,e
andlooked,andbegantolaugh.ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,
e
andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.“Shewassoold,”explained
la
theWitchoftheNorth,“thatshedriedupquicklyinla
thesun.Thatistheendofher.Ma
Butthesilvershoesareyours,e
andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereacheddown
e
andpickeduptheshoes,e
andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“TheWitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”
disse
saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwithloro
them;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarried
le
theshoesintothehousee
andplacedthemonthetable.Thenshecame
uscì
outagaintotheMunchkinse
andsaid:.“Iamanxioustogetbacktomyaunt
e
anduncle,forIamsicuro
suretheywillworryaboutme
me.Canyouhelpme
trovare
findmyway?”TheMunchkins
e
andtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,e
andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.“AttheEast,not
lontano
farfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagrande
greatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”
disse
saidanother,“forIhavebeenci
thereandseenit.TheSouthis
il
thecountryoftheQuadlings.”“Iamtold,”
disse
saidthethirdman,“thatitisil
thesameattheWest.E
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkiesvivono
live,isruledbytheWickedWitchoftheWest,whoè
wouldmakeyouherslavese
ifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”
disse
saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisla
thesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsquesta
thisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youè
willhavetolivewithus.”Dorothybegantosobat
questo
this,forshefeltlonelyamongtutte
allthesestrangepeople.Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytook
fuori
outtheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercap
e
andbalancedthepointonthefine
endofhernose,whileshecounted“One,due
two,three”inasolemnvoice.Atonce
il
thecapchangedtoaslate,oncui
whichwaswritteninbig,bianco
whitechalkmarks:.“LETDOROTHY
Vada
GOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.Thelittleoldwoman
prese
tooktheslatefromhernose,e
andhavingreadthewordsonit,chiese
asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”
rispose
answeredthechild,lookingupe
anddryinghertears.“Thenyou
devi
mustgototheCityofEmeralds.Forse
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”“Whereis
questa
thiscity?”askedDorothy.
“Itis
esattamente
exactlyinthecenterofil
thecountry,andisruledbyOz,il
theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”“Ishe
un
agoodman?”