Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.
Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.
Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“The
Meraviglioso
WonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,and
Zia
AuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobe
trasportato
carriedbywagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,a
pavimento
floorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
tavolo
table,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryand
Zia
AuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
buco
holedugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanyedificio
buildinginitspath.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthe
mezzo
middleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderportava
leddownintothesmall,buio
darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
albero
treenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatraggiungeva
reachedtotheedgeofthecielo
skyinalldirections.The
sole
sunhadbakedtheplowedterra
landintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnot
verde
green,forthesunhadbruciato
burnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseenovunque
everywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
sole
sunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.When
Zia
AuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.The
sole
sunandwindhadchangedher,too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andnever
sorrideva
smilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Zia
AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpremeva
pressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoce
voicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwith
meraviglia
wonderthatshecouldfindanythingtoridere
laughat.UncleHenrynever
rideva
laughed.Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
ridere
laugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,wee
naso
nose.Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthe
cielo
sky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedatthe
cielo
skytoo.AuntEmwas
lavando
washingthedishes.Fromthefar
nord
norththeyheardalowwailofthevento
wind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthe
sud
south,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Zia
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
Toto
saltò
jumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandnascose
hidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.Zia
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthepavimento
floorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,buio
darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
zia
aunt.Whenshewashalfway
attraverso
acrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthevento
wind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownimprovvisamente
suddenlyuponthefloor.Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
nord
northandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthe
mezzo
middleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthevento
windoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
trasportare
carryafeather.Itwasvery
buio
dark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewascavalcando
ridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthe
pavimento
floorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthe
buco
hole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothe
buco
hole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhour
passò
passedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;butshefeltquitelonely,andthe
vento
windshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehours
passavano
passedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefuturo
futurewouldbring.Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
pavimento
floortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathand
chiedersi
wonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittle
naso
noseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.Dorothysatupand
notò
noticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;né
norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthefinestra
window,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgavea
grido
cryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelous
bellezza
beauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringina
voce
voiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,she
notò
noticedcomingtowardheragruppo
groupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,they
sembravano
seemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddly
vestiti
dressed.Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointa
piede
footabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwere
blu
blue;thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andshe
indossava
woreawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
sole
sunlikediamonds.Themenwere
vestiti
dressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andindossavano
worewell-polishedbootswithaprofondo
deeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewas
coperto
coveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedpiuttosto
ratherstiffly.WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madea
basso
lowbowandsaid,inasweetvoce
voice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothe
terra
landoftheMunchkins.WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”
Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwith
meraviglia
wonder.Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast?
Dorothywasan
innocente
innocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,witha
risata
laugh,“andthatisthesamething.See!”
she
continuato
continued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittle
grido
cryoffright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsilver
scarpe
shoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethepeoplewholiveinthis
terra
landoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthe
terra
landoftheNorth.WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.
IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
Therewereonlyfourwitchesinallthe
Terra
LandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNord
NorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
ThosewhodweltintheEastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;
butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinallthe
Terra
LandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“Whois
Zia
AuntEm?”inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
zia
auntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”TheWitchofthe
Nord
Northseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,
né
norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.But,yousee,the
Terra
LandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkingher
voce
voicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,and
cominciò
begantolaugh.ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilver
scarpe
shoes.“Shewassoold,”
spiegò
explainedtheWitchoftheNord
North,“thatshedrieduprapidamente
quicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilver
scarpe
shoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereacheddownandpickedupthe
scarpe
shoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“TheWitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;
butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothy
portò
carriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetavolo
table.ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
zia
auntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“Atthe
Est
East,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnessuno
nonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
The
Sud
SouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”“Iamtold,”saidthe
terzo
thirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyou
passassi
passedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthis
Terra
LandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothy
cominciò
begantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertears
sembravano
seemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandcominciarono
begantoweepalso.Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
naso
nose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnvoce
voice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
naso
nose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”
“Isheagoodman?”