Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthy
giovane
youngsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotyped
genio
genie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.Moderneducation
include
includesmorality;thereforethemodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesand
volentieri
gladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderful
Mago
WizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.It
aspira
aspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.L.
Capitolo
ChapterITheCycloneDorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasa
contadino
farmer,andAuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthe
legname
lumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbycarro
wagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,afloorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;
andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,a
armadio
cupboardforthedishes,atable,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryandAuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.
Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmallholedugintheground,calledacyclone
cantina
cellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindssorgesse
arose,mightyenoughtocrushanybuildinginitspath.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhicha
scala
ladderleddownintothesmall,darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgray
prateria
prairieoneveryside.Notatreenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeoftheskyinalldirections.
Thesunhad
cotto
bakedtheplowedlandintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnotgreen,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesame
grigio
graycolortobeseeneverywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthesunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.
WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthe
scintilla
sparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobrio
sobergray;theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoicereachedherears;
andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewas
grigio
grayalso,fromhislongbarba
beardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsevero
sternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherother
dintorni
surroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthe
porta
doorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.
Therenowcameasharp
fischietto
whistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenheran
verso
towardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
One
sguardo
glancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorandclimbeddownthe
scala
ladderintothesmall,darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowheraunt.
Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.
Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupina
palloncino
balloon.Thenorthandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.
Inthemiddleofacyclonetheairis
generalmente
generallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucouldcarrya
piuma
feather.Itwasverydark,andthewind
ululava
howledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrocked
dolcemente
gently,likeababyinaculla
cradle.Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,
abbaiando
barkingloudly;butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.
Shecrepttothehole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.
Hourafterhourpassedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverher
paura
fright;butshefeltquitelonely,andthewindshriekedso
forte
loudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowait
con calma
calmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.Atlastshe
strisciò
crawledovertheswayingfloortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
Capitolo
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkinsShewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenand
grave
severethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.Asitwas,the
barattolo
jarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaceand
piagnucolato
whineddismally.Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthebright
sole
sunshinecameinatthewindow,inondando
floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinavoiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.
Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardheragroupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.
Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.
Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkled
dolcemente
sweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.
Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops.
Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly.
WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedand
sussurrarono
whisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealowbowandsaid,inasweetvoice:.
“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.
WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”
Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast?
Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;
andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewoman
evidentemente
evidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;soDorothysaid,with
esitazione
hesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,withalaugh,“andthatisthesamething.
See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryof
spavento
fright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreat
trave
beamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewoman
con calma
calmly.“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsin
schiavitù
bondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
chiese
inquiredDorothy.“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”
“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.
WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswift
messaggero
messengertome,andIcameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewho
abitavano
dweltintheEastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”
“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
chiese
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.“SheismyauntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
TheWitchoftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.
Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizards
tra
amongstus.”“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkinghervoicetoa
sussurro
whisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbegantolaugh.
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.
“Shewassoold,”explainedtheWitchoftheNorth,“thatshedriedupquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.
Butthesilvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“TheWitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharm
collegato
connectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetable.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iam
ansioso
anxioustogetbacktomyauntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”
“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”
“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthat
circonda
surroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothybeganto
piangere
sobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertearsseemedto
addolorare
grievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofhernose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”ina
solenne
solemnvoice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,white
gesso
chalkmarks:.“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromhernose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”
“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreat
Mago
WizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”