Introduction
Folklore,legends,myths
og
andfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodgjennom
throughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhar
hasawholesomeandinstinctivekjærlighet
loveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousog
andmanifestlyunreal.ThewingedfairiesofGrimm
og
andAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsenn
thanallotherhumancreations.Likevel
Yettheoldtimefairytale,har
havingservedforgenerations,maynå
nowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;forthe
tiden
timehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inder
whichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfog
andfairyareeliminated,togethermed
withallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopeke
pointafearsomemoraltohver
eachtale.Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodern
barnet
childseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesog
andgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Having
denne
thisthoughtinmind,thehistorien
storyof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”wasskrevet
writtensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeing
et
amodernizedfairytale,inder
whichthewondermentandjoyareretainedog
andtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.L.
ChapterITheCyclone
Dorothylivedin
de
themidstofthegreatKansasprairies,med
withUncleHenry,whowasen
afarmer,andAuntEm,som
whowasthefarmer’swife.Their
hus
housewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagonmange
manymiles.Therewerefourwalls,
et
afloorandaroof,som
whichmadeoneroom;and
dette
thisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,atable,tre
threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.Onkel
UncleHenryandAuntEmhadde
hadabigbedinonecorner,og
andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Det
Therewasnogarretatall,og
andnocellar—exceptasmallholedugintheground,kalt
calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilykunne
couldgoincaseoneofthosestore
greatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushenhver
anybuildinginitspath.Itwasreachedby
en
atrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhichen
aladderleddownintothelille
small,darkhole.WhenDorothystoodin
den
thedoorwayandlookedaround,shekunne
couldseenothingbutthestore
greatgrayprairieoneveryside
side.Notatreenor
et
ahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatland
countrythatreachedtotheedgeofden
theskyinalldirections.Thesun
hadde
hadbakedtheplowedlandintoen
agraymass,withlittlecracksrunninggjennom
throughit.Eventhegrasswasnotgreen,forthesun
hadde
hadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamme
samegraycolortobeseeneverywhere.Oncethe
huset
househadbeenpainted,butthesunblisteredthepaintog
andtherainswasheditbort
away,andnowthehousewasasdullog
andgrayaseverythingelse.Da
WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasen
ayoung,prettywife.Thesun
og
andwindhadchangedher,også
too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyes
og
andleftthemasobergray;they
hadde
hadtakentheredfromhercheeksog
andlips,andtheyweregrayogså
also.Shewasthinandgaunt,
og
andneversmilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,
først
firstcametoher,AuntEmhadde
hadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatsheville
wouldscreamandpressherhånden
handuponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoicereachedherears;og
andshestilllookedatden
thelittlegirlwithwonderat
thatshecouldfindanythingtolaughpå
at.UncleHenryneverlaughed.
He
jobbet
workedhardfrommorningtillkveld
nightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.Hewasgray
også
also,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,og
andhelookedsternandsolemn,og
andrarelyspoke.ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,
og
andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherandre
othersurroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewas
en
alittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhår
hairandsmallblackeyessom
thattwinkledmerrilyoneitherside
sideofhisfunny,weenose.Toto
spilte
playedalldaylong,andDorothyspilte
playedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.Today,however,theywerenot
spille
playing.UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstep
og
andlookedanxiouslyatthesky,som
whichwasevengrayerthanusual.Dorothystoodinthe
døren
doorwithTotoinherarms,og
andlookedattheskyogså
too.AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththey
hørte
heardalowwailofthewind,og
andUncleHenryandDorothykunne
couldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesfør
beforethecomingstorm.There
nå
nowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,og
andastheyturnedtheireyesthatmåten
waytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionogså
also.SuddenlyUncleHenrystood
opp
up.“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohis
kone
wife.“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenhe
løp
rantowardtheshedswherethecowsog
andhorseswerekept.AuntEmdroppedherwork
og
andcametothedoor.Oneglance
fortalte
toldherofthedangercloseathand.“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
Totojumped
ut
outofDorothy’sarmsandhidunder
underthebed,andthejenta
girlstartedtogethim.AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threw
åpen
openthetrapdoorinthefloorog
andclimbeddowntheladderintothelille
small,darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlast
og
andstartedtofollowheraunt.Da
Whenshewashalfwayacrosstherommet
roomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,og
andthehouseshooksohardt
hardthatshelostherfootingog
andsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.Then
en
astrangethinghappened.The
huset
housewhirledaroundtwoortre
threetimesandroseslowlygjennom
throughtheair.Dorothyfeltas
om
ifsheweregoingupinen
aballoon.Thenorthandsouthwinds
møttes
metwherethehousestood,og
andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthemiddleof
en
acyclonetheairisgenerallystill,men
butthegreatpressureofthewindonhver
everysideofthehouseraiseditopp
uphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytoppen
topofthecyclone;and
der
thereitremainedandwascarriedmilesog
andmilesawayaseasilyasyoukunne
couldcarryafeather.Itwas
veldig
verydark,andthewindhowledhorriblyrundt
aroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingganske
quiteeasily.Afterthefirst
få
fewwhirlsaround,andoneannen
othertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasom
ifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababy
babyinacradle.Totodidnot
likte
likeit.Heranaboutthe
rommet
room,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;men
butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorog
andwaitedtoseewhatville
wouldhappen.OnceTotogot
for
tooneartheopentrapdoor,og
andfellin;andatfirst
den
thelittlegirlthoughtshehadde
hadlosthim.Butsoonshe
så
sawoneofhisearsstickingopp
upthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwasholdt
keepinghimupsothathekunne
couldnotfall.Shecrepttothehole,
fanget
caughtTotobytheear,og
anddraggedhimintotherommet
roomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsoat
thatnomoreaccidentscouldskje
happen.Hourafterhourpassed
bort
away,andslowlyDorothygotover
overherfright;butshefelt
ganske
quitelonely,andthewindshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherat
thatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshe
hadde
hadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopiecesnår
whenthehousefellagain;men
butasthehourspassedog
andnothingterriblehappened,shesluttet
stoppedworryingandresolvedtovente
waitcalmlyandseewhatthefutureville
wouldbring.Atlastshecrawled
over
overtheswayingfloortohersengen
bed,andlaydownupondet
it;andTotofollowedandlaydownbeside
henne
her.ChapterIITheCouncil
med
withtheMunchkinsShewasawakenedby
et
ashock,sosuddenandsevereat
thatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonden
thesoftbedshemightha
havebeenhurt.Asitwas,thejar
gjorde
madehercatchherbreathog
andwonderwhathadhappened;og
andTotoputhiscoldlille
littlenoseintoherfaceog
andwhineddismally.Dorothysat
opp
upandnoticedthatthehuset
housewasnotmoving;norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshine
kom
cameinatthewindow,floodingthelille
littleroom.Shesprangfromher
sengen
bedandwithTotoatherheelsløp
ranandopenedthedoor.The
lille
littlegirlgaveacryofamazementog
andlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerog
andbiggeratthewonderfulsightssheså
saw.Thecyclonehadsetthe
huset
housedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofaland
countryofmarvelousbeauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,
med
withstatelytreesbearingrichog
andlusciousfruits.Banksofgorgeousflowerswereon
hver
everyhand,andbirdswithrareog
andbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesog
andbushes.Alittlewayoffwas
en
asmallbrook,rushingandsparklinglangs
alongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinen
avoiceverygratefultoen
alittlegirlwhohadlivedsolenge
longonthedry,grayprairies.Mens
Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatde
thestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedkomme
comingtowardheragroupofde
thequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotas
store
bigasthegrownfolkshehadde
hadalwaysbeenusedto;men
butneitherweretheyverysmå
small.Infact,theyseemed
om
aboutastallasDorothy,whowaset
awell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,solangt
faraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.Tre
Threeweremenandoneakvinne
woman,andallwereoddlydressed.Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmall
punkt
pointafootabovetheirheads,med
withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheybeveget
moved.Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
den
thelittlewoman’shatwashvit
white,andsheworeahvit
whitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Over
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.Themenweredressedinblue,ofthe
samme
sameshadeastheirhats,og
andworewell-polishedbootswithen
adeeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothy
tenkte
thought,wereaboutasoldasOnkel
UncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadde
hadbeards.Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtless
mye
mucholder.Herfacewascovered
med
withwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,og
andshewalkedratherstiffly.Da
Whenthesepeopledrewnearthehuset
housewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedog
andwhisperedamongthemselves,asom
ifafraidtocomefarther.Men
Butthelittleoldwomangikk
walkeduptoDorothy,madeen
alowbowandsaid,inen
asweetvoice:.“Youare
velkommen
welcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.Wearesogratefultoyoufor
har
havingkilledtheWickedWitchofden
theEast,andforsettingourfolk
peoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothy
lyttet
listenedtothisspeechwithwonder.What
kunne
couldthelittlewomanpossiblybety
meanbycallingherasorceress,og
andsayingshehadkilledden
theWickedWitchoftheEast?Dorothywasaninnocent,harmless
liten
littlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemange
manymilesfromhome;andshe
hadde
hadneverkilledanythinginallherliv
life.Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedherto
svare
answer;soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youare
veldig
verykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.I
har
havenotkilledanything.”“Your
hus
housedid,anyway,”repliedthelille
littleoldwoman,withalaugh,“anddet
thatisthesamething.See!”
shecontinued,
pekte
pointingtothecornerofthehuset
house.“Therearehertwofeet,
fortsatt
stillstickingoutfromunderen
ablockofwood.”Dorothy
så
looked,andgavealittlecryoffright.Der
There,indeed,justunderthecornerofden
thegreatbeamthehousehvilte
restedon,twofeetwerestickingut
out,shodinsilvershoesmed
withpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhands
sammen
togetherindismay.“Thehousemusthave
falt
fallenonher.Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereis
ingenting
nothingtobedone,”saidden
thelittlewomancalmly.“But
hvem
whowasshe?”askedDorothy.
“Shewas
den
theWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”svarte
answeredthelittlewoman.“She
har
hasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformange
manyyears,makingthemslaveforhernatt
nightandday.Nowtheyare
alle
allsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyare
den
thepeoplewholiveindette
thislandoftheEasthvor
wheretheWickedWitchruled.”“Areyou
en
aMunchkin?”askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheir
venn
friend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.Da
WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdød
deadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertomeg
me,andIcameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyou
en
arealwitch?”“Yes,indeed,”
svarte
answeredthelittlewoman.“ButIam
en
agoodwitch,andthefolk
peopleloveme.Iamnotaspowerfulas
den
theWickedWitchwaswhoruledher
here,orIshouldhavesatt
setthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButI
trodde
thoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”sa
saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatmøte
facingarealwitch.“Oh,
nei
no,thatisagreatmistake.Det
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,og
andtwoofthem,thosesom
wholiveintheNorthog
andtheSouth,aregoodwitches.I
vet
knowthisistrue,forIamen
oneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.Those
som
whodweltintheEastog
andtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;men
butnowthatyouhavekilleden
oneofthem,thereismen
butoneWickedWitchinallden
theLandofOz—theonewholivesinden
theWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,
etter
afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmeat
thatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”“WhoisAuntEm?”
inquired
den
thelittleoldwoman.“Sheismyaunt
som
wholivesinKansas,whereIkom
camefrom.”TheWitchoftheNorthseemedto
tenke
thinkforatime,withherhodet
headbowedandhereyesupontheground.Thenshe
så
lookedupandsaid,“Idonotknowhvor
whereKansasis,forIhar
haveneverheardthatcountrymentionedfør
before.Buttellme,isit
et
acivilizedcountry?”“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
In
de
thecivilizedcountriesIbelievedet
therearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.Men
But,yousee,theLandofOzhar
hasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltheresten
restoftheworld.Thereforewe
fortsatt
stillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”“Whoarethewizards?”
spurte
askedDorothy.“Ozhimselfis
den
theGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkinghervoicetoen
awhisper.“Heismorepowerful
enn
thanalltherestofussammen
together.HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanother
spørsmål
question,butjustthentheMunchkins,som
whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gaveet
aloudshoutandpointedtoden
thecornerofthehousehvor
wheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
spurte
askedthelittleoldwoman,og
andlooked,andbegantolaugh.Den
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhadde
haddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftmen
butthesilvershoes.“Shewassoold,”explainedtheWitchoftheNorth,“thatshedried
opp
upquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Men
Butthesilvershoesareyours,og
andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereached
ned
downandpickeduptheshoes,og
andaftershakingthedustut
outofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“TheWitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”
sa
saidoneoftheMunchkins,“anddet
thereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;men
butwhatitiswealdri
neverknew.”Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothe
huset
houseandplacedthemonthetable.Thenshe
kom
cameoutagaintotheMunchkinsog
andsaid:.“Iamanxiousto
komme
getbacktomyauntog
anduncle,forIamsikker
suretheywillworryaboutme.Kan
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”TheMunchkins
og
andtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,og
andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.“AttheEast,not
langt
farfromhere,”saidone,“thereisastor
greatdesert,andnonecouldleve
livetocrossit.”“Itisthe
samme
sameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhar
havebeenthereandseenit.TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”
sa
saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesamme
sameattheWest.Andthatcountry,
hvor
wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbyden
theWickedWitchoftheWest,whoville
wouldmakeyouherslavehvis
ifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”
sa
saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisden
thesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsdette
thisLandofOz.I’mredd
afraid,mydear,youwillmå
havetolivewithus.”Dorothybegantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamong
alle
allthesestrangepeople.Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediately
tok
tookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepogså
also.Asforthelittle
gamle
oldwoman,shetookoffhercapog
andbalancedthepointonden
theendofhernose,mens
whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnvoice.Atoncethecap
endret
changedtoaslate,onsom
whichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.“LETDOROTHY
Gå
GOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.The
lille
littleoldwomantooktheslatefromhernose,og
andhavingreadthewordsonit,spurte
asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”
svarte
answeredthechild,lookingupog
anddryinghertears.“Thenyou
må
mustgototheCityofEmeralds.Kanskje
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”“Whereis
denne
thiscity?”askedDorothy.
“Itis
akkurat
exactlyinthecenterofthecountry,og
andisruledbyOz,theStore
GreatWizardItoldyouof.”“Ishe
en
agoodman?”