Introduction
Folklore,legends,myths
og
andfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodgjennom
throughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhar
hasawholesomeandinstinctivekjærlighet
loveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousog
andmanifestlyunreal.ThewingedfairiesofGrimm
og
andAndersenhavebroughtmorelykke
happinesstochildishheartsthanallandre
otherhumancreations.Yetthe
gamle
oldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,kan
maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;forthe
tiden
timehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dverg
dwarfandfairyareeliminated,sammen
togetherwithallthehorribleog
andblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopeke
pointafearsomemoraltohver
eachtale.Moderneducationincludes
moral
morality;thereforethemodernchild
søker
seeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesog
andgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Having
denne
thisthoughtinmind,thehistorien
storyof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”wasskrevet
writtensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeing
et
amodernizedfairytale,inwhichden
thewondermentandjoyarebeholdt
retainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.L.
Kapittel
ChapterITheCycloneDorothylivedin
de
themidstofthegreatKansasprairies,med
withUncleHenry,whowasen
afarmer,andAuntEm,som
whowasthefarmer’swife.Their
hus
housewassmall,forthelumbertobygge
buildithadtobecarriedbyvogn
wagonmanymiles.Therewere
fire
fourwalls,afloorandet
aroof,whichmadeonerom
room;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,a
skap
cupboardforthedishes,abord
table,threeorfourchairs,og
andthebeds.UncleHenry
og
andAuntEmhadastor
bigbedinonecorner,og
andDorothyalittlebedinanotherhjørne
corner.Therewasnogarretatall,
og
andnocellar—exceptasmallhull
holedugintheground,kalt
calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilykunne
couldgoincaseoneofthosestore
greatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtoknuse
crushanybuildinginitspath.Itwas
nådd
reachedbyatrapdoorinthemidten
middleofthefloor,fromwhichen
aladderleddownintothelille
small,darkhole.WhenDorothystoodin
den
thedoorwayandlookedaround,shekunne
couldseenothingbutthestore
greatgrayprairieoneveryside.Not
et
atreenorahousebrøt
brokethebroadsweepofflatland
countrythatreachedtothekanten
edgeoftheskyinalldirections.The
solen
sunhadbakedtheplowedlandet
landintoagraymass,med
withlittlecracksrunningthroughdet
it.Eventhegrasswasnot
grønt
green,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamme
samegraycolortobeseenoveralt
everywhere.Oncethehousehadbeen
malt
painted,butthesunblisteredden
thepaintandtherainsvasket
washeditaway,andnowden
thehousewasasdullog
andgrayaseverythingelse.Da
WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasen
ayoung,prettywife.The
solen
sunandwindhadchangedhenne
her,too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyes
og
andleftthemasobergrå
gray;theyhadtakenthe
røde
redfromhercheeksandlips,og
andtheyweregrayalso.Shewas
tynn
thinandgaunt,andneversmilte
smilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasan
foreldreløs
orphan,firstcametoher,Tante
AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slatter
laughterthatshewouldscreamog
andpressherhanduponherhjerte
heartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoicereachedherears;og
andshestilllookedatden
thelittlegirlwithwonderat
thatshecouldfindanythingtole
laughat.UncleHenrynever
lo
laughed.Heworkedhardfrom
morgen
morningtillnightanddidnotvisste
knowwhatjoywas.Hewas
grå
grayalso,fromhislongskjegg
beardtohisroughboots,og
andhelookedsternandhøytidelig
solemn,andrarelyspoke.ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
le
laugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrå
grayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnot
grå
gray;hewasalittle
svart
blackdog,withlongsilkyhår
hairandsmallblackeyessom
thattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenese
nose.Totoplayedalldaylong,
og
andDorothyplayedwithhim,og
andlovedhimdearly.Today,
imidlertid
however,theywerenotplaying.Onkel
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepog
andlookedanxiouslyatthehimmelen
sky,whichwasevengrayerenn
thanusual.Dorothystoodinthe
døren
doorwithTotoinherarms,og
andlookedattheskyogså
too.AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefar
nord
norththeyheardalowwailofthewind,og
andUncleHenryandDorothykunne
couldseewherethelonggrassbøyde
bowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.There
nå
nowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthesør
south,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatmåten
waytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionogså
also.SuddenlyUncleHenrystood
opp
up.“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohis
kone
wife.“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenhe
løp
rantowardtheshedswherethecowsog
andhorseswerekept.AuntEm
droppet
droppedherworkandcametothedøren
door.Oneglancetoldherofthe
faren
dangercloseathand.“Quick,Dorothy!”
she
skrek
screamed.“Runforthecellar!”
Totojumped
ut
outofDorothy’sarmsandgjemte
hidunderthebed,andthejenta
girlstartedtogethim.Tante
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwåpen
openthetrapdoorinthegulvet
floorandclimbeddownthestigen
ladderintothesmall,darkhole.Dorothy
fanget
caughtTotoatlastandbegynte
startedtofollowheraunt.Da
Whenshewashalfwayacrosstherommet
roomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,og
andthehouseshooksohardt
hardthatshelostherfootingog
andsatdownsuddenlyuponthegulvet
floor.Thenastrangething
skjedde
happened.Thehousewhirledaround
to
twoorthreetimesandsteg
roseslowlythroughtheair.Dorothyfeltas
om
ifsheweregoingupinen
aballoon.Thenorthandsouthwinds
møttes
metwherethehousestood,og
andmadeittheexactsentrum
centerofthecyclone.Inthe
midten
middleofacyclonetheairisvanligvis
generallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindonhver
everysideofthehouseraiseditopp
uphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytoppen
topofthecyclone;andthereit
forble
remainedandwascarriedmilesog
andmilesawayaseasilyasyoukunne
couldcarryafeather.Itwas
veldig
verydark,andthewindhowledforferdelig
horriblyaroundher,butDorothyfant
foundshewasridingquiteeasily.Etter
Afterthefirstfewwhirlsrundt
around,andoneothertimeda
whenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasom
ifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababy
babyinacradle.Totodidnot
likte
likeit.Heranaboutthe
rommet
room,nowhere,nowthere,bjeffer
barkingloudly;butDorothysat
ganske
quitestillonthefloorog
andwaitedtoseewhatville
wouldhappen.OnceTotogot
for
tooneartheopentrapdoor,og
andfellin;andatfirst
den
thelittlegirlthoughtshehadde
hadlosthim.Butsoonshe
så
sawoneofhisearsstikke
stickingupthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwasholdt
keepinghimupsothathekunne
couldnotfall.Shecrepttothehole,
fanget
caughtTotobytheear,og
anddraggedhimintotherommet
roomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsoat
thatnomoreaccidentscouldskje
happen.Hourafterhourpassed
bort
away,andslowlyDorothygotover
overherfright;butshefelt
ganske
quitelonely,andthewindshriekedsohøyt
loudlyallaboutherthatshenesten
nearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshe
hadde
hadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopiecesnår
whenthehousefellagain;men
butasthehourspassedog
andnothingterriblehappened,shesluttet
stoppedworryingandresolvedtovente
waitcalmlyandseewhatthefremtiden
futurewouldbring.Atlastshe
krøp
crawledovertheswayingfloortohersengen
bed,andlaydownupondet
it;andTotofollowedandlaydownbeside
henne
her.ChapterIITheCouncil
med
withtheMunchkinsShewasawakenedby
et
ashock,sosuddenandalvorlig
severethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonden
thesoftbedshemightha
havebeenhurt.Asitwas,thejar
gjorde
madehercatchherbreathog
andwonderwhathadhappened;og
andTotoputhiscoldlille
littlenoseintoherfaceog
andwhineddismally.Dorothysat
opp
upandnoticedthatthehuset
housewasnotmoving;norwasit
mørkt
dark,forthebrightsunshinekom
cameinatthewindow,floodingthelille
littleroom.Shesprangfromher
sengen
bedandwithTotoatherheelsløp
ranandopenedthedoor.The
lille
littlegirlgaveacryofamazementog
andlookedabouther,hereyesvokser
growingbiggerandbiggeratthefantastiske
wonderfulsightsshesaw.Thecyclone
hadde
hadsetthehousedownveldig
verygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofaland
countryofmarvelousbeauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,
med
withstatelytreesbearingrichog
andlusciousfruits.Banksofgorgeousflowerswereon
hver
everyhand,andbirdswithsjeldne
rareandbrilliantplumagesangog
andflutteredinthetreesog
andbushes.Alittlewayoffwas
en
asmallbrook,rushingandsparklinglangs
alongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinen
avoiceverygratefultoen
alittlegirlwhohadlivedsolenge
longonthedry,grayprairies.Mens
Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatde
thestrangeandbeautifulsights,shemerke
noticedcomingtowardheragruppe
groupofthequeerestpeopleshehadde
hadeverseen.Theywerenotas
store
bigasthegrownfolkshehadde
hadalwaysbeenusedto;men
butneitherweretheyverysmå
small.Infact,theyseemed
om
aboutastallasDorothy,whowaset
awell-grownchildforheralder
age,althoughtheywere,solangt
faraslooksgo,manyyearseldre
older.Threeweremenandonea
kvinne
woman,andallwereoddlykledd
dressed.Theyworeroundhatsthat
steg
rosetoasmallpointafot
footabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsøtt
sweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwere
blå
blue;thelittlewoman’shatwas
hvit
white,andsheworeahvit
whitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Over
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinden
thesunlikediamonds.Themenwere
kledd
dressedinblue,ofthesamme
sameshadeastheirhats,og
andworewell-polishedbootswithen
adeeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothy
tenkte
thought,wereaboutasoldasOnkel
UncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadde
hadbeards.Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtless
mye
mucholder.Herfacewas
dekket
coveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnesten
nearlywhite,andshewalkedganske
ratherstiffly.Whenthesepeopledrewnearthe
huset
housewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theystanset
pausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asom
ifafraidtocomefarther.Men
Butthelittleoldwomangikk
walkeduptoDorothy,madeen
alowbowandsaid,inen
asweetvoice:.“Youare
velkommen
welcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandet
landoftheMunchkins.Wearesogratefultoyoufor
har
havingkilledtheWickedWitchofden
theEast,andforsettingourfolk
peoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothy
lyttet
listenedtothisspeechwithundring
wonder.Whatcouldthelittlewoman
muligens
possiblymeanbycallingheren
asorceress,andsayingshehadde
hadkilledtheWickedWitchofden
theEast?Dorothywasan
uskyldig
innocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadde
hadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;og
andshehadneverkillednoe
anythinginallherlife.Men
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertosvare
answer;soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youare
veldig
verykind,buttheremustbesomefeil
mistake.Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Your
hus
housedid,anyway,”repliedthelille
littleoldwoman,withalatter
laugh,“andthatisthesamme
samething.See!”
shecontinued,
pekte
pointingtothecornerofthehuset
house.“Therearehertwo
føtter
feet,stillstickingoutfromunder
underablockofwood.”Dorothy
så
looked,andgavealittleskrik
cryoffright.There,indeed,just
under
underthecornerofthestore
greatbeamthehouserestedpå
on,twofeetwerestickingut
out,shodinsilvershoesmed
withpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
gråt
criedDorothy,claspingherhandssammen
togetherindismay.“Thehouse
må
musthavefallenonher.Hva
Whatevershallwedo?”“Thereis
ingenting
nothingtobedone,”saidden
thelittlewomancalmly.“But
hvem
whowasshe?”askedDorothy.
“Shewas
den
theWickedWitchoftheØsten
East,asIsaid,”answeredden
thelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,
gjort
makingthemslaveforhernatt
nightandday.Nowtheyareall
satt
setfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
spurte
inquiredDorothy.“Theyarethepeople
som
wholiveinthislandofden
theEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”“Areyou
en
aMunchkin?”askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheir
venn
friend,althoughIliveinthelandet
landoftheNorth.Whenthey
så
sawtheWitchoftheEastwasdød
deadtheMunchkinssentaswiftbudbringer
messengertome,andIkom
cameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
gråt
criedDorothy.“Areyoua
ekte
realwitch?”“Yes,indeed,”answered
den
thelittlewoman.“ButIam
en
agoodwitch,andthefolk
peopleloveme.Iamnotas
mektig
powerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhostyrte
ruledhere,orIshouldha
havesetthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButI
trodde
thoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”sa
saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatmøte
facingarealwitch.“Oh,
nei
no,thatisagreatfeil
mistake.Therewereonlyfourwitchesinallthe
Land
LandofOz,andtwoofdem
them,thosewholiveintheNord
NorthandtheSouth,aregode
goodwitches.Iknowthisis
sant
true,forIamoneofthemmyself,og
andcannotbemistaken.Those
som
whodweltintheEastog
andtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;men
butnowthatyouhavekilleden
oneofthem,thereismen
butoneWickedWitchinallden
theLandofOz—theonewholivesinden
theWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,
etter
afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmeat
thatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”“Whois
Tante
AuntEm?”inquiredthelittle
gamle
oldwoman.“Sheismy
tante
auntwholivesinKansas,hvor
whereIcamefrom.”TheWitchofthe
Nord
Northseemedtothinkforen
atime,withherheadbøyde
bowedandhereyesuponthebakken
ground.Thenshelookedup
og
andsaid,“Idonotvet
knowwhereKansasis,forIhar
haveneverheardthatcountrynevnt
mentionedbefore.Buttellme,isit
et
acivilizedcountry?”“Oh,yes,”
svarte
repliedDorothy.“Thenthataccountsforit.
In
de
thecivilizedcountriesIbelievedet
therearenowitchesleft,heller
norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.Men
But,yousee,theLandofOzhar
hasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltheresten
restoftheworld.Thereforewe
fortsatt
stillhavewitchesandwizardsblant
amongstus.”“Whoarethewizards?”
spurte
askedDorothy.“Ozhimselfis
den
theGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,synker
sinkinghervoicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerful
enn
thanalltherestofussammen
together.HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanother
spørsmål
question,butjustthentheMunchkins,som
whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gaveet
aloudshoutandpointedtoden
thecornerofthehousehvor
wheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
spurte
askedthelittleoldwoman,og
andlooked,andbegantole
laugh.Thefeetofthe
døde
deadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,og
andnothingwasleftbutden
thesilvershoes.“Shewassoold,”
forklarte
explainedtheWitchoftheNord
North,“thatshedriedupraskt
quicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Men
Butthesilvershoesareyours,og
andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereached
ned
downandpickeduptheskoene
shoes,andaftershakingthestøvet
dustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“The
Witch
WitchoftheEastwasstolt
proudofthosesilvershoes,”sa
saidoneoftheMunchkins,“anddet
thereissomecharmconnectedwithdem
them;butwhatitiswe
aldri
neverknew.”Dorothycarriedthe
skoene
shoesintothehouseandplasserte
placedthemonthetable.Thenshe
kom
cameoutagaintotheMunchkinsog
andsaid:.“Iamanxiousto
komme
getbacktomyauntog
anduncle,forIamsikker
suretheywillworryaboutme.Kan
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”TheMunchkins
og
andtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,og
andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.“Atthe
Øst
East,notfarfromhere,”sa
saidone,“thereisastor
greatdesert,andnonecouldleve
livetocrossit.”“Itisthe
samme
sameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhar
havebeenthereandseenit.The
Sør
SouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”“Iamtold,”
sa
saidthethirdman,“thatitisden
thesameattheWest.Og
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkiesbor
live,isruledbytheWickedWitchofden
theWest,whowouldmakeyouherslave
slaveifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”
sa
saidtheoldlady,“andatitskanten
edgeisthesamegreatørkenen
desertthatsurroundsthisLandofOz.I’mredd
afraid,mydear,youwillmå
havetolivewithus.”Dorothy
begynte
begantosobatthis,forshefeltensom
lonelyamongallthesestrangefolk
people.Hertearsseemedto
sørge
grievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyumiddelbart
immediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsog
andbegantoweepalso.Asfor
den
thelittleoldwoman,shetok
tookoffhercapandbalansert
balancedthepointontheenden
endofhernose,whileshecounted“One,to
two,three”inasolemnstemme
voice.Atoncethecap
endret
changedtoaslate,onsom
whichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.“LETDOROTHY
Gå
GOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.Den
Thelittleoldwomantookden
theslatefromhernose,og
andhavingreadthewordsondet
it,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”
svarte
answeredthechild,lookingupog
anddryinghertears.“Thenyou
må
mustgototheCityofEmeralds.PerhapsOz
vil
willhelpyou.”“Whereis
denne
thiscity?”askedDorothy.
“Itis
akkurat
exactlyinthecenterofden
thecountry,andisruledbyOz,den
theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”“Ishe
en
agoodman?”