Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.
Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.
Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,and
Tante
AuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumberto
bygge
buildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,a
gulv
floorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
bord
table,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryand
Tante
AuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
hull
holedugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanybygning
buildinginitspath.Itwas
nådd
reachedbyatrapdoorinthemidten
middleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderførte
leddownintothesmall,mørke
darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
tre
treenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatnådde
reachedtotheedgeofthehimmelen
skyinalldirections.The
solen
sunhadbakedtheplowedlandet
landintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnot
grønt
green,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseenoveralt
everywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
solen
sunblisteredthepaintandtherainsvasket
washeditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.When
Tante
AuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.The
solen
sunandwindhadchangedher,too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andnever
smilte
smilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Tante
AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandtrykke
pressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerrystemme
voicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwith
undring
wonderthatshecouldfindanythingtole
laughat.UncleHenrynever
lo
laughed.Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
le
laugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,wee
nese
nose.Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,
imidlertid
however,theywerenotplaying.UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthe
himmelen
sky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedatthe
himmelen
skytoo.AuntEmwas
vasket
washingthedishes.Fromthefar
nord
norththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthe
sør
south,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.Plutselig
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Tante
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsand
gjemte
hidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.Tante
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthegulvet
floorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,mørke
darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
tante
aunt.Whenshewashalfway
over
acrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownplutselig
suddenlyuponthefloor.Thena
merkelig
strangethinghappened.Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
nordlige
northandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthe
midten
middleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
bære
carryafeather.Itwasvery
mørkt
dark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasred
ridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthe
gulvet
floorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.OnceTotogottoo
nær
neartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisears
stikke
stickingupthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothehole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.
Hourafterhourpassedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;
butshefeltquitelonely,andthewindshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.
Atfirstshehad
lurt
wonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;butasthehourspassedandnothing
forferdelig
terriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefremtiden
futurewouldbring.Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
gulvet
floortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathand
lurer
wonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittle
nese
noseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.Dorothysatupand
merke
noticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;norwasit
mørkt
dark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthevinduet
window,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgavea
skrik
cryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesvokser
growingbiggerandbiggeratthefantastiske
wonderfulsightsshesaw.Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelous
skjønnhet
beauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytrees
bærer
bearingrichandlusciousfruits.Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringina
stemme
voiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,she
merke
noticedcomingtowardheragruppe
groupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,they
virket
seemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforheralder
age,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddly
kledd
dressed.Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointa
fot
footabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwere
blå
blue;thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
solen
sunlikediamonds.Themenwere
kledd
dressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andhadde
worewell-polishedbootswithadyp
deeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewas
dekket
coveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedganske
ratherstiffly.WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madea
lav
lowbowandsaid,inasweetstemme
voice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothe
landet
landoftheMunchkins.WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Øst
East,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwith
undring
wonder.Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Østen
East?Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeen
båret
carriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesome
feil
mistake.Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,witha
latter
laugh,“andthatisthesamething.See!”
she
fortsatte
continued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.“Therearehertwo
føtter
feet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”Dorothylooked,andgavealittle
skrik
cryoffright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,two
føtter
feetwerestickingout,shodinsilversko
shoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
gråt
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchofthe
Østen
East,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethepeoplewholiveinthis
landet
landoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthe
landet
landoftheNorth.WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.
IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
gråt
criedDorothy.“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswho
styrte
ruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreat
feil
mistake.Therewereonlyfourwitchesinallthe
Land
LandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNord
NorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewhodweltinthe
Øst
EastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinallthe
Land
LandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“Whois
Tante
AuntEm?”inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
tante
auntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”TheWitchofthe
Nord
Northseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesuponthebakken
ground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountry
nevnt
mentionedbefore.Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,
heller
norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.But,yousee,the
Land
LandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkinghervoicetoawhisper.
“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,and
begynte
begantolaugh.ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilver
skoene
shoes.“Shewassoold,”
forklarte
explainedtheWitchoftheNord
North,“thatshedriedupraskt
quicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilver
skoene
shoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereacheddownandpickedupthe
skoene
shoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“TheWitchoftheEastwas
stolt
proudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothy
bar
carriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthebordet
table.ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
tante
auntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“Atthe
Øst
East,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andingen
nonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
The
Sør
SouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”“Iamtold,”saidthe
tredje
thirdman,“thatitisthesameattheVesten
West.Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,is
styrt
ruledbytheWickedWitchoftheVesten
West,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthis
Landet
LandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothy
begynte
begantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertears
syntes
seemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyumiddelbart
immediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegynte
begantoweepalso.Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
nesen
nose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnstemme
voice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
nesen
nose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andis
styrt
ruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”