Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairy
pravljica
tale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotyped
duh
genie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesand
veseljem
gladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderful
Čarovnik
WizardofOz”waswrittenizključno
solelytopleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairy
pravljica
tale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.L.
Poglavje
ChapterITheCycloneDorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasa
kmet
farmer,andAuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthe
les
lumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,afloorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;
andthisroomcontaineda
zarjaveli
rustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,atable,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryandAuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.
Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmallholedugintheground,calledacyclone
kleti
cellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanybuildinginitspath.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhicha
lestev
ladderleddownintothesmall,darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreat
sive
grayprairieoneveryside.Notatreenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeoftheskyinalldirections.
Thesunhadbakedtheplowedlandintoa
sivo
graymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnotgreen,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesame
sive
graycolortobeseeneverywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthesunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdulland
siva
grayaseverythingelse.WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthema
trezno
sobergray;theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheywere
sivi
grayalso.Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoicereachedherears;
andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislong
brade
beardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandslovesno
solemn,andrarelyspoke.ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,andsavedherfromgrowingas
siva
grayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnot
sivi
gray;hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthe
pragu
doorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.
Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenheran
proti
towardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
One
pogled
glancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,darkhole.
DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowheraunt.
Whenshewas
pol
halfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
Thenorthandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.
Inthemiddleofacyclonetheairis
splošno
generallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucouldcarrya
pero
feather.Itwasverydark,andthewindhowled
grozno
horriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrocked
nežno
gently,likeababyinacradle.Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barking
glasno
loudly;butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.
Shecrepttothehole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.
Hourafterhourpassedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;
butshefeltquitelonely,andthewindshriekedso
glasno
loudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.
Atlastshecrawledovertheswayingfloortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;
andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
Poglavje
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkinsShewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,the
kozarec
jarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.
Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthewindow,floodingthelittleroom.
ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinavoiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.
Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcoming
proti
towardheragroupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.
Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwere
čudno
oddlydressed.Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkled
sladko
sweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.
Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops.
Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly.
WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocome
dlje
farther.ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealowbowandsaid,inasweetvoice:.
“Youarewelcome,mostnoble
Čarovnica
Sorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”
Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast?
Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;
andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewoman
očitno
evidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,withalaugh,“andthatisthesamething.
See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryof
strahu
fright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.
“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”
“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.
WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswift
glasnik
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.
ThosewhodweltintheEastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;
butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”
“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“SheismyauntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
TheWitchoftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.
Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizards
med
amongstus.”“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkinghervoicetoawhisper.
“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstanding
tiho
silentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbegantolaugh.
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappeared
popolnoma
entirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.“Shewassoold,”explainedtheWitchoftheNorth,“thatshedriedupquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.
Butthesilvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“TheWitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissome
šarma
charmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetable.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomyauntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”
“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”
“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”
Dorothybegantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.
Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofhernose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnvoice.
Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromhernose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”
“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreat
Čarovnik
WizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”