Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.
Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodernchildseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.
Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“The
Maravilloso
WonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,and
Tía
AuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.
Therewerefourwalls,a
piso
floorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
mesa
table,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryand
Tía
AuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
agujero
holedugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanyedificio
buildinginitspath.Itwas
llegaba
reachedbyatrapdoorinthemedio
middleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderconducía
leddownintothesmall,oscuro
darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
árbol
treenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatalcanzaba
reachedtotheedgeofthecielo
skyinalldirections.The
sol
sunhadbakedtheplowedtierra
landintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnot
verde
green,forthesunhadquemado
burnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseenpor todas partes
everywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
sol
sunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.When
Tía
AuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.The
sol
sunandwindhadchangedher,too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andnever
sonrió
smilednow.WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Tía
AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoz
voicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwith
asombro
wonderthatshecouldfindanythingtoreírse
laughat.UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
reír
laugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,wee
nariz
nose.Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthe
cielo
sky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedatthe
cielo
skytoo.AuntEmwas
lavando
washingthedishes.Fromthefar
norte
norththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthe
sur
south,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.De repente
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Tía
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
Toto
saltó
jumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandescondió
hidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.Tía
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthesuelo
floorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,oscuro
darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
tía
aunt.Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdown
de repente
suddenlyuponthefloor.Thena
extraño
strangethinghappened.Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
norte
northandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthe
medio
middleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseelevó
raisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
llevar
carryafeather.Itwasvery
oscuro
dark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasmontando
ridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthe
suelo
floorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthe
agujero
hole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothe
agujero
hole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhour
pasaron
passedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;butshefeltquitelonely,andthe
viento
windshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehad
preguntado
wonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;butasthehours
pasaban
passedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefuturo
futurewouldbring.Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
suelo
floortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathand
preguntarse
wonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittle
nariz
noseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.Dorothysatupand
notó
noticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;ni
norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinattheventana
window,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgavea
grito
cryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyescreciendo
growingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelous
belleza
beauty.Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringina
voz
voiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,she
notó
noticedcomingtowardheragrupo
groupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
but
tampoco
neitherweretheyverysmall.Infact,they
parecían
seemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
They
llevaban
woreroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointapie
footabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andshe
llevaba
woreawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
sol
sunlikediamonds.Themenweredressedin
azul
blue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andllevaban
worewell-polishedbootswithaprofundo
deeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewas
cubierto
coveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedbastante
ratherstiffly.WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madea
baja
lowbowandsaid,inasweetvoz
voice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothe
tierra
landoftheMunchkins.WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Este
East,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwith
asombro
wonder.Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Este
East?Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;
andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidently
esperaba
expectedhertoanswer;soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesome
error
mistake.Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,witha
risa
laugh,“andthatisthesamething.See!”
she
continuó
continued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.“Therearehertwo
pies
feet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”Dorothylooked,andgavealittle
grito
cryoffright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,two
pies
feetwerestickingout,shodinsilverzapatos
shoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
lloró
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchofthe
Este
East,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethepeoplewholiveinthis
tierra
landoftheEastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthe
tierra
landoftheNorth.WhentheysawtheWitchofthe
Este
EastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswho
gobernaba
ruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreat
error
mistake.Therewereonlyfourwitchesinallthe
Tierra
LandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorte
NorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewhodweltinthe
Este
EastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinallthe
Tierra
LandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“Whois
Tía
AuntEm?”inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
tía
auntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”TheWitchofthe
Norte
Northseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesuponthesuelo
ground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,
ni
norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.But,yousee,the
Tierra
LandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkingher
voz
voicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,and
comenzó
begantolaugh.ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilver
zapatos
shoes.“Shewassoold,”
explicó
explainedtheWitchoftheNorte
North,“thatshedrieduprápidamente
quicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilver
zapatos
shoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”Shereacheddownandpickedupthe
zapatos
shoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.“TheWitchofthe
Este
Eastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothy
llevó
carriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthemesa
table.ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
tía
auntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“Atthe
Este
East,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnadie
nonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
The
Sur
SouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”“Iamtold,”saidthe
tercer
thirdman,“thatitisthesameattheOeste
West.Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,is
gobernado
ruledbytheWickedWitchoftheOeste
West,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupasabas
passedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthis
Tierra
LandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothy
comenzó
begantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.Hertears
parecían
seemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyinmediatamente
immediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandcomenzaron
begantoweepalso.Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
nariz
nose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnvoz
voice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
nariz
nose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andis
gobernado
ruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”