The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | Gradually Hardening Swedish B1

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | Gradually Hardening Swedish B1

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Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmore
lycka
happiness
tochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairytale,having
tjänat
served
forgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;
forthetimehascomefora
serie
series
ofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthe
fruktansvärda
horrible
andblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachtale.
Modern
Modern
educationincludesmorality;
thereforethe
moderna
modern
childseeksonlyentertainmentinitswondertalesandgladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.
Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderfulWizardofOz”waswrittensolelytopleasechildrenoftoday.
Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairytale,inwhichthewondermentand
glädje
joy
areretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.
L.
ChapterITheCyclone
DorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasafarmer,andAuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.
Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.
Therewerefourwalls,aflooranda
tak
roof
,whichmadeoneroom;
andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,atable,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.
UncleHenryandAuntEmhadabigbedinone
hörn
corner
,andDorothyalittlebedinanother
hörn
corner
.
Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmallhole
grävt
dug
intheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanybuildinginits
väg
path
.
Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderleddownintothesmall,darkhole.
WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Notatreenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtothe
kant
edge
oftheskyinalldirections.
Thesunhadbakedtheplowedlandintoagray
massa
mass
,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.
Eventhe
gräset
grass
wasnotgreen,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegray
färg
color
tobeseeneverywhere.
Oncethehousehadbeen
målat
painted
,butthesunblisteredthe
färgen
paint
andtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.
WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’s
skratt
laughter
thatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’s
glada
merry
voicereachedherears;
andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhat
glädje
joy
was.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohis
grova
rough
boots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.
Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.
DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelong
gräset
grass
bowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.
Therenowcamea
skarp
sharp
whistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthe
gräset
grass
comingfromthatdirectionalso.
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
Oneglancetoldherofthe
faran
danger
closeathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
she
skrek
screamed
.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
AuntEm,
illa
badly
frightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorand
klättrade
climbed
downtheladderintothesmall,darkhole.
DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowheraunt.
Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.
Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandrose
långsamt
slowly
throughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
Thenorthandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeitthe
exakta
exact
centerofthecyclone.
Inthemiddleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraiseditup
högre
higher
andhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;
andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayas
lätt
easily
asyoucouldcarryafeather.
Itwasverydark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquite
lätt
easily
.
Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetipped
illa
badly
,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.
Shecrepttothehole,caughtTotobythe
örat
ear
,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.
Hourafterhourpassedaway,and
långsamt
slowly
Dorothygotoverherfright;
butshefeltquite
ensam
lonely
,andthewindshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshe
nästan
nearly
becamedeaf.
Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.
Atlastshecrawledovertheswayingfloortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;
andTotofollowedandlaydown
bredvid
beside
her.
ChapterIIThe
Rådet
Council
withtheMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbya
chock
shock
,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthe
mjuka
soft
bedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;
andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.
Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthe
ljusa
bright
sunshinecameinatthewindow,floodingthelittleroom.
ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksof
vackra
gorgeous
flowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswith
sällsynta
rare
andbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinavoicevery
tacksam
grateful
toalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthe
torra
dry
,grayprairies.
Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardheragroupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.
Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyears
äldre
older
.
Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.
Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’s
hatt
hat
waswhite,andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.
Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops.
Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmuch
äldre
older
.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwas
nästan
nearly
white,andshewalkedratherstiffly.
WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhispered
mellan
among
themselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.
ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealowbowandsaid,inasweetvoice:.
“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.
WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWicked
Häxan
Witch
oftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”
Dorothylistenedtothis
tal
speech
withwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWicked
Häxan
Witch
oftheEast?
Dorothywasan
oskyldig
innocent
,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;
andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.
Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,withalaugh,“andthatisthesamething.
See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothe
hörnet
corner
ofthehouse.
“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryoffright.
There,
själva verket
indeed
,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.
“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWicked
Häxan
Witch
oftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwheretheWicked
Häxan
Witch
ruled.”
“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.
Whentheysawthe
Häxa
Witch
oftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.
Iamthe
Häxan
Witch
oftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagood
häxa
witch
,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWicked
Häxan
Witch
waswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingareal
häxa
witch
.
“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
ThosewhodweltintheEastandtheWestwere,
sannerligen
indeed
,wickedwitches;
butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWicked
Häxa
Witch
inalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”
“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“SheismyauntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
The
Häxan
Witch
oftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.
Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.
But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Därför
Therefore
westillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredthe
Häxan
Witch
,sinkinghervoicetoawhisper.
“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavea
högt
loud
shoutandpointedtothe
hörnet
corner
ofthehousewheretheWicked
Häxan
Witch
hadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbegantolaugh.
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhad
försvunnit
disappeared
entirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.
“Shewassoold,”explainedthe
Häxan
Witch
oftheNorth,“thatshe
torkade
dried
upquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.
Butthesilvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andafter
skakat
shaking
thedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“The
Häxa
Witch
oftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;
butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetable.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomyauntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandthe
Häxan
Witch
firstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreat
öken
desert
,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”
“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWicked
Häxan
Witch
oftheWest,whowouldmakeyouher
slav
slave
ifyoupassedherway.”
“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatits
kant
edge
isthesamegreat
öken
desert
thatsurroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”
Dorothybegantosobatthis,forshefelt
ensam
lonely
amongallthesestrangepeople.
Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapand
balanserade
balanced
thepointontheendofhernose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemnvoice.
Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromhernose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”
“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupand
torkade
drying
hertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthe
mitten
center
ofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”
“Isheagoodman?”