Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstoriesfantastic,marvelousandmanifestlyunreal.
ThewingedfairiesofGrimmandAndersenhavebroughtmorehappinesstochildishheartsthanallotherhumancreations.
Yettheoldtimefairy
sagan
tale,havingservedforgenerations,maynowbeclassedas“historical”inthechildren’slibrary;forthetimehascomeforaseriesofnewer“wondertales”inwhichthestereotypedgenie,
dvärgen
dwarfandfairyareeliminated,togetherwithallthehorribleandblood-curdlingincidentsdevisedbytheirauthorstopointafearsomemoraltoeachberättelse
tale.Moderneducationincludesmorality;
thereforethemodernchildseeksonly
underhållning
entertainmentinitswondertalesandgärna
gladlydispenseswithalldisagreeableincident.Havingthisthoughtinmind,thestoryof“TheWonderful
Trollkarlen
WizardofOz”waswrittenuteslutande
solelytopleasechildrenoftoday.Itaspirestobeingamodernizedfairy
saga
tale,inwhichthewondermentandjoyareretainedandtheheartachesandnightmaresareleftout.L.
Kapitel
ChapterITheCycloneDorothylivedinthemidstofthegreatKansasprairies,withUncleHenry,whowasa
bonde
farmer,andAuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedby
vagn
wagonmanymiles.Therewerefourwalls,afloorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;
andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,a
skåp
cupboardforthedishes,atable,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryandAuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.
Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmallholedugintheground,calledacyclone
källare
cellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsuppstod
arose,mightyenoughtocrushanybuildinginitspath.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthemiddleofthefloor,fromwhicha
stege
ladderleddownintothesmall,darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthe
dörröppningen
doorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrå
grayprairieoneveryside.Notatreenorahousebrokethe
breda
broadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeoftheskyinalldirections.Thesunhadbakedtheplowedlandintoa
grå
graymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnotgreen,forthesunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesame
grå
graycolortobeseeneverywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthesunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdulland
grått
grayaseverythingelse.WhenAuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.
Thesunandwindhadchangedher,too.
Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthema
nykter
sobergray;theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheywere
grå
grayalso.Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasan
föräldralös
orphan,firstcametoher,AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandpressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerryvoicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingtolaughat.
UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewas
grå
grayalso,fromhislongskägg
beardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandhögtidlig
solemn,andrarelyspoke.ItwasTotothatmadeDorothylaugh,andsavedherfromgrowingas
grå
grayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnot
grå
gray;hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,weenose.
Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhim
dyrt
dearly.Today,however,theywerenotplaying.
UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.
DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.
Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthewind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.
Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.
“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenheran
mot
towardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.
One
blick
glancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,darkhole.
DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowheraunt.
Whenshewas
halvvägs
halfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthewind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownsuddenlyuponthefloor.Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupina
ballong
balloon.Thenorthandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.
Inthemiddleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthewindoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;
andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucouldcarrya
fjäder
feather.Itwasverydark,andthewind
ylade
howledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrocked
försiktigt
gently,likeababyinavagga
cradle.Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,
skäller
barkingloudly;butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottooneartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;
andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthehole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.
She
kröp
crepttothehole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhourpassedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverher
skräck
fright;butshefeltquitelonely,andthewindshriekedso
högt
loudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowait
lugnt
calmlyandseewhatthefuturewouldbring.Atlastshe
kröp
crawledovertheswayingfloortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
Kapitel
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkinsShewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenand
allvarlig
severethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.Asitwas,the
burken
jarmadehercatchherbreathandwonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittlenoseintoherfaceand
gnällde
whineddismally.Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthewindow,
översvämmade
floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowingbiggerandbiggeratthewonderfulsightsshesaw.
Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewerelovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingrichandlusciousfruits.
Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetweengreenbanks,andmurmuringinavoiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,
grå
grayprairies.Whileshestoodlooking
ivrigt
eagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingmot
towardheragroupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
butneitherweretheyverysmall.
Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforherage,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.
Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwere
konstigt
oddlydressed.Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkled
sött
sweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andsheworeawhite
klänning
gownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds.
Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesame
nyans
shadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly.
WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthe
dörröppningen
doorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomelängre
farther.ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madealowbowandsaid,inasweetvoice:.
“Youarewelcome,most
ädla
nobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.Wearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledthe
Onda
WickedWitchoftheEast,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledthe
Onda
WickedWitchoftheEast?Dorothywasaninnocent,
ofarlig
harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewoman
uppenbarligen
evidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;soDorothysaid,with
tvekan
hesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake.Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”
svarade
repliedthelittleoldwoman,withalaugh,“andthatisthesamething.See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwofeet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”
Dorothylooked,andgavealittlecryof
skräck
fright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,twofeetwerestickingout,shodinsilvershoeswithpointedtoes.
“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewoman
lugnt
calmly.“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“Shewasthe
Onda
WickedWitchoftheEast,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsin
slaveri
bondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
frågade
inquiredDorothy.“TheyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandoftheEastwherethe
Onda
WickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.
WhentheysawtheWitchoftheEastwasdeadtheMunchkinssenta
snabb
swiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
Iamnotaspowerfulasthe
Onda
WickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreatmistake.
TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
Thosewho
bodde
dweltintheEastandtheWestwere,indeed,onda
wickedwitches;butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutone
Ond
WickedWitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
frågade
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.“SheismyauntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”
TheWitchoftheNorthseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.
Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”
svarade
repliedDorothy.“Thenthataccountsforit.
Inthe
civiliserade
civilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.But,yousee,theLandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.
Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizards
bland
amongstus.”“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkinghervoicetoa
viskning
whisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstanding
tyst
silentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheOnda
WickedWitchhadbeenlying.“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbegantolaugh.
ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappeared
helt
entirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.“Shewassoold,”explainedtheWitchoftheNorth,“thatshedriedupquicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.
Butthesilvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“TheWitchoftheEastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissome
charm
charmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthetable.
ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomyauntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.
Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,andnonecouldlivetocrossit.”
“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthethirdman,“thatitisthesameattheWest.
Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbythe
Onda
WickedWitchoftheWest,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthat
omger
surroundsthisLandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothybegantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthesestrangepeople.
Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffher
mössa
capandbalancedthepointontheendofhernose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inahögtidlig
solemnvoice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,white
krita
chalkmarks:.“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromhernose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”
“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreat
Trollkarlen
WizardItoldyouof.”“Isheagoodman?”