Introduction
Folklore,legends,mythsandfairytaleshavefollowedchildhoodthroughtheages,foreveryhealthyyoungsterhasawholesomeandinstinctiveloveforstories
tuyệt vời
fantastic,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
Dì
AuntEm,whowasthefarmer’swife.Theirhousewassmall,forthelumbertobuildithadtobecarriedbywagonmanymiles.
Therewerefourwalls,a
sàn
floorandaroof,whichmadeoneroom;andthisroomcontainedarustylookingcookstove,acupboardforthedishes,a
bàn
table,threeorfourchairs,andthebeds.UncleHenryand
Dì
AuntEmhadabigbedinonecorner,andDorothyalittlebedinanothercorner.Therewasnogarretatall,andnocellar—exceptasmall
lỗ
holedugintheground,calledacyclonecellar,wherethefamilycouldgoincaseoneofthosegreatwhirlwindsarose,mightyenoughtocrushanytòa nhà
buildinginitspath.Itwasreachedbyatrapdoorinthe
giữa
middleofthefloor,fromwhichaladderleddownintothesmall,tối
darkhole.WhenDorothystoodinthedoorwayandlookedaround,shecouldseenothingbutthegreatgrayprairieoneveryside.
Nota
cây
treenorahousebrokethebroadsweepofflatcountrythatreachedtotheedgeoftheskyinalldirections.The
mặt trời
sunhadbakedtheplowedđất
landintoagraymass,withlittlecracksrunningthroughit.Eventhegrasswasnotgreen,forthe
mặt trời
sunhadburnedthetopsofthelongbladesuntiltheywerethesamegraycolortobeseenở khắp mọi nơi
everywhere.Oncethehousehadbeenpainted,butthe
mặt trời
sunblisteredthepaintandtherainswasheditaway,andnowthehousewasasdullandgrayaseverythingelse.When
Dì
AuntEmcametheretoliveshewasayoung,prettywife.The
mặt trời
sunandwindhadchangedher,too.Theyhadtakenthesparklefromhereyesandleftthemasobergray;
theyhadtakentheredfromhercheeksandlips,andtheyweregrayalso.
Shewasthinandgaunt,andneversmilednow.
WhenDorothy,whowasanorphan,firstcametoher,
Dì
AuntEmhadbeensostartledbythechild’slaughterthatshewouldscreamandnhấn
pressherhanduponherheartwheneverDorothy’smerrygiọng nói
voicereachedherears;andshestilllookedatthelittlegirlwithwonderthatshecouldfindanythingto
cười
laughat.UncleHenryneverlaughed.
Heworkedhardfrommorningtillnightanddidnotknowwhatjoywas.
Hewasgrayalso,fromhislongbeardtohisroughboots,andhelookedsternandsolemn,andrarelyspoke.
ItwasTotothatmadeDorothy
cười
laugh,andsavedherfromgrowingasgrayasherothersurroundings.Totowasnotgray;
hewasalittleblackdog,withlongsilkyhairandsmallblackeyesthattwinkledmerrilyoneithersideofhisfunny,wee
mũi
nose.Totoplayedalldaylong,andDorothyplayedwithhim,andlovedhimdearly.
Today,
tuy nhiên
however,theywerenotplaying.UncleHenrysatuponthedoorstepandlookedanxiouslyatthesky,whichwasevengrayerthanusual.
DorothystoodinthedoorwithTotoinherarms,andlookedattheskytoo.
Dì
AuntEmwaswashingthedishes.Fromthefarnorththeyheardalowwailofthe
gió
wind,andUncleHenryandDorothycouldseewherethelonggrassbowedinwavesbeforethecomingstorm.Therenowcameasharpwhistlingintheairfromthesouth,andastheyturnedtheireyesthatwaytheysawripplesinthegrasscomingfromthatdirectionalso.
Đột nhiên
SuddenlyUncleHenrystoodup.“There’sacyclonecoming,Em,”hecalledtohiswife.
“I’llgolookafterthestock.”
Thenherantowardtheshedswherethecowsandhorseswerekept.
Dì
AuntEmdroppedherworkandcametothedoor.Oneglancetoldherofthedangercloseathand.
“Quick,Dorothy!”
shescreamed.
“Runforthecellar!”
TotojumpedoutofDorothy’sarmsandhidunderthebed,andthegirlstartedtogethim.
Dì
AuntEm,badlyfrightened,threwopenthetrapdoorinthefloorandclimbeddowntheladderintothesmall,tối
darkhole.DorothycaughtTotoatlastandstartedtofollowher
dì
aunt.Whenshewashalfwayacrosstheroomtherecameagreatshriekfromthe
gió
wind,andthehouseshooksohardthatshelostherfootingandsatdownđột nhiên
suddenlyuponthefloor.Thenastrangethinghappened.
Thehousewhirledaroundtwoorthreetimesandroseslowlythroughtheair.
Dorothyfeltasifsheweregoingupinaballoon.
The
bắc
northandsouthwindsmetwherethehousestood,andmadeittheexactcenterofthecyclone.Inthe
giữa
middleofacyclonetheairisgenerallystill,butthegreatpressureofthegió
windoneverysideofthehouseraisedituphigherandhigher,untilitwasattheverytopofthecyclone;andthereitremainedandwascarriedmilesandmilesawayaseasilyasyoucould
mang
carryafeather.Itwasvery
tối
dark,andthewindhowledhorriblyaroundher,butDorothyfoundshewasridingquiteeasily.Afterthefirstfewwhirlsaround,andoneothertimewhenthehousetippedbadly,shefeltasifshewerebeingrockedgently,likeababyinacradle.
Totodidnotlikeit.
Heranabouttheroom,nowhere,nowthere,barkingloudly;
butDorothysatquitestillonthefloorandwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.
OnceTotogottoo
gần
neartheopentrapdoor,andfellin;andatfirstthelittlegirlthoughtshehadlosthim.
Butsoonshesawoneofhisearsstickingupthroughthe
lỗ
hole,forthestrongpressureoftheairwaskeepinghimupsothathecouldnotfall.Shecrepttothe
lỗ
hole,caughtTotobytheear,anddraggedhimintotheroomagain,afterwardclosingthetrapdoorsothatnomoreaccidentscouldhappen.Hourafterhourpassedaway,andslowlyDorothygotoverherfright;
butshefeltquitelonely,andthe
gió
windshriekedsoloudlyallaboutherthatshenearlybecamedeaf.Atfirstshehadwonderedifshewouldbedashedtopieceswhenthehousefellagain;
butasthehourspassedandnothingterriblehappened,shestoppedworryingandresolvedtowaitcalmlyandseewhatthe
tương lai
futurewouldbring.Atlastshecrawledovertheswaying
sàn
floortoherbed,andlaydownuponit;andTotofollowedandlaydownbesideher.
ChapterIITheCouncilwiththeMunchkins
Shewasawakenedbyashock,sosuddenandseverethatifDorothyhadnotbeenlyingonthesoftbedshemighthavebeenhurt.
Asitwas,thejarmadehercatchherbreathand
tự hỏi
wonderwhathadhappened;andTotoputhiscoldlittle
mũi
noseintoherfaceandwhineddismally.Dorothysatupandnoticedthatthehousewasnotmoving;
cũng
norwasitdark,forthebrightsunshinecameinatthecửa sổ
window,floodingthelittleroom.ShesprangfromherbedandwithTotoatherheelsranandopenedthedoor.
Thelittlegirlgaveacryofamazementandlookedabouther,hereyesgrowing
lớn
biggerandbiggeratthetuyệt vời
wonderfulsightsshesaw.Thecyclonehadsetthehousedownverygently—foracyclone—inthemidstofacountryofmarvelousbeauty.
Therewere
yêu
lovelypatchesofgreenswardallabout,withstatelytreesbearingphong phú
richandlusciousfruits.Banksofgorgeousflowerswereoneveryhand,andbirdswithrareandbrilliantplumagesangandflutteredinthetreesandbushes.
Alittlewayoffwasasmallbrook,rushingandsparklingalongbetween
xanh
greenbanks,andmurmuringinagiọng nói
voiceverygratefultoalittlegirlwhohadlivedsolongonthedry,grayprairies.Whileshestoodlookingeagerlyatthestrangeandbeautifulsights,shenoticedcomingtowardhera
nhóm
groupofthequeerestpeopleshehadeverseen.Theywerenotasbigasthegrownfolkshehadalwaysbeenusedto;
but
không
neitherweretheyverysmall.Infact,theyseemedaboutastallasDorothy,whowasawell-grownchildforher
tuổi
age,althoughtheywere,sofaraslooksgo,manyyearsolder.Threeweremenandoneawoman,andallwereoddlydressed.
Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointa
chân
footabovetheirheads,withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved.Thehatsofthemenwereblue;
thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite,andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders.
Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthe
mặt trời
sunlikediamonds.Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats,andworewell-polishedbootswitha
sâu
deeprollofblueatthetops.Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry,fortwoofthemhadbeards.
Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder.
Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalked
khá
ratherstiffly.Whenthesepeopledrew
gần
nearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway,theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves,asifafraidtocomefarther.ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy,madea
thấp
lowbowandsaid,inasweetgiọng nói
voice:.“Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins.
WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Đông
East,andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage.”Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder.
Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress,andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchofthe
Đông
East?Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl,whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;
andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife.
Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer;
soDorothysaid,withhesitation,“Youareverykind,buttheremustbesome
sai lầm
mistake.Ihavenotkilledanything.”
“Yourhousedid,anyway,”repliedthelittleoldwoman,witha
cười
laugh,“andthatisthesamething.See!”
shecontinued,pointingtothecornerofthehouse.
“Therearehertwo
chân
feet,stillstickingoutfromunderablockofwood.”Dorothylooked,andgavealittle
khóc
cryoffright.There,indeed,justunderthecornerofthegreatbeamthehouserestedon,two
chân
feetwerestickingout,shodinsilvergiày
shoeswithpointedtoes.“Oh,dear!
Oh,dear!”
criedDorothy,claspingherhandstogetherindismay.
“Thehousemusthavefallenonher.
Whatevershallwedo?”
“Thereisnothingtobedone,”saidthelittlewomancalmly.
“Butwhowasshe?”
askedDorothy.
“ShewastheWickedWitchofthe
Đông
East,asIsaid,”answeredthelittlewoman.“ShehasheldalltheMunchkinsinbondageformanyyears,makingthemslaveforhernightandday.
Nowtheyareallsetfree,andaregratefultoyouforthefavor.”
“WhoaretheMunchkins?”
inquiredDorothy.
“Theyarethepeoplewholiveinthislandofthe
Đông
EastwheretheWickedWitchruled.”“AreyouaMunchkin?”
askedDorothy.
“No,butIamtheirfriend,althoughIliveinthelandoftheNorth.
WhentheysawtheWitchofthe
Đông
EastwasdeadtheMunchkinssentaswiftmessengertome,andIcameatonce.IamtheWitchoftheNorth.”
“Oh,gracious!”
criedDorothy.
“Areyouarealwitch?”
“Yes,indeed,”answeredthelittlewoman.
“ButIamagoodwitch,andthepeopleloveme.
IamnotaspowerfulastheWickedWitchwaswhoruledhere,orIshouldhavesetthepeoplefreemyself.”
“ButIthoughtallwitcheswerewicked,”saidthegirl,whowashalffrightenedatfacingarealwitch.
“Oh,no,thatisagreat
sai lầm
mistake.TherewereonlyfourwitchesinalltheLandofOz,andtwoofthem,thosewholiveintheNorthandtheSouth,aregoodwitches.
Iknowthisistrue,forIamoneofthemmyself,andcannotbemistaken.
ThosewhodweltintheEastandtheWestwere,indeed,wickedwitches;
butnowthatyouhavekilledoneofthem,thereisbutoneWickedWitchinalltheLandofOz—theonewholivesintheWest.”
“But,”saidDorothy,afteramoment’sthought,“AuntEmhastoldmethatthewitcheswerealldead—yearsandyearsago.”
“WhoisAuntEm?”
inquiredthelittleoldwoman.
“Sheismy
dì
auntwholivesinKansas,whereIcamefrom.”TheWitchofthe
Bắc
Northseemedtothinkforatime,withherheadbowedandhereyesupontheground.Thenshelookedupandsaid,“IdonotknowwhereKansasis,forIhaveneverheardthatcountrymentionedbefore.
Buttellme,isitacivilizedcountry?”
“Oh,yes,”repliedDorothy.
“Thenthataccountsforit.
InthecivilizedcountriesIbelievetherearenowitchesleft,
cũng
norwizards,norsorceresses,normagicians.But,yousee,the
Đất
LandofOzhasneverbeencivilized,forwearecutofffromalltherestoftheworld.Thereforewestillhavewitchesandwizardsamongstus.”
“Whoarethewizards?”
askedDorothy.
“OzhimselfistheGreatWizard,”answeredtheWitch,sinkingher
giọng nói
voicetoawhisper.“Heismorepowerfulthanalltherestofustogether.
HelivesintheCityofEmeralds.”
Dorothywasgoingtoaskanotherquestion,butjustthentheMunchkins,whohadbeenstandingsilentlyby,gavealoudshoutandpointedtothecornerofthehousewheretheWickedWitchhadbeenlying.
“Whatisit?”
askedthelittleoldwoman,andlooked,andbeganto
cười
laugh.ThefeetofthedeadWitchhaddisappearedentirely,andnothingwasleftbutthesilvershoes.
“Shewassoold,”explainedtheWitchofthe
Bắc
North,“thatshedriedupnhanh chóng
quicklyinthesun.Thatistheendofher.Butthesilvershoesareyours,andyoushallhavethemtowear.”
Shereacheddownandpickeduptheshoes,andaftershakingthedustoutofthemhandedthemtoDorothy.
“TheWitchofthe
Đông
Eastwasproudofthosesilvershoes,”saidoneoftheMunchkins,“andthereissomecharmconnectedwiththem;butwhatitisweneverknew.”
Dorothycarriedtheshoesintothehouseandplacedthemonthe
bàn
table.ThenshecameoutagaintotheMunchkinsandsaid:.
“Iamanxioustogetbacktomy
dì
auntanduncle,forIamsuretheywillworryaboutme.Canyouhelpmefindmyway?”
TheMunchkinsandtheWitchfirstlookedatoneanother,andthenatDorothy,andthenshooktheirheads.
“AttheEast,notfarfromhere,”saidone,“thereisagreatdesert,and
không
nonecouldlivetocrossit.”“ItisthesameattheSouth,”saidanother,“forIhavebeenthereandseenit.
TheSouthisthecountryoftheQuadlings.”
“Iamtold,”saidthe
ba
thirdman,“thatitisthesameattheTây
West.Andthatcountry,wheretheWinkieslive,isruledbytheWickedWitchofthe
Tây
West,whowouldmakeyouherslaveifyoupassedherway.”“TheNorthismyhome,”saidtheoldlady,“andatitsedgeisthesamegreatdesertthatsurroundsthis
Đất
LandofOz.I’mafraid,mydear,youwillhavetolivewithus.”Dorothybegantosobatthis,forshefeltlonelyamongallthese
lạ
strangepeople.Hertearsseemedtogrievethekind-heartedMunchkins,fortheyimmediatelytookouttheirhandkerchiefsandbegantoweepalso.
Asforthelittleoldwoman,shetookoffhercapandbalancedthepointontheendofher
mũi
nose,whileshecounted“One,two,three”inasolemngiọng nói
voice.Atoncethecapchangedtoaslate,onwhichwaswritteninbig,whitechalkmarks:.
“LETDOROTHYGOTOTHECITYOFEMERALDS”.
Thelittleoldwomantooktheslatefromher
mũi
nose,andhavingreadthewordsonit,asked,“IsyournameDorothy,mydear?”“Yes,”answeredthechild,lookingupanddryinghertears.
“ThenyoumustgototheCityofEmeralds.
PerhapsOzwillhelpyou.”
“Whereisthiscity?”
askedDorothy.
“Itisexactlyinthecenterofthecountry,andisruledbyOz,theGreatWizardItoldyouof.”
“Isheagoodman?”