The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Dorothy lived in a small gray house on the wide Kansas prairie with Uncle Henry, Aunt Em, and her little black dog, Toto. The days were quiet and plain, until a great cyclone roared out of the sky. Dorothy grabbed Toto, but before she could reach the storm cellar, the wind lifted the whole house into the air. It spun and sailed for hours, and at last, with a soft bump, it landed.

When Dorothy opened the door, the world was bright and beautiful—green grass, blue sky, and flowers everywhere. Three small people wearing blue, and a kind lady in a white gown, came to greet her. They said she was in the Land of the Munchkins, and her house had fallen on the Wicked Witch of the East, who had ruled them cruelly. Only two silver shoes were left of the Witch, shining beside a curl of dust. The kind lady, the Good Witch of the North, thanked Dorothy and placed the silver shoes on the girl's feet. She kissed Dorothy on the forehead, leaving a mark of protection, and said, "If you wish to return to Kansas, you must go to the Emerald City and ask the great Oz for help. Follow the Yellow Brick Road."

So Dorothy set out with Toto, stepping onto the bright Yellow Brick Road. Soon she passed a cornfield and saw a Scarecrow stuck on a pole. He could not turn his head, so Dorothy helped him down. "Thank you," he said politely. "I am filled with straw and have no brains. Do you think Oz could give me some?" Dorothy said he should come and ask. Off they went—girl, dog, and Scarecrow—toward the Emerald City.

In a forest they found a Tin Woodman standing still, his axe raised. He had rusted and could not move. Dorothy and the Scarecrow oiled his joints until he bent and bowed. "How good it feels to move again!" said the Tin Woodman. "But I have no heart. Do you think Oz could give me one?" Dorothy invited him to join them.

They had not gone far when a huge Lion sprang onto the road with a roar. Toto barked, and Dorothy stood firm. The Lion hung his head. "I am ashamed," he said. "I am a coward, though I am supposed to be the king of beasts. Perhaps Oz can give me courage." Dorothy welcomed him, too, and the four friends walked on together, helping one another over a deep ditch and through tangled paths.

One day they came to a great field of scarlet poppies. The flowers were very beautiful, but their smell was deadly. As Dorothy and the Lion walked among them, they grew sleepy and fell down. The Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, who could not be harmed by poppies, cried for help. A friendly Queen of the Field Mice came with hundreds of tiny mice. Under the Scarecrow’s plan, they made a little truck, and the mice pulled the sleeping Lion out of the poppies, while the Tin Woodman carried Dorothy. When she woke, she thanked the brave mice and their queen.

At last they came to the Emerald City. At the gate, a man gave them each a pair of green spectacles to wear, and they were led to the great palace of Oz. They had to see him one by one. Dorothy saw a huge Head; the Scarecrow saw a lovely Lady; the Tin Woodman saw a terrible Beast; and the Lion saw a ball of Fire. Each time, the voice of Oz was the same and very powerful. He promised to help them only if they would destroy the Wicked Witch of the West, who ruled the Winkies.

Though afraid, the friends set off. The Wicked Witch watched them in her magic eye and sent wolves, but the Tin Woodman guarded the others. She sent crows, and the Scarecrow waved his arms until the crows fled. She sent stinging bees, but the Scarecrow’s straw saved them. Then she sent Winkie soldiers, who were driven back. At last the Witch used the Golden Cap and called the Winged Monkeys. They could not harm Dorothy because of the Good Witch’s kiss, but they carried her and Toto to the Witch’s castle, took the Lion away in a cage, and scattered the Scarecrow and bent the Tin Woodman.

The Witch was afraid of Dorothy but wanted the silver shoes. She made Dorothy work in the kitchen, and tried to trick her by making her trip so one shoe would fall off. When the Witch stole a shoe, Dorothy grew angry and threw a bucket of water at her. To Dorothy’s surprise, the Witch melted away until nothing was left but a brown puddle and the silver shoe. The Winkies were overjoyed to be free. They mended and polished the Tin Woodman until he shone like a mirror. They stuffed the Scarecrow with clean, fresh straw. Dorothy found the Golden Cap and learned it could command the Winged Monkeys three times, so she asked them to carry her and her friends back to the Emerald City.

Oz welcomed them uneasily, but at last Toto tipped over a screen, and they discovered the great and terrible Wizard was only a small old man from Omaha who had come to Oz long ago in a hot-air balloon. He was clever with machines, smoke, and giant faces, but he was no real wizard. Still, he wished to help. He filled the Scarecrow’s head with bran mixed with sharp pins and needles, so he felt wise and quick. He placed a red silk heart stuffed with sawdust inside the Tin Woodman’s chest, so he felt loving and kind. He poured a little green liquid labeled "Courage" for the Lion, who then felt brave in his own heart.

For Dorothy, the old man planned to build another balloon. On the day it was ready, he climbed into the basket and called for Dorothy. But just then Toto chased a kitten, and Dorothy ran after him. The ropes were loosed too soon, and the balloon sailed away without her. The Scarecrow was left to rule the Emerald City, and Dorothy was heartbroken.

There was one hope left: Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Lion set out once more. They crossed a forest with Fighting Trees whose branches swatted at them, but the Scarecrow found a safe path. They passed through the Dainty China Country, where all the people and houses were made of pretty porcelain, and stepped gently so nothing would crack. Finally, the Hammer-Heads on a tall hill tried to bump them away, so Dorothy used the Golden Cap a second and third time. The Winged Monkeys lifted them over the hill and flew them on toward the land of the Quadlings, where Glinda lived.

Glinda welcomed them kindly and listened to their story. Then she smiled at Dorothy’s shoes. "You have had the power to go home all along," she said. "The silver shoes can carry you anywhere in the world in three steps. Click your heels together three times and wish to be in Kansas." Dorothy thanked Glinda and gave her the Golden Cap. Glinda used its magic to send the Scarecrow back to the Emerald City to rule wisely, the Tin Woodman to the Winkies to be their gentle ruler, and the Lion to the forest to be King of Beasts. Then she set the Winged Monkeys free forever.

Dorothy hugged her friends and dried her tears. She picked up Toto, clicked her heels together—one, two, three—and wished with all her heart to be at home. There was a rush of wind, a whirl of gray, and then—bump! She stood on the Kansas prairie beside a new farmhouse. The silver shoes had flown off and were lost, but Aunt Em ran out and cried, "My darling child!" Dorothy hugged her tight and said, "I’m so glad to be home."