chapter-1

Chapter 1. Dorothy lived in the middle of the great Kansas prairies with her uncle Henry and Ant M.

Their house was small and made of wood. There was only one room in the house where they all ate

and slept. There was a small hole under the house, which was called the cyclone cellar.

The family could go there when there was a cyclone that could crush the building.

They went through a trap door in the middle of the floor and then climbed down a ladder to get

inside the small hole. It was a hot day, Dorothy looked out. She could see the great gray prairie

on every side. There were no trees or houses. The land was dry and cracked. The sun had burned

the grass into a gray color. The paint on the house had turned dull and gray. When Ant M came

to this house many years ago, she was young and pretty. The sun and wind had changed her too.

Now she had a gray face. She was thin and she never smiled. Uncle Henry never laughed either.

He worked hard from morning till night. He was also gray from his long beard to his boots.

He looked harsh and serious and rarely spoke. Dorothy had a little dog called Toto. Toto

played all day long. But today they were not playing. Uncle Henry was standing on the doorstep,

looking at the sky. He looked worried. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms and

looked at the sky too. Ant M was washing the dishes in the kitchen. Suddenly they heard

a strong wind blowing from the north. They could see the grass forming waves in the wind.

Then they heard a sharp wind whistling from the south. They turned and saw the grass moving

quickly in that direction too. There's a cyclone coming M. Uncle Henry called to his wife.

Get into the cyclone cellar. I'll go and check the animals. Then he ran to the sheds where the

cows and horses were kept. Ant M ran to the door and looked outside.

Quick Dorothy, get inside the cellar. She screamed as she opened the door in the floor and climbed down

the ladder. Toto was scared. He jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed. Dorothy ran after

him and caught him. She ran toward the cellar but it was too late. The wind made a terrible sound

and the house shook. Dorothy fell down on the floor. Then a strange thing happened.

The house started turning around and around and slowly went up in the air.

Dorothy felt like she was going up in a balloon. She waited. The house was now in the center of

the cyclone where the north and south winds met. The great pressure of the wind

sent it up higher and higher and then carried it miles and miles away. Many hours passed.

It was very dark and the wind blew fast but Dorothy was not afraid anymore. She felt quite relaxed

like a baby in a cradle. She closed her eyes and fell asleep with Toto beside her. Suddenly

there was a crash which woke Dorothy up. She sat up on the bed and looked around. The house was not

moving anymore and sunshine came through the window. She jumped out of the bed and ran to the door.

She looked outside and gave a cry of surprise. The house was in the middle of a beautiful country.

The land was covered with green grass and tall trees that were full of fruits. There were lovely

flowers everywhere and beautiful birds sang in the trees. As Dorothy looked at this strange and

beautiful view she noticed a group of people coming toward her. They were three men and one woman

and they looked very strange. They were small. The men were old and had beards. The woman had

white hair and her face was covered in wrinkles. They wore strange clothes and had hats with

little bells on them. The woman wore a big white dress. The men were dressed in blue and wore

polished boots. The little woman bowed. Welcome to the land of the Munchkins, she said to Dorothy.

Thank you for killing the Wicked Witch of the East. You have set our people free.

Dorothy was surprised. Why was this little woman saying she had killed the Wicked Witch of the East?

Dorothy was a good little girl who had never killed anything in her life.

You are very kind, but there must be a mistake, she said shyly. I have not killed anyone.

Well then your house did, replied the little old woman. Your house fell on top of the Wicked Witch

of the East. Do you see the two feet sticking out from under the house? She said with a laugh.

Dorothy looked and gave a little cry. She saw two feet wearing a pair of silver shoes. She was

very upset. Oh no, oh no, she cried. What can we do to help her?

Nothing, said the little woman calmly. The Wicked Witch of the East is dead. She has kept

the Munchkins as her slaves for many years. Now they are free and they are thankful to you.

Are you a Munchkin? asked Dorothy. No, but I am their friend. I am the Witch of the North.

When they saw that the Witch of the East was dead, they sent me a message and I came at once.

I thought all witches were wicked, said Dorothy.

I am a good witch who is loved by people, said the little woman.

There were four witches in the Land of Oz. The ones who live in the North and the South

are good witches. The ones who live in the East and the West were Wicked Witches.

But you have killed one of them, so now there is only one Wicked Witch in the Land of Oz.

But Aunt Em told me that the witches were all dead, said Dorothy.

Who is Aunt Em? asked the little old woman. She is my aunt. I come from Kansas.

The Witch of the North thought for a time. Then she said, I do not know where Kansas is.

Is it a civilized country?

Oh yes, replied Dorothy. Well, in the civilized countries there are no witches,

wizards or magicians anymore. But the Land of Oz is not civilized. Oz is the great wizard.

He is more powerful than all the rest of us. He lives in the Emerald City. Suddenly,

the Munchkins gave a loud cry and pointed to the Wicked Witch under the house.

The feet of the Witch had disappeared. The silver shoes were still there.

The Witch of the North picked up the shoes. The silver shoes are yours now, she said to Dorothy.

You will wear them.

The shoes have some kind of magic, said one of the Munchkins. But we don't know what it is.

Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and put them on the table. Then she came out again.

I want to go back home, she said. Can you help me?

The Munchkins and the Witch looked at one another. Then they shook their heads.

There is a great big desert around the Land of Oz.

No one can cross it, said the old lady. I'm afraid you cannot leave my dear.

Dorothy began to cry. She felt lonely among these strange people.

The Munchkins began to cry too. The old woman was sorry for the little girl.

You must go to the Emerald City, she said. The great wizard of Oz will help you.

Where is this city, asked Dorothy? It is in the center of the country. Oz is its ruler.

You must walk there, but it is a long journey. But I will give you a magic kiss that will protect you.

The good witch kissed Dorothy gently. It left a round, shining mark on her forehead.

Follow the yellow brick road, and you will find the Emerald City.

When you meet Oz, do not be afraid of him. Tell him your story and ask him to help you.

Goodbye, my dear. The three Munchkins bowed, wished her a good journey, and walked away.

The witch smiled at Dorothy. Then she disappeared.

Dorothy and Toto were alone again. Dorothy was hungry. She went into the house and found some

bread and butter. Then she went to get some water from a little stream. She noticed the fruit

on the trees and picked some for breakfast. After breakfast, Dorothy started preparing for the

dress, hanging beside her bed. She washed herself and put on the dress. She took a little basket

and filled it with bread. Then she looked down at her feet. Her shoes were old and dirty.

She looked at the silver shoes on the table. I will wear them if they fit me. She said to Toto

and put them on. They fitted her very well. Come along, Toto. She said as she picked up her basket.

We will go to the Emerald City and see the Wizard of Oz. And so they started on their journey.

It did not take her long to find the yellow brick road. They walked happily. The sun was shining

bright and the birds were singing. It was a very pretty country. There were blue fences at the sides

of the road and fields behind them. The Munchkins were good farmers. When she passed houses,

the people came out and bowed to her. The houses of the Munchkins were blue and round.

In the country of the East, blue was the favorite color. In the evening, Dorothy was tired and wanted

to find a place to pass the night. She came to a house that was larger than the others.

In front of the house, many people were singing and dancing. There was a big table which was full

of delicious fruits, nuts and cakes. This was the home of a very rich Munchkin.

He had invited his friends to celebrate their freedom. The people welcomed Dorothy

and invited her to eat with them. Dorothy ate some good food and watched the people dancing.

Then the rich Munchkins saw her silver shoes.

You must be a good witch, he said. Why? asked the girl. You are wearing the silver shoes and you

have killed the wicked witch. Dorothy did not know what to say. Everybody thought she was a witch,

but she was just a little girl. After supper, the rich Munchkin gave her a nice little blue room.

Dorothy slept in the blue bed with Toto on the blue rug beside her. In the morning after breakfast,

Dorothy asked the rich Munchkin a question. How far away is the Emerald City? It is a long way.

It will take you many days, he answered. You must pass through dangerous places to get there. Besides,

many people are afraid of the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy was a little worried when she heard this.

But only the Great Oz could help her get back to Kansas.

She said goodbye to her friends and started on her journey again. After walking several

miles along the yellow brick road, Dorothy stopped to rest by a fence beside the road.

She climbed to the top and sat down. She looked at the big cornfield beyond the fence,

and in the middle of the field, she saw a scarecrow. It was placed high on a pole to keep the birds

away from the corn. The scarecrow's head was made of a small sack stuffed with straw.

His eyes, nose, and mouth were painted. He had an old Munchkin's hat on his head,

and very old blue clothes on his body. On his feet, he had some old boots.

The scarecrow slowly winked at Dorothy. Dorothy was surprised because the scarecrows in Kansas

never winked. Then she climbed down from the fence and walked toward him.

Good day, said the scarecrow. How are you?

I'm well, thank you, replied Dorothy politely.

How are you?

I'm not feeling well, said the scarecrow. It is not very easy to be up here to scare away

crows. Can't you get down, asked Dorothy? No, I am stuck to this pole. Could you please help me?

Dorothy reached up and lifted the scarecrow down from the pole. He was quite light.

Thank you very much, said the scarecrow. He stretched and yawned.

Dorothy thought that it was strange to see a stuffed man speak and walk.

Who are you? asked the scarecrow. Where are you going? My name is Dorothy,

and I am going to the Emerald City. Where is the Emerald City? He asked, and who is Oz?

Don't you know, said Dorothy in surprise? No, I don't know anything. I am stuffed,

so I don't have a brain. He answered sadly.

Oh, I'm very sorry, said Dorothy. Do you think that Oz would give me a brain?

I don't know, but you can come with me if you like. My legs and arms and body are stuffed,

so I cannot get hurt, said the scarecrow. But I am unhappy that my head is stuffed with straw,

because I don't know anything. People call me a fool.

Dorothy was sorry for him. If you come with me, I'll ask Oz to help you, she said.

Thank you, he said. They began walking together.

Toto did not like the scarecrow at first. He kept smelling him and barking at him.

Don't be afraid, said Dorothy. Toto never bites.

Oh, I'm not afraid, replied the scarecrow. He can't hurt me.

Let me carry that basket for you. Don't worry, I never get tired.

As they walked along, the scarecrow said, I'll tell you a secret. There is only one thing in the

world that I am afraid of. What is that, asked Dorothy? I'm afraid of fire, answered the scarecrow.

They walked a few hours, and then the road began to change. The yellow bricks were broken and

there were holes, so it was very difficult to walk on them. Toto jumped over the holes,

and Dorothy walked around them. But the scarecrow did not have a brain,

so he stepped into the holes and fell many times. Dorothy picked him up every time. The farms

fewer houses and fewer fruit trees. As time went by, the country became empty and depressing.

They came near a little stream and decided to sit down and rest. Dorothy got out the bread and

offered some to the scarecrow. Thank you, but I am never hungry, he said. Besides, I don't have a

real mouth. As they rested, Dorothy told the scarecrow about Kansas, about how gray everything was there,

and about the ciclone. I don't understand why you want to leave this beautiful country

and go back to that gray place, said the scarecrow.

Well, there is no place like home, said Dorothy. The scarecrow sighed.

I hope the great Oz will give me a brain when we get to the Emerald City, he said.

I hope so, said Dorothy. Let's go.

In the evening, they came to a great forest. The trees were big and close together. It was

dark under the trees, they continued to walk. If this road goes into the forest, it must come out,

said the scarecrow. We must follow the road because the Emerald City is at the other end of the road.

It was now night time. They were walking in the dark. Dorothy could not see at all and she

was tired. Soon, the scarecrow saw a little house under the trees. They walked through the

trees and entered the house. Dorothy fell asleep at once. The scarecrow was never tired,

so he stood in a corner all night. When Dorothy woke up, she looked around her.

The sun was shining through the trees, and Toto was chasing birds outside. The scarecrow was

standing patiently in his corner.

Let's go and find some water, said Dorothy. I will wash my face, and I will drink some water

with my bread. It is difficult to be a human, said the scarecrow. You must sleep, eat,

and drink, but you have a brain, and you can think. They left the house and walked until they found a

little stream. Dorothy washed and ate her breakfast. After breakfast, they got up.

They were walking toward the yellow brick road when suddenly they heard a cry.

What was that? asked Dorothy.

I don't know, said the scarecrow. Then they heard another cry that came from behind the trees.

They walked back toward the forest. Suddenly they saw a man next to a half -cut tree.

He was made of tin and had an axe in his hand. He did not move. He looked unhappy.

Dorothy and the scarecrow were surprised.

Are you all right? asked Dorothy.

No, answered the tin man. I've been standing here for more than a year, waiting for someone to help me.

How can I help you? asked Dorothy.

I can't move because my joints rusted badly, he said. Can you get my oil can and oil my joints?

It is on a shelf in my house.

Dorothy ran to the house and found the oil can. She returned.

Oil my neck first, said the tin man. So she oiled it, and the scarecrow held the tin head and moved

it from side to side. Now oil the joints in my arms, he said.

And Dorothy oiled them, and the scarecrow moved them up and down.

The tin man looked happy. I feel much better now, he said as he put down his axe. Now please oil

the joints of my legs. So they oiled his legs until he could move them freely.

Thank you for saving my life, he said. Not many people come this way.

Why are you here?

We are on our way to the Emerald City to see the great Oz, said Dorothy.

We stopped at your house to pass the night.

Why do you want to see Oz? He asked.

I will ask him to send me back to Kansas, and the scarecrow will ask him to give him a brain,

she replied. The tin man thought for a moment.

I don't have a heart, he said. Do you think Oz could give me a heart?

I think so, said Dorothy. Why don't you come with us to the Emerald City?

So the tin man took his axeie and joined them. They walked through the forest until they reached

the yellow brick road. Can you put my oil can in your basket? The tin man asked a dorothy.

If it rains, I will rust again, so I will need the oil again.

So the three of them and Toto were on their way. Soon they came to a place with very thick

trees and branches. The trees were so thick that it was impossible to walk through them.

Luckily, the tin man had his axe, so he cut the trees and made a path.

As they continued to walk, Dorothy was in deep thought.

Suddenly, the scarecrow stepped into a hole and fell.

Dorothy and the tin man helped him get up.

Why didn't you walk around the hole, asked the tin man?

I don't have a brain, replied the scarecrow. My head is stuffed with straw,

and that is why I am going to Oz to ask him for a brain.

Oh, I see, said the tin man. But brains are not the best things in the world.

Do you have a brain? asked the scarecrow.

No, my head is empty now, answered the tin man. But I used to have a brain and a heart.

I think having a heart is better than having a brain.

Why is that? asked the scarecrow. So the tin man told them his story.

My father was a woodman who chopped down trees in the forest.

When I grew up, I became a woodman too.

Then I fell in love with a beautiful munchkin girl.

But she lived with an old woman who wanted her to stay and work for her.

So, the old woman went to the wicked witch of the east and asked her to prevent our marriage.

Oh no, Dorothy said. What happened then?

Well, the wicked witch put magic on my axe.

One day, as I was cutting trees, the axe slipped and cut off my left leg.

I went to a tin smith and got him to make me a tin leg.

I worked like this for a while, but the wicked witch was angry.

Then the axe slipped again and cut off my right leg. Again, I went to the tin smith

and he made me a new tin leg. After this, the axe cut off my arms, one after the other.

I had new ones made, but the wicked witch was so angry that she made the axe cut off my head.

Once again, the tin smith made me a new one.

Then the axe slipped and cut off my body.

The tin smith made me a new body.

I was now a man made of tin, but I had no heart, so I lost my love for the munchkin girl.

Dorothy and the scarecrow now knew why the tin man wanted to get a new heart.

Well, I will ask for a brain, said the scarecrow.

I will ask for a heart, replied the tin man.

A brain does not make one happy. Happiness is the best thing in the world.

Dorothy did not say anything. She did not know who was right.

All she wanted was to go back to Kansas.

Dorothy and her friends followed the yellow brick road that went through the thick forest.

It was difficult to walk because the road was full of dry branches and dead leaves.

Sometimes they heard a deep roar coming from the forest.

It sounded like a wild animal. Dorothy was a little afraid.

When will the forest end? She asked the tin man.

I don't know, he said. I have never been to the Emerald City.

My father said it was a long journey through a dangerous country.

But I am not afraid because I am made of tin. Nothing can hurt the scarecrow.

And you are safe because the good witch kissed you, but we must protect Toto.

Suddenly they heard a terrible roar coming from the forest.

And the next moment a lion jumped into the road. He hit the scarecrow with his sharp claws.

Then he hit the tin man. When Toto ran barking toward the lion,

he opened his mouth to bite the little dog. Dorothy ran and hit the lion on the nose.

No, stop, she shouted. How dare you bite a little dog?

I didn't bite him, said the lion as he rubbed his nose.

You tried to bite him, said Dorothy. You are a big coward.

Yes, I know, said the lion. I know I am a coward. I am not brave.

I am afraid of everything. All the animals in the forest expect me to be brave.

Although I am afraid, I roar very loudly, so they run away.

When I see a man, I roar at him, and he runs away. They don't know that I am a coward.

But the king of animals should not be a coward, said the scarecrow.

I know, said the lion, but every time I am in danger, my heart beats very fast.

You should be happy that you have a heart, said the tin man.

I don't. I am going to ask the Wizard of Oz for one.

And you have a brain too, said the scarecrow. I don't. I am going to ask Oz to give me one.

And I am going to ask him to send Toto and me back to Kansas, said Dorothy.

Do you think Oz can give me courage, ask the cowardly lion?

The Wizard of Oz is powerful, said Dorothy. You can come with us and ask him.

So they set off for the Emerald City. It was a peaceful day. Only once, the tin man stepped on

a beetle on the road and killed it. This made him very unhappy because he never wanted to hurt

a living being. As he walked, he cried. The tears ran down his face, and soon his jaw rusted.

When Dorothy asked him a question, he could not open his mouth. The scarecrow took the oil can from

Dorothy's basket and oiled his jaw. A few minutes later, he could talk.

After that, the tin man walked very carefully with his eyes on the road. He knew that he did not

have a heart, so he was careful not to be unkind to others.