chapter-4

Chapter 4 Dorothy cried a lot after Oz was gone. She had no hope of getting back home anymore.

The Scarecrow was now the king of the Emerald City.

The four friends gathered in the throne room and talked.

The Scarecrow sat in the big throne, and the others stood in front of him.

I have been lucky, the Scarecrow said. Not long ago I was up on a pole in a cornfield.

Now I am the king of this beautiful city.

I am also pleased, said the Tin Man. I have a new heart.

And I am very happy that I am very brave, said the lion.

But Dorothy is not happy, said the Scarecrow.

I don't want to live here, said Dorothy. I want to go to Kansas.

Well then, what can we do? Ask the Tin Man.

The Scarecrow thought hard with his new brain.

Why don't we call the winged monkeys? He said, they can carry you home.

Dorothy ran to her room to get the golden cap. She brought it into the throne room and said the

magic words. Soon the winged monkeys came in through the open window.

This is your second command, said the monkey king. What do you want us to do?

I want you to carry me to Kansas, said Dorothy.

That's impossible, said the monkey king, shaking his head.

We belong to this country. We cannot cross the desert. Goodbye.

Goodbye. And the winged monkeys flew away through the window.

Dorothy was very disappointed. I have wasted my second command, she said.

I have one command left. The Scarecrow was thinking again.

Let's call the green soldier, he said. He can help us. So they called the soldier.

Dorothy wants to cross the desert, said the Scarecrow. How can she do that?

I don't know, said the soldier. No one has ever crossed the desert,

but Glinda might help you.

Who is Glinda? asked the Scarecrow.

The Witch of the South. She is the most powerful of all the witches,

and she rules over the quadlings. Her castle is on the edge of the desert.

She is a good witch who is kind to everyone. But the journey to the South is a dangerous one.

The Scarecrow thanked him, and the soldier left.

Well, it seems that Dorothy must travel to the land of the South and ask Glinda to help her.

I will go with Dorothy, said the Leon. I am tyrant of this city.

I am a wild animal, and I miss the woods. Besides, Dorothy will need someone to protect her.

I will go with her too, said the Tin Man.

I am also going, said the Scarecrow. His friends were surprised to hear this.

Dorothy helped me get a brain, the Scarecrow explained.

She brought me here. I cannot leave her until she is back in Kansas.

Thank you, said Dorothy. You are all very kind.

Let's leave tomorrow morning, said the Scarecrow.

The next morning, they said goodbye to the green girl and the green soldier.

The guardian of the gate wished them good luck.

You are now our king, he said to the Scarecrow. You must come back as soon as possible.

I will, the Scarecrow replied. But first, I must help Dorothy to get home.

Dorothy thanked the good guardian.

Everyone in this lovely city has been good to me, she said. I am grateful.

I wish you could stay, the guardian said. But I hope you will find a way to get back home.

And he opened the gate. The sun was shining brightly as the friends set on their journey

to the land of the South. They were all feeling happy and hopeful.

I don't like city life, said the lion. I can't wait to go back to the forest.

They stopped and took a last look at the Emerald City.

There were the towers behind the green walls and high up above was the Palace of Oz.

Oz was not a bad wizard, said the Tin Man. He gave me a wonderful heart.

And he gave me a brain and I like to use it, said the Scarecrow.

And I have a lot of courage now, said the lion.

Dorothy said nothing. Oz had not helped her, but he had done his best, so Dorothy forgave him.

On the first day, they walked through green fields. They had a good night's sleep on the

grass that night, with the stars above them. The next two days, the four friends walked on.

It was not an easy journey. They had to go through a thick wood.

After spending hours going through the wood, they finally came to an open space.

They were now in a strange country. There were swamps and very tall grass everywhere.

The thick grass hid the muddy holes, so they had to be very careful not to fall into them.

Soon, they reached solid ground. After walking some more, they came to another forest.

The trees here were very big and very old.

This is a very nice forest, said the lion happily.

I've never seen a more beautiful place. I would like to live here all my life.

There might be wild animals in this forest, said Dorothy.

Yes, there might, said the lion. They had not gone far when they heard some strange sounds.

They kept walking bravely until they came to an opening in the woods. In front of them,

there were hundreds of animals of different kinds. There were tigers, elephants, bears, wolves,

foxes, and all the others.

The animals are having a meeting, said the lion. They are discussing something. I think they are

worried. Some of the animals saw the lion. A tiger came up and bowed.

Welcome, the king of animals, he said. We need you to bring peace to the animals of the forest.

What is your trouble? Ask the lion.

There is a terrible monster in our forest, explained the tiger.

It is a great spider with eight long hairy legs. It moves with speed. He catches an animal with

one of his legs and puts it into his mouth. We are not safe anymore.

The lion thought for a moment. Are there any other lions in this forest? He asked.

No, answered the tiger. The monster has eaten them all. None of them were as big and as brave as you.

If I kill your enemy, will you make me the king of the forest? Ask the lion.

We will do that happily, said the tiger, and all the other animals cried. We will.

Where is this great spider now? Ask the lion.

In the forest over there, said the tiger, pointing with his foot.

The lion said goodbye to his friends and walked proudly away to find the monster.

The great spider was asleep when the lion found him. It looked very ugly.

It had very long legs and a big body covered with black hair.

It had a big mouth with long sharp teeth. Its huge head was on a long, thin neck. The lion

knew that it was easier to fight the monster when it was asleep. At once, he jumped on the

monster's back. Then, he raised his heavy paw and hit the monster's head with all his strength.

The spider's head separated from his body. It was dead.

The lion went back to his friends and other animals.

You don't need to be afraid of him any longer, he said proudly.

You are our king, the animal's roared. I have to go with my friends now, he told them.

But I will come back. The four travelers passed through the forest and came to a steep hill.

It was covered with big pieces of rock.

We must climb over this hill, said the scarecrow. They had nearly reached the first rock when they

heard a voice cry out, keep back. Who are you? asked the scarecrow.

Then a head appeared over the rock. This hill belongs to us, said the voice. You cannot cross it.

But we must cross it, said the scarecrow. We're going to the country of the quadlings.

No, said the voice. A strange man came out from behind the rocks. He was short and fat.

His head was big and flat on the top, and he had no arms. He was a hammerhead.

I'm sorry, but we must pass over your hill, said the scarecrow.

Immediately the man stretched out his neck and hit the scarecrow with the top of his head.

The scarecrow rolled down the hill. It isn't as easy as you think, said the man laughing.

Then the sound of laughter came from behind the other rocks.

Hundreds of the hammerheads appeared on the hillside. The lion was very angry.

He gave a loud roar and ran up the hill. A hammerhead hit him, and he too rolled down the hill.

It is impossible to fight the hammerheads, said the lion. What can we do then, asked Dorothy?

Call the winged monkeys, said the tin man. So, Dorothy put on the golden cap and said the magic words.

The winged monkeys came at once.

What are your commands? Asked the king of the monkeys.

Carry us over the hill to the country of the quadlings, said the girl.

At once the winged monkeys picked up the travelers and flew away with them.

As they went over the hill, the hammerheads shouted with anger.

They tried to stretch out their necks but could not reach the monkeys.

Soon the friends were standing in the beautiful country of the quadlings.

That was your last command, said the king to Dorothy.

Goodbye and good luck.

Goodbye and thank you very much, said the girl. The monkeys flew away.

The country of the quadlings was a rich and pleasant place.

There were corn fields everywhere with well -built roads between them.

There were bridges over pretty streams. The houses and the bridges were painted red.

The quadlings were short and fat and looked friendly. They all wore red clothes.

The four travelers came to a farmhouse. Dorothy walked up to the door and knocked.

The farmer's wife opened the door and invited them inside.

She gave the friends a good dinner with three kinds of cake and four kinds of cookies

and a bowl of milk for Toto.

How far is it to the castle of Glinda, asked Dorothy?

It is not very far, said the farmer's wife.

Take the road to the south and you will soon reach it.

They thanked the woman and left.

They continued their walk by the fields.

They crossed pretty bridges and soon they were in front of a very beautiful castle.

Three soldier girls were standing by the gate. They were wearing red uniforms.

Why have you come to the south country, asked one of the girls?

To see Glinda the good witch, Dorothy answered.

They told the soldier girl their names and she went into the castle.

After a few moments she came back, Glinda will see you, she said.

The soldier girl showed them into a big room.

In the middle of the room sat the good witch Glinda on a throne of rubies.

She was young and beautiful. She had beautiful red hair that fell over her shoulders.

Her dress was white and her eyes were blue. She looked kindly at the little girl.

What can I do for you, my child? She asked.

Dorothy told the good witch her story.

She told her about the cyclone that brought her to the land of Oz.

She told her about meeting her three friends and about all their adventures.

My greatest wish is to go back home, she said.

Antem must be worried about me. Glinda smiled and kissed the sweet face of the little girl.

You have a good heart, she said.

I can tell you how to get back to Kansas, but first you must give me the golden cap.

Of course I will, said Dorothy. I have used up my three commands.

The little girl then took off the cap and gave it to the good witch.

Glinda turned to the scarecrow.

What will you do when Dorothy leaves us? She asked him.

I will return to the Emerald City, he said.

Oz made me the king, but I don't know how I will cross the hill of the hammerheads.

I will use the golden cap to call for the winged monkeys, said Glinda.

They can carry you, you will be a good ruler. Then she turned to the tin man.

What will you do when Dorothy leaves this country? She asked him.

The Winkies were very kind to me, said the tin man.

They asked me to be their ruler. I think I would like to be their king.

Then I will ask the winged monkeys to carry you to the west, said the witch.

You will be a good ruler to the Winkies. Then she looked at the lion.

When Dorothy returns home, what will you do? She asked him.

There is an old forest over the hill of the hammerheads, he said.

The animals there have made me their king. If I can go back to that forest, I will have a happy life.

Then my third command to the winged monkeys will be to take you to that forest. Glinda said,

I will then give the golden cap to the monkeys and they will be free.

The three friends thanked the good witch for her kindness.

Dorothy was very happy too.

So how can I go back to Kansas? She asked the witch.

Your silver shoes will carry you there, replied Glinda.

You did not know about their magic power. You could have gone back home the first day you came here.

But then I would still be in a cornfield without my brain,

cried the scarecrow, and I would be standing in the forest forever without my lovely heart,

said the tin man. And I would still be a coward, said the lion.

I am very glad I helped my friends, said Dorothy.

You all have what you wanted and you are happy. I would like to go back to Kansas now.

The silver shoes can take you, said the good witch. You have to knock the heels together

three times and say where you wish to go.

Then I will go now, said the little girl.

She hugged the lion and kissed him. She kissed the tin man, who was crying.

She hugged the soft stuffed body of the scarecrow. She was crying too.

Glinda gave the little girl a goodbye kiss and Dorothy thanked her for all her kindness.

Dorothy took Toto up in her arms and said one last goodbye to her friends.

Then she knocked the heels of her shoes together three times.

Take me home to Aunt Em, she said. Immediately Dorothy flew through the air.

She went up and up. She could hear the wind in her ears. Then she stopped and hit the ground.

She rolled over on the grass several times. When she stopped rolling, she looked around.

She was sitting in the Kansas prairie in front of the new house that Uncle Henry had built after

the cyclone. Uncle Henry was milking the cows. Toto jumped out of her arms and ran toward him.

Dorothy looked at her feet. The silver shoes had disappeared.

Aunt Em came out of the house and saw Dorothy running to her.

My dearest child, she cried. Where did you come from?

From the land of Oz, said Dorothy as she hugged her.

Oh Aunt Em, I'm so glad to be home again.