The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

great mistake.  There were only four witches in all the Land of
Oz, and two of them, those who live in the North and the South,
are good witches.  I know this is true, for I am one of them
myself, and cannot be mistaken.  Those who dwelt in the East and
the West were, indeed, wicked witches; but now that you have
killed one of them, there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land
of Oz--the one who lives in the West."

    "But," said Dorothy, after a moment's thought, "Aunt Em has
told me that the witches were all dead--years and years ago."

    "Who is Aunt Em?" inquired the little old woman.

    "She is my aunt who lives in Kansas, where I came from."

    The Witch of the North seemed to think for a time, with her
head bowed and her eyes upon the ground.  Then she looked up and
said, "I do not know where Kansas is, for I have never heard that
country mentioned before.  But tell me, is it a civilized country?"

    "Oh, yes," replied Dorothy.

    "Then that accounts for it.  In the civilized countries I
believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses,
nor magicians.  But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been
civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world.
Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us."

    "Who are the wizards?" asked Dorothy.

    "Oz himself is the Great Wizard," answered the Witch, sinking
her voice to a whisper.  "He is more powerful than all the rest of
us together.  He lives in the City of Emeralds."

    Dorothy was going to ask another question, but just then the
Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and
pointed to the corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying.

    "What is it?" asked the little old woman, and looked, and
began to laugh.  The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared
entirely, and nothing was left but the silver shoes.

    "She was so old," explained the Witch of the North, "that she
dried up quickly in the sun.  That is the end of her.  But the
silver shoes are yours, and you shall have them to wear."
She reached down and picked up the shoes, and after shaking
the dust out of them handed them to Dorothy.

    "The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes," said
one of the Munchkins, "and there is some charm connected with them;
but what it is we never knew."

    Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on
the table.  Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said:

    "I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure
they will worry about me.  Can you help me find my way?"

    The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, and
then at Dorothy, and then shook their heads.

    "At the East, not far from here," said one, "there is a great
desert, and none could live to cross it."

    "It is the same at the South," said another, "for I have been
there and seen it.  The South is the country of the Quadlings."

    "I am told," said the third man, "that it is the same at the West.
And that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by the Wicked Witch
of the West, who would make you her slave if you passed her way."

    "The North is my home," said the old lady, "and at its edge is
the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz.  I'm afraid,
my dear, you will have to live with us."

    Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all
these strange people.  Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted
Munchkins, for they immediately took out their handkerchiefs and
began to weep also.  As for the little old woman, she took off her
cap and balanced the point on the end of her nose, while she
counted "One, two, three" in a solemn voice.  At once the cap
changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk marks:


             "LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS"


    The little old woman took the slate from her nose, and having
read the words on it, asked, "Is your name Dorothy, my dear?"

    "Yes," answered the child, looking up and drying her tears.

    "Then you must go to the City of Emeralds.  Perhaps Oz will help you."

    "Where is this city?" asked Dorothy.

    "It is exactly in the center of the country, and is ruled by Oz,
the Great Wizard I told you of."

    "Is he a good man?" inquired the girl anxiously.