Every scene of the book with its illustration — the same text the narrator reads aloud in the player.
Chapter 1
Dorothy lives on the wide gray prairies of Kansas. The sun has baked the land and grass a dull, dusty gray. Her tiny farmhouse holds just one little room.
Aunt Em is thin and gray; the sun and wind long ago wore away her smile. Uncle Henry works from dawn to dark and never laughs. In this gray world, Dorothy's giggles still startle them both.
It is Toto who keeps Dorothy from turning gray inside. He is a little black dog with silky hair and merry eyes. They play all day long, and she loves him dearly.
"There's a cyclone coming, Em!" Uncle Henry shouts. From north and south the wind wails and the grass bows low. "Quick, Dorothy! Run for the cellar!" cries Aunt Em. But Toto leaps from her arms and hides under the bed. Dorothy dives under the bed for Toto. Before she can reach the cellar door, the whole house lurches and lifts off the ground!
The wind shrieks and the house spins up into the sky. Dorothy feels as if she's floating in a balloon. It carries them miles away, easy as a feather. At last she curls up with Toto and falls fast asleep.
Chapter 2
Dorothy wakes with a jolt and flings open the door: the storm is gone. Toto presses his cold nose to her cheek and whines softly. She gasps at a land more beautiful than any she has ever known.
The queerest little people come near: three small men in blue, their hats jingling with bells. With them a tiny old woman in white bows low. 'You are welcome, noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins.' 'You freed us from the Wicked Witch of the East!' Dorothy blinks: she has never killed anything.
'See!' The witch points to two feet in silver shoes, crushed beneath the house. 'That was the Wicked Witch of the East. I am the Witch of the North, and I am good.' In the sun the dead witch's feet shrivel away to dust, leaving only the silver shoes behind.
Deadly desert rings the land on every side. 'You will have to live with us,' the witch says. Dorothy weeps, and the kind little Munchkins weep with her. Then the witch's hat turns to a slate that reads: LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS.
'I will give you my kiss: no one will dare harm a person kissed by the Witch of the North.' Her lips leave a round, shining mark on Dorothy's forehead. 'Follow the road paved with yellow brick to Oz.' Then she spins on her heel and vanishes.
Chapter 3
Dorothy packs a basket with bread and butter for a long journey. She shares a drink of cool brook water with Toto. With only her little dog for company, she is far from home and ready to go. She also takes the dead Witch's silver shoes, too pretty to leave behind.
Her old shoes are too worn for the road, so she tries the Witch's silver shoes. They fit perfectly, as if made just for her. "Come along, Toto. We'll find the Great Oz!" She follows the yellow brick road.
By evening she reaches a feast hosted by a rich Munchkin named Boq. They are celebrating their freedom from the Wicked Witch. "You wear silver shoes and white," says Boq. "You must be a friendly witch!" Dorothy rests the night, then sets off again on the long road.
Past a cornfield, Dorothy spots a Scarecrow stuffed with straw, perched on a pole. She stares at his painted face, and one eye slowly winks at her. "Good day," says the Scarecrow in a husky voice. Dorothy can hardly believe it.
Dorothy lifts him off the pole. "I feel like a new man!" he says. He has no brains, only straw, and longs to ask Oz for some. So they walk the yellow brick road together, toward the Emerald City. "I fear only one thing," he whispers. "A lighted match."
Chapter 4
The yellow road turns rough and broken. Having no brains, the Scarecrow walks straight into a hole and tumbles flat. Toto leaps the gaps; Dorothy lifts her friend up, both laughing. The farms grow fewer, the country lonelier with every step.
At noon they rest by a little brook and Dorothy eats her bread. The Scarecrow never eats, his mouth is only painted straw. She tells him of gray Kansas and the cyclone that carried her here. "There is no place like home," she says. He cannot understand why.
The Scarecrow tells his story: made just two days ago. Set on a pole in a cornfield, he could not move or climb down. A wise old crow saw he was only straw and ate the corn. "Brains are the only thing worth having," the crow tells him.
Toward evening they reach a great forest, branches meeting over the road. "If this road goes in, it must come out," the Scarecrow reasons. Darkness falls and Dorothy cannot see at all. She takes the Scarecrow's arm, for he and Toto see well in the dark.
Deep in the dark, the Scarecrow spots a little cottage of logs and branches among the trees. Worn out, Dorothy creeps inside and gathers a soft bed of dried leaves. With Toto curled warm against her, she sinks into a deep, sound sleep. The Scarecrow, who never tires, stands watch by the door until morning.
Chapter 5
Sun pours through the trees, and Dorothy wakes beside her patient Scarecrow. She washes her face at a clear spring and shares the last of the bread with Toto. The basket is nearly empty now. Fed and rested, they set off again, deeper into the silent trees.
Following a deep groan through the trees, they find a man made entirely of tin, frozen with his axe in the air. Toto barks at his tin legs; Dorothy and the Scarecrow stare in surprise. "I've been groaning over a year," he says, "and no one has come."
"Get an oil-can," he begs, "my joints are rusted stiff." Dorothy oils his neck and arms; the Scarecrow works each joint until it moves. With a happy sigh, the Tin Woodman lowers his axe at last.
"You've saved my life," he says. "Where are you going?" "To the Emerald City, to ask the Great Oz for help." "Could Oz give me a heart?" he wonders, and joins their party.
When branches block the road, the Tin Woodman chops a clear path for them all. The Scarecrow tumbles into a hole. "My head is only straw," he laughs. "Brains are not the best thing," says the Woodman. "Let me tell you my story."
Long ago he loved a Munchkin girl, but a Wicked Witch enchanted his axe. Piece by piece it took him, until a tinsmith made him all of tin, with no heart left inside. "I'll ask Oz for a heart," he vows, "for happiness is the best thing in the world."
Chapter 6
Dorothy and her friends push deep into a dark, tangled forest. The yellow brick road is buried under dead leaves and branches. Now and then a wild growl echoes from the trees. Toto stays close.
Suddenly a terrible roar splits the air: a great Lion bounds onto the road! One swipe sends the Scarecrow spinning to the edge. He strikes the Tin Woodman, but his claws can't dent the tin.
Toto charges the beast, barking, and the great Lion opens his jaws! Fearless for Toto, Dorothy rushes in and slaps the Lion right on the nose. "Don't you dare bite Toto! A big beast, picking on a poor little dog!"
"I know it," the Lion sighs, hanging his head. "I'm nothing but a coward." He roars to scare every creature away, yet his own heart pounds with fear. Dorothy stares up at the great beast, no bigger fear left in her, only wonder.
Each friend has a wish for the Great Oz: brains, a heart, a way home to Kansas. "Could Oz give me courage?" the Lion asks. "Just as easily!" they tell him. So the Cowardly Lion joins the journey, striding proudly at Dorothy's side.
Later the Tin Woodman steps on a tiny beetle and weeps with sorrow. His tears trickle into his jaw hinges, and rust them shut tight! The Scarecrow oils his jaw free. "A lesson," he says, "to watch where I step."
Chapter 7
Night falls and there are no houses, so the travelers camp beneath a great tree in the forest. The Tin Woodman chops wood, and Dorothy builds a fire that keeps her and Toto warm. The Scarecrow stays far from the sparks, then tucks Dorothy under dry leaves to sleep.
Morning comes, and they walk on, until the road suddenly drops away before them. A huge ditch splits the road, and the Cowardly Lion gathers himself for a mighty leap! "I think I could jump it," he says, "and carry you over one at a time." With a great spring he shoots through the air and lands safely on the far side. One by one he ferries them all across, then rests, panting like a tired dog.
They walk on until a wider gulf yawns ahead, too broad to leap. "I'll fell a tree to bridge it," says the Tin Woodman. A broader gulf blocks the way, and across the fallen-tree bridge, danger appears. The Tin Woodman had felled a tall tree so it dropped across the gap as a bridge. Now two Kalidahs charge it: bear bodies, tiger heads, claws like long knives. The Lion roars so terribly the beasts freeze, then rush the bridge anyway.
"Wait!" cries the Scarecrow, who has a clever plan. The Tin Woodman chops the near end of the log just as the Kalidahs reach the middle. The bridge crashes down, carrying the snarling beasts onto the rocks below. Safe at last, the Lion's heart still pounds with fright.
The forest thins, and a broad swift river appears. Beyond it lie green meadows, bright flowers, and trees full of delicious fruit. The Tin Woodman builds a raft while Dorothy feasts on ripe fruit at last. Night comes before the raft is done, and Dorothy dreams of Oz and home.
Chapter 8
A new day, a fresh start. The friends push off across the wide river toward the Emerald City. But the swift current grabs the raft and sweeps it far from the yellow brick road. The water grows too deep for their poles. "This is bad," says the Tin Woodman.
The Scarecrow pushes too hard and his pole jams in the mud. The raft slips away, leaving him clinging high above the water. "Good-bye!" he calls. Stranded and alone, he fears he will never get his brains.
"Hold fast to my tail!" roars the Lion, plunging into the water. He swims with all his might, towing the raft as the Tin Woodman grips on. At last they reach the grassy shore, tired but safe.
A kind Stork swoops down to the stranded Scarecrow. "He's light as straw!" cries Dorothy. The Stork lifts him by the arm and carries him to shore. Reunited, the Scarecrow hugs everyone and sings for joy.
The path fills with dazzling scarlet poppies, beautiful and sweet-smelling. But their scent is deadly. Dorothy, Toto and the Lion sink into a magical sleep. The straw-and-tin friends, who cannot sleep, carry Dorothy from the poppies to safety. The mighty Lion is too heavy to lift, and they must leave him among the flowers.
Chapter 9
A snarling yellow Wildcat tears across the meadow, red eyes blazing. Racing ahead of it is one tiny gray field mouse, running for its life. The Tin Woodman lifts his head and sees the chase.
Up swings the Tin Woodman's axe, and the fierce Wildcat is stopped. The little mouse stops and squeaks, 'Thank you for saving my life!' 'I have no heart,' he says, 'so I help anyone who needs a friend.' "It's only a little mouse," says Dorothy, peering down at the tiny creature. 'Only a mouse?' she cries. 'I am the Queen of all the Field Mice!' Dozens of mice rush up and bow so low they nearly tip over. 'This tin man saved me,' she declares. 'Now you must all serve him.' Suddenly Toto wakes and bounds straight into the crowd of mice! They scatter everywhere as he barks with delight. The Tin Woodman scoops him up. 'Come back! Toto won't hurt you.' The Scarecrow has an idea: the mice can help save the Cowardly Lion. 'Bring thousands of mice, each with a long piece of string,' he says. The Tin Woodman builds a wooden truck with log wheels by the trees.
Thousands of mice harness up and haul the sleeping Lion onto the truck. Pushing and pulling, they roll him out of the poppies to fresh air. Dorothy thanks them warmly, so glad her big friend is saved. 'If you ever need us, call,' says the Queen, and away she runs.
Chapter 10
The Cowardly Lion opens his eyes and rolls free of the poppies. He is alive! The little field mice dragged him to safety. "Such small things saved me," he laughs. "How strange it all is!"
Refreshed, they find the yellow brick road again and march on. Now everything is green: fences, houses, even the peaked hats. People watch but keep away, afraid of the great Lion. "This must be the Land of Oz," Dorothy says. As dusk falls they stop at a green farmhouse and knock, hoping for food and a place to rest.
A kind woman lets them in, and a man with a hurt leg questions them. "Are you sure Oz will see you? He lets no one into his presence." Oz is a Great Wizard who can take any shape: bird, elephant, or fairy. Still, they must try, or the whole journey is for nothing.
After warm porridge and a safe night, they set off at sunrise. A beautiful green glow brightens the sky just ahead. "That must be the Emerald City!" Dorothy cries.
By afternoon they reach a high green wall around the City. A great gate blazes with emeralds, dazzling even the Scarecrow. Dorothy pushes a button and a silvery bell tinkles inside. Slowly, the big gate swings open.
Inside waits the little green Guardian of the Gates. "Since you demand to see Oz, I must take you to his Palace." First, green spectacles are locked over every pair of eyes, even Toto's. Then he opens the inner gate to the streets of the Emerald City.
Chapter 11
Even behind green spectacles, the Emerald City dazzles Dorothy and her friends. Every house is green marble studded with sparkling emeralds, every window pane green glass. Green-skinned people stroll past, and children hide from the Lion. No one says a word.
The Guardian leads them to the Palace of Oz, right in the heart of the City. A soldier with a long green beard guards the door. 'Here are strangers,' the Guardian says. 'Step inside,' the soldier replies, 'and I will carry your message to Oz.' But Oz will see only one visitor a day, each one alone.
A green-haired girl leads Dorothy to the sweetest little room in the world. A silk bed, a fountain of green perfume, and a shelf of funny green picture books. 'Make yourself at home,' she says. 'Oz will send for you in the morning.' Morning comes, and the green girl returns. "Oz will see you now," she says, leading Dorothy to a great domed room. In the throne room a giant Head turns its eyes on Dorothy. 'I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?' 'I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek. I have come for help to get home to Kansas.' 'In this country, everyone must pay for everything,' booms Oz. 'Do something for me first. Kill the Wicked Witch of the West.' 'But I cannot!' Dorothy cries. Still the Head will not bend. Heartbroken, she returns to her friends with no hope at all.
Each friend meets a different Oz: a winged Lady, a five-eyed Beast, a roaring Ball of Fire. To the Scarecrow, brains. To the Tin Woodman, a heart. To the Lion, courage. But every promise comes with one price: the Wicked Witch must die. So they resolve to march to the land of the Winkies and seek her out.
Chapter 12
The Guardian of the Gates opens the gate one last time. "Which road leads to the Wicked Witch of the West?" asks Dorothy. "There is no road. No one ever wishes to go that way." "Keep to the West, where the sun sets, and she will find YOU."
They turn west, over fields of daisies and buttercups. To Dorothy's surprise, her green dress has turned pure white. Toto's ribbon is white too. The Emerald City is far behind. By dusk they are weary, and the four friends lie down to sleep in the long western grass.
The Witch has one eye, but it sees everywhere like a telescope. She spots the travelers asleep in her country and burns with anger. She blows her silver whistle, and a pack of fierce wolves comes running.
"This is my fight," says the Tin Woodman. "Get behind me." His sharp axe falls again and again on the charging wolves. Forty wolves come, and forty wolves fall in a heap. "It was a good fight, friend," says the Scarecrow.
Furious that her wolves failed, the Witch blows her whistle twice and calls her crows. A great flock of wild crows darkens the sky, and the Scarecrow stands to meet them. "This is my battle," he tells his friends. "Lie down and stay safe." He stretches out his arms and frightens the birds away. One by one, he catches the forty crows until none are left.
Three whistles bring a swarm of stinging black bees. The Scarecrow's straw is spread to hide Dorothy, Toto, and the Lion. The bees can only sting the Tin Woodman, breaking their stings on his tin. Every bee falls. The Woodman is unharmed.
She sends a dozen Winkies with spears, but the Lion's roar sends them running. Out of tricks, the Witch takes her Golden Cap from the cupboard. It can summon the Winged Monkeys three times. She has one charm left. She chants the magic words and the dark sky begins to rumble.
The sky fills with chattering, laughing Winged Monkeys. "You have called us for the third and last time. What do you command?" "Destroy them all except the Lion. Bring that beast to me."
Dorothy watches, helpless, as the Monkeys seize her comrades. The Woodman is dropped on rocks; the Scarecrow's straw is pulled out. The Lion is bound in ropes and flown to the castle yard. But the leader sees the Good Witch's kiss and dares not touch her. Unable to harm her, the Monkeys carry Dorothy to the Witch's castle and set her down at the door.
The Witch makes Dorothy a kitchen slave and starves the caged Lion outside. Each night Dorothy secretly carries food to her brave friend. Longing for the Silver Shoes, the Witch hides an iron bar on the floor. Dorothy trips, a shoe flies off, and the Witch snatches it with a laugh.
In a rage, Dorothy dashes a whole bucket of water over the Wicked Witch. "See what you have done! In a minute I shall melt away!" the Witch cries. She shrinks to a brown, shapeless puddle on the kitchen floor. The Wicked Witch is gone for good. Dorothy and her friends are free.
Chapter 13
The Wicked Witch is gone, melted away. Dorothy unlocks the gate and frees the Cowardly Lion at last. Together they call the yellow Winkies and tell them they are slaves no more. The Winkies cheer and dance. This day becomes a holiday, now and forever after. But two friends are still lost out in the witch's country. The grateful Winkies gladly march out with them to search.
On a rocky plain the searchers find the Tin Woodman, dented and bent, his axe rusted and broken. "If only we had come sooner," sighs the Lion, looking down at his old friend. The kind yellow Winkies, who marched out gladly to help, gather close around him. Dorothy sheds a tear as the Winkies lift him gently and carry him home.
Back at the castle, Dorothy asks for tinsmiths, and the Winkies bring their very best. For three days and four nights they hammer, bend, solder and polish. At last the Tin Woodman is whole again, as good as ever, with only a few patches.
The Tin Woodman walks in and weeps tears of joy to be rescued. Dorothy wipes each tear with her apron so his joints won't rust. The Lion sobs into his tail until it's so wet he must dry it in the sun.
"Now to find the Scarecrow!" The Tin Woodman swings his new solid-gold axe at the tall tree where his friend hangs. A Winkie goldsmith had given the blade a polished edge that gleams in the sun. The tree crashes down and the Scarecrow's clothes tumble free. Stuffed with fresh straw, the Scarecrow is good as ever, thanking them again and again.
Reunited at last, the friends remember Oz's promise: brains, a heart, courage, and home to Kansas. The grateful Winkies give them golden gifts and beg the Tin Woodman to stay and rule. Dorothy finds a pretty golden cap and decides to wear it, not knowing its magic. With three cheers ringing behind them, they set off for the Emerald City.
Chapter 14
Dorothy and her friends are lost in a sea of yellow flowers. By noon the sun hangs overhead, and no one can tell east from west. Day after day, only endless yellow fields stretch ahead. Even Toto is too tired to chase a passing butterfly.
Long ago the Queen of the Mice pressed a tiny silver whistle into her hand: blow it, and the mice will come. Dorothy blows the little silver whistle from the Queen of the Mice. Tiny gray mice come pattering, their Queen at the front. "You've had the Emerald City at your backs all this time," she says. Then she spots the Golden Cap and tells of a hidden charm.
Inside the Golden Cap, Dorothy finds the secret magic words. "Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!" she chants on her left foot. "Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo! Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!" The charm is complete. A great flapping fills the air.
The Winged Monkeys arrive, and their King bows low. "What is your command?" "We wish to reach the Emerald City." Strong gentle hands lift everyone into the sky. They sail above pretty gardens and woods, riding the wind.
As they fly, the King tells how the Monkeys were bound to the Cap. Long ago a mischievous trick angered the sorceress Gayelette. Ever since, they must obey the Golden Cap's owner three times. Then the green walls of the Emerald City shine into view at last.
Chapter 15
The four travelers ring the great bell of the Emerald City. "What! Are you back again?" gasps the Guardian of the Gates. "The Wicked Witch is melted," says the Scarecrow. "Dorothy did it." Amazed, the Guardian bows very low and lets them inside.
Dorothy and her friends march toward the great Palace of Oz. News flies fast: she melted the Wicked Witch of the West! The whole city cheers and follows the heroes in a happy crowd.
At the palace they wait and wait, but Oz sends no word at all. Vexed, the Scarecrow sends a warning through the green girl. "Let us in, or we'll call the Winged Monkeys!" Terrified of the Monkeys, Oz finally agrees to see them.
At last they enter the Throne Room and find it completely empty. The silence is more dreadful than any monster. Then a solemn Voice booms from the dome: "I am Oz, the Great and Terrible!"
"You must keep your promises!" they cry. The Lion lets out a tremendous roar. Frightened Toto knocks over a corner screen with a crash. Behind it stands a little old man, as startled as they are.
"I am no wizard," the old man admits. "I am a humbug." He shows the great Head hung on a wire and worked with threads. The Lady was a costume, the Beast was sewn skins, the fire just oiled cotton. Every terrible form was only a clever trick.
Oz explains he was a circus balloonist from Omaha. A runaway balloon carried him over the clouds to this land. The frightened people thought he was a wizard, so he built their city. "A good man," he sighs, "but a very bad wizard. Please keep my secret."
Still, Oz promises to help his friends. "Come tomorrow," he tells them, brains, courage, and a heart await. He will think of a way to carry Dorothy across the desert. They agree to keep his secret and go to bed full of hope.
Chapter 16
Morning in the Emerald City. The Scarecrow throws up his arms with joy. "Congratulate me! Today I finally go to Oz to get my brains." "I have always liked you as you are," Dorothy says simply. He grins. "Wait until you hear the splendid thoughts my new brain will make!"
First the Scarecrow arrives for his brains. Little Oz lifts the straw head right off. "I must fill it before I put it back," says Oz, reaching for a bowl. He empties the straw and mixes a measure of bran with pins and needles.
The Scarecrow comes back, his head bulging at the top with brains. "How do you feel?" Dorothy asks. "I feel wise indeed!" "Why are pins poking out of your head?" wonders the Tin Woodman. "That," says the Lion, "is proof that he is sharp."
Next the Tin Woodman comes for his heart, and stands very still. Oz snips a small square hole in the tin breast with his shears. He lifts a pretty heart of silk, stuffed with sawdust. "Is it kind?" "Very!" He fits it in and solders the patch shut. The Woodman beams with gratitude.
The Lion comes last. "I have come for my courage." Oz pours a green bottle into a carved dish. "Drink." "Courage is always inside you," Oz says. "Swallow it down." The Lion drinks every drop. "I feel full of courage!"
Alone at last, Oz smiles at how easily he pleased the three friends. "How can I help being a humbug, when they believe I can do anything?" But his smile fades. "Carrying Dorothy back to Kansas... that I cannot fake."
Chapter 17
For three long days, Dorothy hears nothing from Oz. Her friends are happy with their new gifts. But Dorothy only wants one thing: to go home to Kansas.
On the fourth day, Oz finally sends for her. "I think I have found a way to get you out of this country." Dorothy leans in, hardly daring to hope.
"I came here in a balloon," Oz explains. He will build one of silk and fill it with hot air. And this time, the humbug Wizard plans to leave too.
Dorothy threads her needle and begins to sew. Light green, dark green, emerald green, strip by strip. Three days later, a silk bag over twenty feet long is done.
The balloon is carried out before the palace. A clothes basket hangs below it on many ropes. The whole city crowds in to see the wonderful sight.
The Tin Woodman builds a great fire of wood. Oz catches the hot air, and the balloon swells up. "The Scarecrow will rule while I am gone!" Oz declares. Just then Toto spots a kitten and bolts into the crowd, and Dorothy darts after her little dog.
Dorothy runs back with Toto, who chased a kitten. Then, crack! The ropes snap and the balloon shoots up. "Come back!" she screams. "I can't, my dear. Good-bye!" And that is the last anyone ever sees of the Wizard of Oz.
Chapter 18
Dorothy weeps. The balloon is gone, and with it her ride home to Kansas. The Tin Woodman mourns Oz too, and asks her to wipe his tears so he won't rust. Gently she dabs each drop away, then he oils himself shiny and safe again.
The next morning the friends gather once more in the great Throne Room. The Scarecrow is the new ruler now, perched proudly on the great green throne. The Tin Woodman loves his heart, the Lion knows he is brave, and all are content. All but Dorothy. 'I don't want to live here. I want to go home to Aunt Em!' The Scarecrow thinks so hard the pins poke from his head. 'Call the Winged Monkeys!' Dorothy lifts the Golden Cap and speaks the magic words. The band swoops in. 'Carry me to Kansas!' she begs. But the Monkey King bows. 'That cannot be done.' The Winged Monkeys fly off. Dorothy nearly cries. 'Is there no one who can help me?' The soldier with green whiskers steps in shyly. 'Glinda might,' he suggests. 'The Good Witch of the South, by the desert's edge. She may know a way across.' The road south is full of dangers, but it is Dorothy's best hope of going home. 'I shall go with her,' roars the Lion. 'My axe will serve her,' adds the Woodman. 'And I will never leave her,' says the Scarecrow. They set out at dawn together.
Chapter 19
At dawn Dorothy hugs the kind Guardian of the Gates goodbye. He unlocks their green spectacles and wishes them well. "You will always be welcome here," he says. Then the great green gate swings slowly open before them.
The friends turn south together, laughing in the warm sunshine. The Lion bounds along, sniffing the fresh air with pure joy. "City life does not agree with me!" he grins. Behind them, the Emerald City fades into the distance.
Next they reach a thick, endless wood that blocks the way. The Scarecrow steps under a big tree to lead them through. Its branches grab him and fling him head over heels! "What shall we do now?" cries Dorothy.
The Lion stares up as the branches twist and reach for them. "The trees have made up their minds to fight us," he says. Behind him, another tree tosses the poor Scarecrow back again.
The Tin Woodman marches up with his axe held high. When a branch reaches down, he chops it clean in two! The tree shakes in pain, and they all dash safely under. He frees poor Toto from a branch, and the dog is safe.
Beyond the wood rises a tall wall of smooth white china. It is higher than their heads and shiny as a dish. "What shall we do now?" Dorothy asks again. "I will make a ladder," says the Tin Woodman. "We must climb over."
Chapter 20
The Tin Woodman builds a clumsy wooden ladder, so the tired travelers can climb the strange wall. The Scarecrow goes first, wobbling, with Dorothy close behind to keep him from tumbling off. He pokes his head over the top and gasps, 'Oh, my!' Below them lies a land white and shining as a big platter. It is scattered with tiny china houses, barns, and toy-sized cows, sheep, and pigs. Strangest of all are the little china people, no taller than Dorothy's knee, in jeweled crowns and bright frocks.
The ladder is too heavy to lift, so the Scarecrow drops first and the others land softly on his straw. They pat his flattened body back into shape and set off across the brittle white land. 'We must be very careful here,' says Dorothy, 'or we may break these little people.' First they meet a china milkmaid milking a little china cow. The startled cow kicks, and stool, pail, and milkmaid all crash to the ground. The cow's leg breaks off. 'See what you have done!' the milkmaid cries, leading her limping cow away.
Next a beautiful china Princess flees, fearing she'll fall and break. 'One is never so pretty after being mended,' she explains. Up hops Mr. Joker, a clown cracked in a hundred places, who teases Dorothy with a saucy rhyme.
Dorothy longs to keep the Princess, but learns she'd grow stiff and sad away from home, so she says goodbye. Reaching a lower wall, they scramble up, but the leaping Lion's tail smashes a little china church. 'There are worse things than being a Scarecrow,' he laughs, glad his straw cannot break.
Chapter 21
Beyond the wall they trudge across rough country, over soggy bogs and marshes, until the ground rises into trees. The Lion steps into a vast, ancient forest and his eyes light up. "This place is perfectly delightful," he says. "I could live here all my life." "It seems gloomy," frowns the Scarecrow, eyeing the shadows. "Perhaps there are wild beasts here now," warns Dorothy. They make a cozy camp among the great trees, and the Lion keeps watch as night falls.
At dawn a low rumble of growls leads the friends to a wide clearing. Hundreds of beasts are gathered: tigers, elephants, bears, and wolves. The animals fall silent the moment they spot the great Lion.
The biggest tiger bows. "Welcome, O King of Beasts! Come fight our enemy." "A monster like a great spider stalks us, its body big as an elephant." "End our enemy," says the Lion, "and will you obey me as King of the Forest?" "We will!" the beasts roar together with a mighty sound.
Deep among the oaks the Lion finds the giant spider fast asleep. He spies the monster's slender neck and springs onto its back. One heavy, clawed blow knocks the spider's head clean from its body. He waits until the long legs stop wiggling. The beast is dead.
The Lion returns to the clearing, head held high. "You need fear your enemy no longer," he says proudly. Every beast bows low. The Cowardly Lion is now King of the Forest. He vows to return and rule once Dorothy is safely on her way to Kansas.
Chapter 22
Out of the dark forest at last, the four travelers spot a steep hill ahead. It is covered top to bottom with great chunks of rock. "A hard climb," says the Scarecrow, "but we must get over it."
"Keep back!" a rough voice cries from the rocks. Out steps the strangest man they have ever seen, short and stout with a big flat head. He has no arms at all. "This hill is ours, and no one may cross it!"
The Scarecrow climbs boldly forward, and quick as lightning a flat head shoots out and strikes! The Scarecrow goes tumbling head over heels down the rocky hill. Straw flies everywhere as he rolls all the way to the bottom.
Furious at what they did to the Scarecrow, the Lion roars like thunder and charges up. A head shoots out and the great Lion rolls down as if hit by a cannonball. Hundreds of Hammer-Heads cackle from behind every rock.
Dorothy puts on the Golden Cap, raises her arms, and speaks the magic words. "It is our last command," the Tin Woodman reminds her. One summons remains. In a rush of wings the whole band of Winged Monkeys lands before her, bowing low.
The Monkeys scoop up all four travelers and Toto and fly away over the hill. Below, the Hammer-Heads yell and shoot their heads up, but cannot reach them. Set safely down, the leader says: "This is the last time. Good luck to you."
They reach the Country of the Quadlings, rich and happy and all painted bright red. A friendly farmer's wife gives them dinner, cake, cookies, and milk for Toto. "How far to Glinda's Castle?" "Not far. Take the road south."
Walking south past fields and bridges, they reach a very beautiful Castle. Three girl soldiers in red and gold guard the gates. "Why have you come?" "To see Glinda, the Good Witch." One takes their names and hurries inside. Soon she returns: Dorothy and her friends are to be admitted at once.
Chapter 23
On a throne of glowing rubies sits Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. Young and lovely, with flowing red hair and a pure white gown. "What can I do for you, my child?" she asks Dorothy kindly.
Dorothy tells of the cyclone, her friends, and all their adventures. "My greatest wish is to get back to Kansas," she says. Glinda can help, but asks for the Golden Cap in return. "Willingly!" Dorothy cries, handing it over.
Glinda turns to the Scarecrow. "What will you do now?" "I will rule the Emerald City," he says, "for the people like me." The Winged Monkeys will fly him safely back to its gates.
The Tin Woodman longs to rule the kind Winkies in the West. The Lion wishes to return as King of his grand old forest. Glinda's three Monkey commands will carry each friend home.
"Your Silver Shoes can carry you home," Glinda reveals. Three steps, each in the wink of an eye, anywhere in the world. Dorothy hugs her dear friends goodbye, crying at the parting. She lifts Toto and clicks her heels: "Take me home to Aunt Em!"
Dorothy sits up on the soft grass of the broad Kansas prairie, home at last. "Good gracious!" she gasps, blinking in the wide pale daylight. Uncle Henry milks the cows, and Toto bounds toward the barn. She is home, in her stocking-feet, the Silver Shoes lost forever.
Chapter 24
Aunt Em steps out to water the cabbages. She looks up, and her breath catches. A small figure is running across the prairie toward her.
"My darling child!" Aunt Em cries. She folds Dorothy in her arms and covers her face with kisses. "Where in the world did you come from?"
"From the Land of Oz," Dorothy says gravely. "And here is Toto, too!" "Oh, Aunt Em! I'm so glad to be home again!"
