Oz 01: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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Dorothy walked boldly through and found herself in a wonderful place . it_was a big, round room with a high arched roof, and_the walls and ceiling and floor were covered with large emeralds set closely together . in_the center of_the roof was a great light, as bright as_the sun, which made the emeralds sparkle in a wonderful manner .

but what interested Dorothy most was_the big throne of green marble that stood in_the middle of_the room . it_was shaped like a chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything else . in_the center of_the chair was an enormous head, without a body to support it or any arms or legs whatever . there_was no hair upon_this head, but it had eyes and a nose and mouth, and was much bigger than_the head of_the biggest giant .

as Dorothy gazed upon_this in wonder and fear, the eyes turned slowly and looked at her sharply and steadily . then the mouth moved, and Dorothy heard a voice say:

" I_am Oz, the great and terrible . who_are you, and why do_you seek me ? "

it_was not such an awful voice as she had expected to_come from_the big head; so she took courage and answered:

" I_am Dorothy, the small and meek . I_have come to_you for help ."

the eyes looked at her thoughtfully for a full minute . then said the voice:

" where did you get the silver shoes ? "

"I got them from_the wicked witch of_the east, when my house fell on her and killed her," she replied .

" where did you get the mark upon your forehead ? " continued the voice .

" that_is where the good witch of_the north kissed me when she bade me good-bye and sent me to_you," said the girl .

again the eyes looked at her sharply, and_they saw she was telling the truth . then Oz asked, " what do_you wish me to_do ? "

" send me back to Kansas, where my aunt Em and uncle Henry are," she answered earnestly ."I don't like your country, although it_is so beautiful . and I_am_sure aunt Em will_be dreadfully worried over my being away so_long ."

the eyes winked three times, and then they turned up_to_the ceiling and down to_the floor and rolled around so queerly that_they seemed to_see every part of_the room . and at last they looked at Dorothy again .

" why should I do_this for_you ? " asked Oz .

" because you_are strong and I_am weak; because you_are a great wizard and I_am only a little girl ."

" but you were strong enough to kill the wicked witch of_the east," said Oz .

" that just happened," returned Dorothy simply; " I_could_not help it ."

" well," said the head, " i_will give_you my answer . you_have no right to expect me to send_you back to Kansas unless you_do something for_me in return . in_this country everyone must pay for everything he gets . if_you_wish me to use my magic power to send_you home again you_must do something for_me first . help me and_I_will help_you ."

" what must I_do ? " asked the girl .

" kill the wicked witch of_the west," answered Oz .

" but I_cannot ! " exclaimed Dorothy, greatly surprised .

" you killed the witch of_the east and you wear the silver shoes, which bear a powerful charm . there_is now but one wicked witch left in all this land, and when_you can tell me she_is dead i_will send_you back to Kansas-- but not before ."

the little girl began to weep, she was so_much disappointed; and_the eyes winked again and looked upon her anxiously, as if_the great Oz felt that she_could help him if she_would .

"I never killed anything, willingly," she sobbed ." even if i_wanted to, how could I kill the wicked witch ? if_you, who_are great and terrible, cannot kill her yourself, how do_you expect me to_do_it ? "

" I_do_not know," said the head; " but that_is my answer, and until the wicked witch dies you_will_not see your uncle and aunt again . remember that_the witch is wicked-- tremendously wicked - and ought_to_be killed . now go, and do_not ask to_see me again until you have_done your task ."

sorrowfully Dorothy left the throne room and went back where the lion and_the Scarecrow and_the tin woodman were waiting to hear what Oz had said to her ." there_is no hope for_me," she said sadly, " for Oz will not send me home until I_have killed the wicked witch of_the west; and_that I_can never do ."

her friends were sorry, but could do nothing to help her; so Dorothy went to her own room and lay down on_the bed and cried herself to sleep .

the next morning the soldier with_the green whiskers came to_the Scarecrow and said:

" come with me, for Oz has sent for_you ."

so the Scarecrow followed him and was admitted into_the great throne room, where he_saw, sitting in_the emerald throne, a most lovely lady . she was dressed in green silk gauze and wore upon her flowing green locks a crown of jewels .Growing from her shoulders were wings, gorgeous in color and so light that_they fluttered if_the slightest breath of air reached them .

when_the Scarecrow had bowed, as prettily as his straw stuffing would let him, before this beautiful creature, she looked upon him sweetly, and said:

" I_am Oz, the great and terrible . who_are you, and why do_you seek me ? "

now the Scarecrow, who had expected to_see the great head Dorothy had told him of, was much astonished; but he answered her bravely .

" I_am only aScarecrow, stuffed with straw . therefore I_have no brains, and I come to_you praying that you_will put brains in my head instead of straw, so_that I_may become as_much a man as any_other in your dominions ."

" why should I do_this for_you ? " asked the lady .

" because you_are wise and powerful, and no one else can help me," answered the Scarecrow .

"I never grant favors without some return," said Oz; " but this much i_will promise . if_you_will kill for_me the wicked witch of_the west, i_will bestow upon you a great_many brains, and such good brains that you_will_be the wisest man in all the land of Oz ."

" i_thought you asked Dorothy to kill the witch," said the Scarecrow, in surprise .

" so I_did .I don't care who kills her . but until she_is dead i_will_not grant your wish . now go, and do_not seek me again until you_have earned the brains you so greatly desire ."

the Scarecrow went sorrowfully back to_his friends and told them what Oz had said; and Dorothy was surprised to_find that_the great wizard was not a head, as she had seen him, but a lovely lady .

" all the same," said the Scarecrow, " she needs a heart as_much as_the tin woodman ."

on_the next morning the soldier with_the green whiskers came to_the tin woodman and said:

"Oz has sent for_you . follow me ."

so the tin woodman followed him and came to_the great throne room . he_did_not know whether he_would find Oz a lovely lady or a head, but he hoped it would_be the lovely lady ." for," he_said to himself, " if it_is_the head, I_am_sure I_shall_not_be given a heart, since a head has no heart of_its own and therefore cannot feel for_me . but if it_is_the lovely lady I_shall beg hard for a heart, for all ladies are themselves said to_be kindly hearted ."

but when_the woodman entered the great throne room he_saw neither the head nor the lady, for Oz had taken the shape of a most terrible beast . it_was nearly as big as an elephant, and_the green throne seemed hardly strong enough to hold its weight . the beast had a head like that of a rhinoceros, only there were five eyes in its face . there were five long arms growing out of_its body, and it also had five long, slim legs . thick, woolly hair covered every part of it, and a more dreadful- looking monster could_not_be imagined . it_was fortunate the tin woodman had no heart at_that moment, for_it would_have beat loud and fast from terror . but being only tin, the woodman was not at all afraid, although he_was much disappointed .

" I_am Oz, the great and terrible," spoke the beast, in a voice that was one great roar ." who_are you, and why do_you seek me ? "

" I_am a woodman, and made of tin . therefore I_have no heart, and cannot love .I pray you to_give_me a heart that I_may_be as other men are ."

" why should I do_this ? " demanded the beast .

" because I ask it, and you alone can grant my request," answered the woodman .

Oz gave a low growl at_this, but said, gruffly: " if_you indeed desire a heart, you_must earn it ."

" how ? " asked the woodman .

" help Dorothy to kill the wicked witch of_the west," replied the beast ." when_the witch is dead, come to_me, and_I_will then give_you the biggest and kindest and most loving heart in all the land of Oz ."

so the tin woodman was forced to return sorrowfully to_his friends and tell them of_the terrible beast he had seen . they all wondered greatly at_the many forms the great wizard could take upon himself, and_the lion said:

" if he_is a beast when I go to_see him, I_shall roar my loudest, and so frighten him that he_will grant all I ask . and if he is_the lovely lady, I_shall pretend to spring upon her, and so compel her to_do my bidding . and if he is_the great head, he_will_be at my mercy; for i_will roll this head all about_the room until he promises to_give us what we_desire . so be of good cheer, my friends, for all will yet be well ."

the next morning the soldier with_the green whiskers led the lion to_the great throne room and bade him enter the presence of Oz .

the lion at once passed through_the door, and glancing around saw, to_his surprise, that before_the throne was a ball of fire, so fierce and glowing he_could scarcely bear to gaze upon it . his first thought was_that Oz had by accident caught on fire and was burning up; but when he tried to_go nearer, the heat was so intense that_it singed his whiskers, and he crept back tremblingly to a spot nearer the door .

then a low, quiet voice came from_the ball of fire, and these were the words it spoke:

" I_am Oz, the great and terrible . who_are you, and why do_you seek me ? "

and_the lion answered, " I_am a cowardly lion, afraid of everything . I_came to_you to beg that you give_me courage, so_that in reality I_may become the king of Beasts, as men call me ."

" why should I give_you courage ? " demanded Oz .

" because of all Wizards you_are the greatest, and alone have power to grant my request," answered the lion .

the ball of fire burned fiercely for a time, and_the voice said, " bring me proof that_the wicked witch is dead, and_that moment i_will give_you courage . but as long as_the witch lives, you_must remain a coward ."

the lion was angry at_this speech, but could_say nothing in reply, and while he stood silently gazing at_the ball of fire it became so furiously hot that he turned tail and rushed from_the room . he_was glad to_find his friends waiting for him, and told them of_his terrible interview with_the wizard .

" what shall we_do now ? " asked Dorothy sadly .

" there_is only one_thing we_can do," returned the lion, " and_that is to_go to_the land of_the Winkies, seek out the wicked witch, and destroy her ."

" but suppose we_cannot ? " said the girl .

" then I_shall never have courage," declared the lion .

" and I_shall never have brains," added the Scarecrow .

" and I_shall never have a heart," spoke the tin of woodman .

" and I_shall never see aunt Em and uncle Henry," said Dorothy, beginning to cry .

" be careful ! " cried the green girl ." the tears will fall on_your green silk gown and spot it ."

so Dorothy dried her eyes and said, "I suppose we_must try it; but I_am_sure I_do_not want to kill anybody, even to_see aunt Em again ."

" i_will go with_you; but I'm too_much of a coward to kill the witch," said the lion .

" i_will go too," declared the Scarecrow; " but I_shall_not_be of much help to_you, I_am such a fool ."

"I haven't the heart to harm even a witch," remarked the tin woodman; " but if_you go I certainly shall go with_you ."

therefore it_was decided to start upon their journey the next morning, and_the woodman sharpened his axe on a green grindstone and had all his joints properly oiled . the Scarecrow stuffed himself with fresh straw and Dorothy put new paint on_his eyes that he might see better . the green girl, who was very kind to_them, filled Dorothy's basket with good things to eat, and fastened a little

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