Oz 01: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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going to_the country of_the Quadlings ."

" but you shall_not ! " replied the voice, and there stepped from behind the rock the strangest man the travelers had ever seen .

he_was quite short and stout and had a big head, which_was flat at_the top and supported by a thick neck full of wrinkles . but he had no arms at all, and, seeing this, the Scarecrow did_not fear that so helpless a creature could prevent them from climbing the hill . so he_said, "I'm sorry not to_do as_you wish, but we_must pass over your hill whether you like it or not," and he walked boldly forward .

as quick as lightning the man's head shot forward and_his neck stretched out until the top of_the head, where it_was flat, struck the Scarecrow in_the middle and sent him tumbling, over and over, down the hill . almost as quickly as it came the head went back to_the body, and_the man laughed harshly as he_said, " it isn't as easy as you_think ! "

a chorus of boisterous laughter came from_the other rocks, and Dorothy saw hundreds of_the armless hammer-Heads upon_the hillside, one behind every rock .

the lion became quite angry at_the laughter caused by_the Scarecrow's mishap, and giving a loud roar that echoed like thunder, he dashed up the hill .

again a head shot swiftly out, and_the great lion went rolling down the hill as_if he had_been struck by a cannon ball .

Dorothy ran down and helped the Scarecrow to_his feet, and_the lion came up_to her, feeling rather bruised and sore, and said, " it_is useless to fight people with shooting heads; no one can withstand them ."

" what can we_do, then ? " she asked .

" call the winged Monkeys," suggested the tin woodman ." you_have still the right to command them once more ."

" very_well," she answered, and putting on_the golden Cap she uttered the magic words . the Monkeys were as prompt as ever, and in a few_moments the entire band stood before her .

" what_are your commands ? " inquired the king of_the Monkeys, bowing low .

" carry us over the hill to_the country of_the Quadlings," answered the girl .

" it shall be_done," said the king, and at once the winged Monkeys caught the four travelers and Toto up in their arms and flew away with_them . as_they passed over the hill the hammer-Heads yelled with vexation, and shot their heads high in_the air, but they_could_not reach the winged Monkeys, which carried Dorothy and her comrades safely over the hill and set them down in_the beautiful country of_the Quadlings .

" this_is_the last time you_can summon us," said the leader to Dorothy; " so good-bye and good luck to_you ."

" good-bye, and thank_you very_much," returned the girl; and_the Monkeys rose into_the air and were out of sight in atwinkling .

the country of_the Quadlings seemed rich and happy . there_was field upon field of ripening grain, with well- paved roads running between, and pretty rippling brooks with strong bridges across them . the fences and houses and bridges were all painted bright red, just as_they had_been painted yellow in_the country of_the Winkies and blue in_the country of_the Munchkins . the Quadlings themselves, who were short and fat and looked chubby and good-natured, were dressed all in red, which showed bright against the green grass and_the yellowing grain .

the Monkeys had set them down near a farmhouse, and_the four travelers walked up to_it and knocked at_the door . it_was opened by_the farmer's wife, and when Dorothy asked for something to eat the woman gave them all 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 the child .

" it_is_not a great way," answered the farmer's wife ." take_the road to_the south and you_will soon reach it ."

Thanking the good woman, they started afresh and walked by_the fields and across the pretty bridges until they saw before them a very beautiful castle . before_the gates were three young girls, dressed in handsome red uniforms trimmed with gold braid; and as Dorothy approached, one_of_them said to her:

" why have_you come to_the south country ? "

" to_see the good witch who rules here," she answered ." will_you take me to her ? "

" let me have your_name, and_I_will ask Glinda if she will receive you ." they told who they were, and_the girl soldier went into_the castle . after a few_moments she came back to_say that Dorothy and_the others were to_be admitted at once .

23 .Glinda the good witch Grants Dorothy's wish

before_they went to_see Glinda, however, they were taken to a room of_the castle, where Dorothy washed her face and combed her hair, and_the lion shook the dust out of_his mane, and_the Scarecrow patted himself into his best shape, and_the woodman polished his tin and oiled his joints .

when_they were all quite presentable they followed the soldier girl into a big room where the witch Glinda sat upon a throne of rubies .

she was both beautiful and young to_their eyes . her hair was a rich red in color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders . her dress was pure white but her eyes were blue, and_they looked kindly upon_the little girl .

" what can I_do for_you, my child ? " she asked .

Dorothy told the witch all her story: how the cyclone had brought her to_the land of Oz, how she had found her companions, and of_the wonderful adventures they had met with .

" my greatest wish now," she added, " is to_get back to Kansas, for aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to_me, and that_will make her put on mourning; and unless the crops are better this year than they were last, I_am_sure uncle Henry cannot afford it ."

Glinda leaned forward and kissed the sweet, upturned face of_the loving little girl .

" bless your dear heart," she said, " I_am_sure I_can tell you of a way to_get back to Kansas ." then she added, " but, if I_do, you_must give_me the golden Cap ."

" willingly ! " exclaimed Dorothy; " indeed, it_is of no use to_me now, and when_you have it you_can command the winged Monkeys three times ."

" and i_think I_shall need their service just those three times," answered Glinda, smiling .

Dorothy then gave her the golden Cap, and_the witch said to_the Scarecrow, " what_will you_do when Dorothy has left us ? "

" i_will return to_the emerald city," he replied, " for Oz has_made me its ruler and_the people like me . the_only_thing that worries me is how to cross the hill of_the hammer-Heads ."

" by_means of_the golden Cap I_shall command the winged Monkeys to carry you to_the gates of_the emerald city," said Glinda, " for_it would_be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler ."

"Am I really wonderful ? " asked the Scarecrow .

" you_are unusual," replied Glinda .

Turning to_the tin woodman, she asked, " what_will become of you when Dorothy leaves this country ? "

he leaned on_his axe and thought a moment . then he_said, " the Winkies were very kind to_me, and wanted me to rule over them after_the wicked witch died . I_am fond of_the Winkies, and if I_could get back again to_the country of_the west, i_should like nothing better than to rule over them forever ."

" my second command to_the winged Monkeys," said Glinda " will_be that_they carry you safely to_the land of_the Winkies . your brain may not be so large to look at as_those of_the Scarecrow, but you_are really brighter than he_is-- when_you_are well polished-- and I_am_sure you_will rule the Winkies wisely and well ."

then the witch looked at_the big, shaggy lion and asked, " when Dorothy has returned to her own home, what_will become of you ? "

" over the hill of_the hammer-Heads," he answered, "lies a grand old forest, and all the beasts that live there_have made me their king . if I_could only get back to_this forest, i_would pass my life very happily there ."

" my third command to_the winged Monkeys," said Glinda, " shall be to carry you to your forest . then, having used up the powers of_the golden Cap, I_shall give it to_the king of_the Monkeys, that he and_his band may thereafter be free for evermore ."

the Scarecrow and_the tin woodman and_the lion now thanked the good witch earnestly for her kindness; and Dorothy exclaimed:

" you_are certainly as good as_you_are beautiful ! but you have_not_yet told me how to_get back to Kansas ."

" your silver shoes will carry you over the desert," replied Glinda ." if_you had known their power you_could_have gone back to your aunt Em the very first day you came to_this country ."

" but then I should_not have_had my wonderful brains ! " cried the Scarecrow ." I_might_have passed my whole life in_the farmer's cornfield ."

" and I should_not have_had my lovely heart," said the tin woodman ." I_might_have stood and rusted in_the forest till the end of_the world ."

" and i_should_have lived a coward forever," declared the lion, " and no beast in all the forest would_have had a good word to_say to_me ."

" this_is all true," said Dorothy, " and I_am_glad i_was of use to_these good friends . but now that each of_them has had what he most desired, and each is happy in having a kingdom to rule besides, i_think i_should like to_go back to Kansas ."

" the silver shoes," said the good witch, " have wonderful powers . and one_of_the_most curious things about_them is that_they can carry you to any place in_the_world in three steps, and each step will_be made in_the wink of an eye . all you_have to_do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to_go ."

" if that_is so," said the child joyfully, " i_will ask them to carry me back to Kansas at once ."

she threw her arms around the lion's neck and kissed him, patting his big head tenderly . then she kissed the tin woodman, who was weeping in a way most dangerous to_his joints . but she hugged the soft, stuffed body of_the Scarecrow in her arms instead of kissing his painted face, and found she was crying herself at_this sorrowful parting from her loving comrades .

Glinda the good stepped down from her ruby throne to_give the little girl a good-bye kiss, and Dorothy thanked her for all the kindness she had shown to her friends and herself .

Dorothy now took Toto up solemnly in her arms, and having said one last good-bye she clapped the heels of her shoes together three times, saying:

" take me home to aunt Em ! "

instantly she was whirling through_the air, so swiftly that all she_could see or feel was_the wind whistling past her ears .

the silver shoes took but three steps, and then she stopped so suddenly that she rolled over upon_the grass several_times before she knew where she was .

at_length, however, she sat up and looked about her .

" good gracious ! " she cried .

for she was sitting on_the broad Kansas prairie, and just before her was_the new farmhouse uncle Henry built after_the cyclone had carried away the old one . uncle Henry was milking the cows in_the barnyard, and Toto had jumped out of her arms and was running toward the barn, barking furiously .

Dorothy stood up and found she was in her stocking- feet . for_the silver shoes had fallen off in her flight through_the air, and were lost forever in_the desert .

24 . home again

aunt Em had just come out_of_the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her .

" my darling child ! " she cried, folding the little girl in her arms and covering her face with kisses ." where in_the_world did you come from ? "

" from_the land of Oz," said Dorothy gravely ." and here_is Toto, too . and oh, aunt Em ! I'm so glad to_be at home again ! "

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