Chapter: Chapter I. The Cyclone.


[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle
Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife.
Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried
by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof,
which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cooking
stove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs,
and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner,
and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at
all, and no cellar--except a small hole, dug in the ground, called a
cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great
whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It
was reached by a trap-door in the middle of the floor, from which a
ladder led down into the small, dark hole.

When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see
nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a
house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached the edge of
the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a
gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was
not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until
they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had
been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it
away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else.

[Illustration: "_She caught Toto by the ear._"]

When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The
sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from
her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her
cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt,
and never smiled, now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came
to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that
she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's
merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl
with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at.

Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and
did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to
his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke.

It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as
gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little
black dog, with long, silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled
merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day
long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly.

[Illustration]

To-day, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the
door-step and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than
usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at
the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes.

From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle
Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves
before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the
air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw
ripples in the grass coming from that direction also.

Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up.

"There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called to his wife; "I'll go look
after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and
horses were kept.

Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of
the danger close at hand.

"Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed; "run for the cellar!"

Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the
girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the
trap-door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small,
dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last, and started to follow her
aunt. When she was half way across the room there came a great shriek
from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing
and sat down suddenly upon the floor.

A strange thing then happened.

The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through
the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon.

The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the
exact center of the cyclone. In the middle of a cyclone the air is
generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of
the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very
top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and
miles away as easily as you could carry a feather.

It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but
Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few whirls
around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as
if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle.

Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there,
barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited
to see what would happen.

Once Toto got too near the open trap-door, and fell in; and at first
the little girl thought she had lost him. But soon she saw one of his
ears sticking up through the hole, for the strong pressure of the air
was keeping him up so that he could not fall. She crept to the hole,
caught Toto by the ear, and dragged him into the room again; afterward
closing the trap-door so that no more accidents could happen.

Hour after hour passed away, and slowly Dorothy got over her fright;
but she felt quite lonely, and the wind shrieked so loudly all about
her that she nearly became deaf. At first she had wondered if she
would be dashed to pieces when the house fell again; but as the hours
passed and nothing terrible happened, she stopped worrying and
resolved to wait calmly and see what the future would bring. At last
she crawled over the swaying floor to her bed, and lay down upon it;
and Toto followed and lay down beside her.

In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing of the wind,
Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

[Illustration]





Chapter II. The Council with The Munchkins.


[Illustration]

[Illustration]


She was awakened by a shock, so sudden and severe that if Dorothy
had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt. As it
was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened;
and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally.
Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving; nor was it
dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the window, flooding the
little room. She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran
and opened the door.

The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her
eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw.

The cyclone had set the house down, very gently--for a cyclone--in
the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches
of green sward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and
luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and
birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees
and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling
along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to
a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.

While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights,
she noticed coming toward her a group of the queerest people she had
ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been
used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about
as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although
they were, so far as looks go, many years older.

[Illustration: "_I am the Witch of the North._"]

Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly dressed. They wore
round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with
little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The
hats of the men were blue; the little woman's hat was white, and she
wore a white gown that hung in plaits from her shoulders; over it were
sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men
were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well
polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy
thought, were about as old as Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards.
But the little woman was doubtless much older: her face was covered
with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly.

When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing in
the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if afraid
to come farther. But the little old woman walked up to Dorothy, made
a low bow and said, in a sweet voice,

"You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins.
We are so grateful to you for having killed the wicked Witch of the
East, and for setting our people free from bondage."

[Illustration]

Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the little
woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying she
had killed the wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent,
harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles
from home; and she had never killed anything in all her life.

But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so Dorothy
said, with hesitation,

"You are very kind; but there must be some mistake. I have not killed
anything."

"Your house did, anyway," replied the little old woman, with a laugh;
"and that is the same thing. See!" she continued, pointing to the
corner of the house; "there are her two toes, still sticking out from
under a block of wood."

Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just
under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were
sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes.

"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together in
dismay; "the house must have fallen on her. What ever shall we do?"

"There is nothing to be done," said the little woman, calmly.

[Illustration]

"But who was she?" asked Dorothy.

"She was the wicked Witch of the East, as I said," answered the
little woman. "She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many
years, making them slave for her night and day. Now they are all set
free, and are grateful to you for the favour."

"Who are the Munchkins?" enquired Dorothy.

"They are the people who live in this land of the East, where the
wicked Witch ruled."

"Are you a Munchkin?" asked Dorothy.

"No; but I am their friend, although I live in the land of the North.
When they saw the Witch of the East was dead the Munchkins sent a swift
messenger to me, and I came at once. I am the Witch of the North."

"Oh, gracious!" cried Dorothy; "are you a real witch?"

"Yes, indeed;" answered the little woman. "But I am a good witch, and
the people love me. I am not as powerful as the wicked Witch was who
ruled here, or I should have set the people free myself."

"But I thought all witches were wicked," said the girl, who was half
frightened at facing a real witch.

"Oh, no; that is a 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.

[Illustration]

"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."

[Illustration]

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?" enquired the girl, anxiously.

"He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I
have never seen him."

"How can I get there?" asked Dorothy.

"You must walk. It is a long journey, through a country that is
sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will
use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm."

"Won't you go with me?" pleaded the girl, who had begun to look upon
the little old woman as her only friend.

"No, I cannot do that," she replied; "but I will give you my kiss,
and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch
of the North."

She came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead.
Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as
Dorothy found out soon after.

"The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick," said the
Witch; "so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of
him, but tell your story and ask him to help you. Good-bye, my dear."

[Illustration]

The three Munchkins bowed low to her and wished her a pleasant
journey, after which they walked away through the trees. The Witch
gave Dorothy a friendly little nod, whirled around on her left heel
three times, and straightway disappeared, much to the surprise of
little Toto, who barked after her loudly enough when she had gone,
because he had been afraid even to growl while she stood by.

But Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear
in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.





Chapter III How Dorothy saved the Scarecrow.

[Illustration]

When Dorothy was left alone she began to feel hungry. So she went
to the cupboard and cut herself some bread, which she spread with
butter. She gave some to Toto, and taking a pail from the shelf
she carried it down to the little brook and filled it with clear,
sparkling water. Toto ran over to the trees and began to bark at the
birds sitting there. Dorothy went to get him, and saw such delicious
fruit hanging from the branches that she gathered some of it, finding
it just what she wanted to help out her breakfast.

Then she went back to the house, and having helped herself and Toto
to a good drink of the cool, clear water, she set about making ready
for the journey to the City of Emeralds.

Dorothy had only one other dress, but that happened to be clean and
was hanging on a peg beside her bed. It was gingham, with checks
of white and blue; and although the blue was somewhat faded with
many washings, it was still a pretty frock. The girl washed herself
carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied her pink
sunbonnet on her head. She took a little basket and filled it with
bread from the cupboard, laying a white cloth over the top. Then she
looked down at her feet and noticed how old and worn her shoes were.

"They surely will never do for a long journey, Toto," she said. And
Toto looked up into her face with his little black eyes and wagged
his tail to show he knew what she meant.

At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that
had belonged to the Witch of the East.

"I wonder if they will fit me," she said to Toto. "They would be just
the thing to take a long walk in, for they could not wear out."

She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones,
which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her.

Finally she picked up her basket.

"Come along, Toto," she said, "we will go to the Emerald City and ask
the great Oz how to get back to Kansas again."

She closed the door, locked it, and put the key carefully in the
pocket of her dress. And so, with Toto trotting along soberly behind
her, she started on her journey.

There were several roads near by, but it did not take her long to
find the one paved with yellow brick. Within a short time she was
walking briskly toward the Emerald City, her silver shoes tinkling
merrily on the hard, yellow roadbed. The sun shone bright and the
birds sang sweet and Dorothy did not feel nearly as bad as you might
think a little girl would who had been suddenly whisked away from her
own country and set down in the midst of a strange land.

[Illustration]

She was surprised, as she walked along, to see how pretty the country
was about her. There were neat fences at the sides of the road,
painted a dainty blue color, and beyond them were fields of grain and
vegetables in abundance. Evidently the Munchkins were good farmers
and able to raise large crops. Once in a while she would pass a
house, and the people came out to look at her and bow low as she
went by; for everyone knew she had been the means of destroying the
wicked witch and setting them free from bondage. The houses of the
Munchkins were odd looking dwellings, for each was round, with a big
dome for a roof. All were painted blue, for in this country of the
East blue was the favorite color.

Towards evening, when Dorothy was tired with her long walk and began
to wonder where she should pass the night, she came to a house rather
larger than the rest. On the green lawn before it many men and women
were dancing. Five little fiddlers played as loudly as possible and
the people were laughing and singing, while a big table near by was
loaded with delicious fruits and nuts, pies and cakes, and many other
good things to eat.

The people greeted Dorothy kindly, and invited her to supper and to
pass the night with them; for this was the home of one of the richest
Munchkins in the land, and his friends were gathered with him to
celebrate their freedom from the bondage of the wicked witch.

Dorothy ate a hearty supper and was waited upon by the rich Munchkin
himself, whose name was Boq. Then she sat down upon a settee and
watched the people dance.

When Boq saw her silver shoes he said,

"You must be a great sorceress."

"Why?" asked the girl.

"Because you wear silver shoes and have killed the wicked witch.
Besides, you have white in your frock, and only witches and
sorceresses wear white."

[Illustration: "_You must be a great sorceress._"]

"My dress is blue and white checked," said Dorothy, smoothing out the
wrinkles in it.

"It is kind of you to wear that," said Boq. "Blue is the color of
the Munchkins, and white is the witch color; so we know you are a
friendly witch."

Dorothy did not know what to say to this, for all the people seemed
to think her a witch, and she knew very well she was only an ordinary
little girl who had come by the chance of a cyclone into a strange land.

When she had tired watching the dancing, Boq led her into the house,
where he gave her a room with a pretty bed in it. The sheets were
made of blue cloth, and Dorothy slept soundly in them till morning,
with Toto curled up on the blue rug beside her.

She ate a hearty breakfast, and watched a wee Munchkin baby, who
played with Toto and pulled his tail and crowed and laughed in a way
that greatly amused Dorothy. Toto was a fine curiosity to all the
people, for they had never seen a dog before.

"How far is it to the Emerald City?" the girl asked.

[Illustration]

"I do not know," answered Boq, gravely, "for I have never been there.
It is better for people to keep away from Oz, unless they have
business with him. But it is a long way to the Emerald City, and it
will take you many days. The country here is rich and pleasant, but
you must pass through rough and dangerous places before you reach the
end of your journey."

This worried Dorothy a little, but she knew that only the great Oz
could help her get to Kansas again, so she bravely resolved not to
turn back.

She bade her friends good-bye, and again started along the road of
yellow brick. When she had gone several miles she thought she would
stop to rest, and so climbed to the top of the fence beside the road
and sat down. There was a great cornfield beyond the fence, and not
far away she saw a Scarecrow, placed high on a pole to keep the birds
from the ripe corn.

Dorothy leaned her chin upon her hand and gazed thoughtfully at the
Scarecrow. Its head was a small sack stuffed with straw, with eyes,
nose and mouth painted on it to represent a face. An old, pointed
blue hat, that had belonged to some Munchkin, was perched on this
head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes, worn and
faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet were some
old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this country, and
the figure was raised above the stalks of corn by means of the pole
stuck up its back.

[Illustration: "_Dorothy gazed thoughtfully at the Scarecrow._"]

While Dorothy was looking earnestly into the queer, painted face of
the Scarecrow, she was surprised to see one of the eyes slowly wink
at her. She thought she must have been mistaken, at first, for none of
the scarecrows in Kansas ever wink; but presently the figure nodded its
head to her in a friendly way. Then she climbed down from the fence and
walked up to it, while Toto ran around the pole and barked.

"Good day," said the Scarecrow, in a rather husky voice.

"Did you speak?" asked the girl, in wonder.

"Certainly," answered the Scarecrow; "how do you do?"

"I'm pretty well, thank you," replied Dorothy, politely; "how do you
do?"

"I'm not feeling well," said the Scarecrow, with a smile, "for it is
very tedious being perched up here night and day to scare away crows."

"Can't you get down?" asked Dorothy.

"No, for this pole is stuck up my back. If you will please take away
the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you."

Dorothy reached up both arms and lifted the figure off the pole; for,
being stuffed with straw, it was quite light.

"Thank you very much," said the Scarecrow, when he had been set down
on the ground. "I feel like a new man."

Dorothy was puzzled at this, for it sounded queer to hear a stuffed
man speak, and to see him bow and walk along beside her.

"Who are you?" asked the Scarecrow, when he had stretched himself and
yawned, "and where are you going?"

"My name is Dorothy," said the girl, "and I am going to the Emerald
City, to ask the great Oz to send me back to Kansas."

"Where is the Emerald City?" he enquired; "and who is Oz?"

"Why, don't you know?" she returned, in surprise.

"No, indeed; I don't know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have
no brains at all," he answered, sadly.

[Illustration]

"Oh," said Dorothy; "I'm awfully sorry for you."

"Do you think," he asked, "If I go to the Emerald City with you, that
the great Oz would give me some brains?"

"I cannot tell," she returned; "but you may come with me, if you
like. If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off
than you are now."

"That is true," said the Scarecrow. "You see," he continued,
confidentially, "I don't mind my legs and arms and body being stuffed,
because I cannot get hurt. If anyone treads on my toes or sticks a
pin into me, it doesn't matter, for I cant feel it. But I do not want
people to call me a fool, and if my head stays stuffed with straw
instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever to know anything?"

"I understand how you feel," said the little girl, who was truly
sorry for him. "If you will come with me I'll ask Oz to do all he can
for you."

"Thank you," he answered, gratefully.

They walked back to the road, Dorothy helped him over the fence, and
they started along the path of yellow brick for the Emerald City.

Toto did not like this addition to the party, at first. He smelled
around the stuffed man as if he suspected there might be a nest of
rats in the straw, and he often growled in an unfriendly way at the
Scarecrow.

"Don't mind Toto," said Dorothy, to her new friend; "he never bites."

"Oh, I'm not afraid," replied the Scarecrow, "he can't hurt the
straw. Do let me carry that basket for you. I shall not mind it,
for I can't get tired. I'll tell you a secret," he continued, as he
walked along; "there is only one thing in the world I am afraid of."

"What is that?" asked Dorothy; "the Munchkin farmer who made you?"

"No," answered the Scarecrow; "it's a lighted match."





Chapter IV. The Road through the Forest.


[Illustration]

After a few hours the road began to be rough, and the walking grew so
difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow brick,
which were here very uneven. Sometimes, indeed, they were broken or
missing altogether, leaving holes that Toto jumped across and Dorothy
walked around. As for the Scarecrow, having no brains he walked
straight ahead, and so stepped into the holes and fell at full length
on the hard bricks. It never hurt him, however, and Dorothy would
pick him up and set him upon his feet again, while he joined her in
laughing merrily at his own mishap.

[Illustration]

The farms were not nearly so well cared for here as they were farther
back. There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees, and the farther
they went the more dismal and lonesome the country became.

At noon they sat down by the roadside, near a little brook, and
Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread. She offered a piece
to the Scarecrow, but he refused.

"I am never hungry," he said; "and it is a lucky thing I am not. For
my mouth is only painted, and if I should cut a hole in it so I could
eat, the straw I am stuffed with would come out, and that would spoil
the shape of my head."

Dorothy saw at once that this was true, so she only nodded and went
on eating her bread.

"Tell me something about yourself, and the country you came from,"
said the Scarecrow, when she had finished her dinner. So she told
him all about Kansas, and how gray everything was there, and how
the cyclone had carried her to this queer land of Oz. The Scarecrow
listened carefully, and said,

"I cannot understand why you should wish to leave this beautiful
country and go back to the dry, gray place you call Kansas."

[Illustration: "_'I was only made yesterday,' said the Scarecrow._"]

"That is because you have no brains," answered the girl. "No matter
how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood
would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so
beautiful. There is no place like home."

The Scarecrow sighed.

"Of course I cannot understand it," he said. "If your heads were
stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the
beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is
fortunate for Kansas that you have brains."

"Won't you tell me a story, while we are resting?" asked the child.

The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully, and answered,

"My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever. I was
only made day before yesterday. What happened in the world before
that time is all unknown to me. Luckily, when the farmer made my
head, one of the first things he did was to paint my ears, so that I
heard what was going on. There was another Munchkin with him, and the
first thing I heard was the farmer saying,

"'How do you like those ears?'

"'They aren't straight,' answered the other.

"'Never mind,' said the farmer; 'they are ears just the same,' which
was true enough.

"'Now I'll make the eyes,' said the farmer. So he painted my right
eye, and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking at him and
at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity, for this was
my first glimpse of the world.

"'That's a rather pretty eye,' remarked the Munchkin who was watching
the farmer; 'blue paint is just the color for eyes.'

"'I think I'll make the other a little bigger,' said the farmer; and
when the second eye was done I could see much better than before.
Then he made my nose and my mouth; but I did not speak, because
at that time I didn't know what a mouth was for. I had the fun of
watching them make my body and my arms and legs; and when they
fastened on my head, at last, I felt very proud, for I thought I was
just as good a man as anyone.

"'This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,' said the farmer; 'he
looks just like a man.'

"'Why, he is a man,' said the other, and I quite agreed with him. The
farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield, and set me up on a
tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon after walked
away and left me alone.

"I did not like to be deserted this way; so I tried to walk after
them, but my feet would not touch the ground, and I was forced to
stay on that pole. It was a lonely life to lead, for I had nothing to
think of, having been made such a little while before. Many crows and
other birds flew into the cornfield, but as soon as they saw me they
flew away again, thinking I was a Munchkin; and this pleased me and
made me feel that I was quite an important person. By and by an old
crow flew near me, and after looking at me carefully he perched upon
my shoulder and said,

[Illustration]

"'I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsy manner.
Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed with straw.'
Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn he wanted. The
other birds, seeing he was not harmed by me, came to eat the corn
too, so in a short time there was a great flock of them about me."

"I felt sad at this, for it showed I was not such a good Scarecrow
after all; but the old crow comforted me, saying: 'If you only had
brains in your head you would be as good a man as any of them, and a
better man than some of them. Brains are the only things worth having
in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.'

"After the crows had gone I thought this over, and decided I would
try hard to get some brains. By good luck, you came along and pulled
me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure the great Oz will
give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City."

"I hope so," said Dorothy, earnestly, "since you seem anxious to have
them."

"Oh yes; I am anxious," returned the Scarecrow. "It is such an
uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool."

[Illustration]

"Well," said the girl, "let us go." And she handed the basket to the
Scarecrow.

There were no fences at all by the road side now, and the land was
rough and untilled. Towards evening they came to a great forest,
where the trees grew so big and close together that their branches
met over the road of yellow brick. It was almost dark under the
trees, for the branches shut out the daylight; but the travellers did
not stop, and went on into the forest.

"If this road goes in, it must come out," said the Scarecrow, "and as
the Emerald City is at the other end of the road, we must go wherever
it leads us."

"Anyone would know that," said Dorothy.

"Certainly; that is why I know it," returned the Scarecrow. "If it
required brains to figure it out, I never should have said it."

After an hour or so the light faded away, and they found themselves
stumbling along in the darkness. Dorothy could not see at all,
but Toto could, for some dogs see very well in the dark; and the
Scarecrow declared he could see as well as by day. So she took hold
of his arm, and managed to get along fairly well.

"If you see any house, or any place where we can pass the night," she
said, "you must tell me; for it is very uncomfortable walking in the
dark."

Soon after the Scarecrow stopped.

"I see a little cottage at the right of us," he said, "built of logs
and branches. Shall we go there?"

"Yes, indeed;" answered the child. "I am all tired out."

So the Scarecrow led her through the trees until they reached the
cottage, and Dorothy entered and found a bed of dried leaves in one
corner. She lay down at once, and with Toto beside her soon fell
into a sound sleep. The Scarecrow, who was never tired, stood up in
another corner and waited patiently until morning came.

[Illustration]

 Dorothy lived on the great and desolate Kansas prairie with her Uncle Henry and her Aunt Em. They had a very small house and Dorothy had a little bed in the corner of the single room. There was a small hole in the floor that served as a cyclone cellar. Everywhere Dorothy looked was flat and gray. The sun and wind were harsh and turned the once pretty and young Aunt Em into a hardened old woman. Uncle Henry never smiled either, and when Dorothy laughed Aunt Em looked surprised. What made Dorothy laugh was her little dog Toto; she was amused by him and they played all day long. There was no room for laughter this day, however. Uncle Henry cried out that there was a cyclone coming and ran to take care of the cows and horses. Aunt Em rushed into the cellar and screamed for Dorothy to follow, but the girl tried to get Toto out from under her bed. Suddenly the house whirled around in the air and rose higher and higher until it was at the top of the cyclone. It was carried miles away and rocked Dorothy and Toto gently, although the darkness and wind were horrible to behold. Once Toto even fell out of the trap door, but the pressure kept him aloft and Dorothy was able to grab him back inside and shut the trapdoor. As the hours went by, she decided to wait to see what happened and not worry; she soon fell asleep. When Dorothy awoke she saw bright sunshine flooding the room. She was even more shocked by the beautiful land the house had settled in: there were stunning flowers, tall trees, a bubbling brook, and strange and colorful birds. She observed three small men wearing bright blue clothing and a woman in white coming towards her. The men were no bigger than Dorothy despite being many years older. The woman - The Witch of the North - was also very old but spoke sweetly to Dorothy, welcoming her to the land of the Munchkins and expressing her gratitude for Dorothy's killing of the Wicked Witch of the East and setting her people free from slavery. Dorothy was confused and said she did not recall killing anyone. The Witch of the North said it was her house that had landed on the Witch. From underneath the house a pair of legs and feet clad in silver shoes stuck out. The Witch of the North said that the little men, the Munchkins, were previously held in slavery. Although she was a witch herself, she was not powerful enough to stop the Witch of the East. Dorothy replied that she thought all witches were bad, but the Witch of the North explained that the Witches of the North and South were good and the Witches of the East and West were evil. The Witch of the North also mentioned wizards, and whispered "Oz himself is the Great Wizard." Before they could continue speaking, their attention was drawn to the disappearance of the Wicked Witch's feet. The sun dried up her body until only the silver shoes were left. The Witch of the North gave Dorothy the shoes, stating they belonged to her now. Dorothy inquired of her new friends how she could get back to Kansas. The Witch and Munchkins said it would be impossible to get there since the land was bordered by desert. Dorothy's tears startled and saddened the Witch, so she told her that the Wizard of Oz might know what to do. The Witch kissed Dorothy's forehead and said she would be safe from harm on her imminent journey. She told her that the road was paved in yellow brick and that she and Toto should follow it straight to Oz. When Dorothy and Toto were left alone, she changed into a white and blue gingham dress and the silver slippers, and had a lunch of bread and fruit. They began their walk, and Dorothy noted the abundant fields and the lovely blue houses of the Munchkins. She passed by a gathering of many Munchkins and had a meal with them, being personally served by the richest Munchkin himself, Boq. She was a little worried when he told her that he did not know how far away the Emerald City was because most people knew to keep away from Oz unless they had business there. As Dorothy continued her journey she came upon a Scarecrow in a field. She was surprised to see one of his eyes wink at her in a friendly way, and she helped him down from the pole that held him aloft in the field. They introduced themselves, and he asked if he could go to the Emerald City to ask Oz for brains, since "I do not want people to call me a fool, and if my head stays stuffed with straw instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever to know anything?" Dorothy agreed and the two set out on the yellow brick road. The road became rougher but it did not hurt The Scarecrow, even when he fell. The country became more "dismal and lonesome." The travelers sat down for a meal and he asked her to tell him about herself. She spoke of Kansas and he marveled why she would want to go back to such a dreary place. She asked him to tell her a story, and he said he was only made yesterday and did not know many. Instead the Scarecrow spoke of how the farmer created him, painting his ears, then eyes, then his nose and mouth. The farmer and his friend left the Scarecrow alone in the field. Some birds were afraid of him but an old crow landed on him and was not fooled. The crow told him how important brains were and the Scarecrow resolved to try and find some. Dorothy and the Scarecrow continued along their way until they came to a great forest. The road went into it and they knew it must come out, but they decided to stay in a cottage so as to not walk in the dark. Dorothy fell asleep on a little pile of leaves on the floor and the Scarecrow stood by, as he did not need to sleep.

