Latest / Adventure Books Collection / 11 - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - L Frank Baum

Transcript

11 - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - L Frank Baum · Adventure Books Collection

0:00
Chapter eleven, The Wonderful City of Oz by the Green Spectacles. Dorothy and
0:05
her friends were at first dazzled by the brilliancy of the wonderful city. The
0:10
streets were lined with beautiful houses, all built of green marble, and studded
0:14
everywhere with sparkling emeralds. They walked over a pavement of the same green marble,
0:20
and where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds, set closely
0:25
and glittering in the brightness of the sun. The window panes were of green
0:29
glass. Even the sky above the city had a green tent, and the
0:33
rays of the sun were green. There were many people, men, women,
0:37
and children walking about, and these were all dressed in green clothes and
0:41
had greenish skins. They looked at Dorothy in her strangely assorted company with wondering
0:46
eyes, and the children all ran away and hid behind their mothers when they
0:50
saw the lion, but no one spoke to them. Many shops stood in
0:54
the street, and Dorothy saw that everything in them was green. Green candy
0:59
and green pipe opcorn were offered for sale, as well as green shoes,
1:03
green hats, and green clothes of all sorts. At one place, a
1:07
man was selling green lemonade, and when the children bought it, Dorothy could
1:11
see that they paid for it with green pennies. There seemed to be no
1:15
horses nor animals of any kind. The men carried things around in little green
1:19
carts, which they pushed before them. Everyone seemed happy and contented and prosperous.
1:26
The guardian of the gates led them through the streets until they came to
1:29
a big building exactly in the middle of the city, which was the palace
1:33
of Oz, the great Wizard. There was a soldier before the door,
1:36
dressed in a green uniform and wearing a long green beard. Here are strangers,
1:42
said the guardian of the gate to him, and they demand to see
1:45
the Great Oz. Step inside, answered the soldier, and I will carry
1:49
your message to him. So they passed through the palace gates and were led
1:53
into a big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with emeralds.
2:00
Made them all wipe their feet upon a green map before entering this room,
2:04
and when they were seated, he said, politely, please make yourself
2:07
comfortable while I go to the door of the throne room and tell Oz you
2:13
are here. They had to wait a long time before the soldier returned.
2:16
When at last he came back, Dorothy asked, have you seen oz Oh?
2:22
No, returned the soldier. I have never seen him, but I
2:24
spoke with him as he sat behind his screen and gave him your message.
2:29
He said, he will grant you an audience if you so desire, but
2:32
each one of you must enter his presence alone, and he will admit but
2:37
one each day. Therefore, as you must remain in the palace for several
2:42
days, I will have you shown two rooms where you may rest in comfort
2:46
after your journey. Thank you, replied the girl. That is very kind
2:51
of oz The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a
2:54
young girl dressed in a pretty green silk gown entered the room. She had
2:59
lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she
3:02
said, follow me, and I will show you your room. So Dorothy
3:07
said goodbye to all her friends except Toto, and taking the dog in her
3:10
arms, followed the green girl through seven passages and up three flights of stairs
3:15
until they came to a room at the front of the palace. It was
3:20
the sweetest little room in the world. With a soft, comfortable bed that
3:23
had sheets of green silk and a green velvet counterpane. There was a tiny
3:29
fountain in the middle of the room that shot a spray of green perfume into
3:31
the air to fall back into a beautifully carved green marble basin. Beautiful green
3:38
flowers stood in the windows, and there was a shelf with a row of
3:43
little green books. When Dorothy had time to open these books, she found
3:46
them full of queer green pictures that made her laugh, they were so funny.
3:51
In a wardrobe, there were many green dresses made of silk and satin
3:54
and velvet, and all of them fitted Dorothy. Exactly. Make yourself perfectly
4:00
at home, said the green girl. And if you wish for anything,
4:02
ring the bell, Oz will send for you tomorrow morning. She left Dorothy
4:08
alone and went back to the others. These she also led to rooms,
4:12
and each one of them found themselves lodged in a very pleasant part of the
4:15
palace. Of course, this politeness was wasted on the scarecrow, for when
4:18
he found himself alone in his room, he stood stupidly in one spot just
4:24
within the doorway, to wait till morning. It would not rest him to
4:28
lie down, and he could not close his eyes, so he remained all
4:31
night staring at a little spider which was weaving its web in a corner of
4:34
the room, just as if it were not one of the most wonderful rooms
4:39
in the world. The tin woodman lay down on his bed from force of
4:43
habit, for he remembered when he was made of flesh, but not being
4:46
able to sleep, he passed the night moving his joints up and down to
4:50
make sure they kept in good working order. The lion would have preferred a
4:55
bed of dried leaves in the forest, and did not like being shut up
4:58
in a room, but he had too much sense to let this worry him,
5:01
so he sprang upon the bed and rolled himself up like a cat,
5:04
and purred himself asleep in a minute. The next morning, after breakfast,
5:09
the Green Maiden came to fetch Dorothy, and she dressed her in one of
5:13
the prettiest gowns made of green brocade satin. Dorothy put on a green silk
5:17
apron and tied a green ribbon around Toto's neck, and they started for the
5:21
throne room of the Great Oz. First they came to a great hall in
5:26
which were many ladies and gentlemen of the court, all dressed in rich costumes.
5:30
These people had nothing to do but talk to each other, but they
5:32
always came to wait outside the throne room every morning, although they were never
5:36
permitted to see Oz. As Dorothy entered, they looked at her curiously,
5:42
and one of them whispered, are you really going to look upon the face
5:46
of Oz the Terrible? Of course, answered the girl, if you will
5:49
see me. Oh, he will see you, said the soldier who had
5:54
taken her message to the wizard, although he does not like to have people
5:58
asked to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry, and I
6:00
said I should send you back where you came from. Then he asked me
6:03
what you look like, and when I mentioned your silver shoes, he was
6:08
very much interested. At last I told him about the mark upon your forehead,
6:12
and he decided he would admit you to his presence. Just then a
6:15
bell rang, and the Green girl said to Dorothy, that is the signal
6:19
you must go into the throne room alone. She opened a little door,
6:24
and Dorothy walked boldly through and found herself in a wonderful place. It was
6:29
a big, round room with a high arched roof, and the walls and
6:32
ceiling and floor were covered with large emeralds. Set closely together. In the
6:38
center of the roof was a great light, as bright as the sun,
6:41
which made the emerald sparkle in a wonderful manner. But what interested Dorothy most
6:46
was the big throne of green marble that stood in the middle of the room.
6:49
It was shaped like a chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything
6:53
else. In the center of the chair was an enormous head, without a
6:57
body to support it, or any arms or legs whatever. There was no
7:00
hair upon this head, but it had eyes and a nose and mouth,
7:04
and was much bigger than the head of the biggest giant. As Dorothy gazed
7:08
upon this in wonder and fear, the eyes turned slowly and looked at her
7:12
sharply and steadily. Then the mouth moved, and Dorothy heard a voice say,
7:16
I am Oz the great and terrible. Who are you and why do
7:19
you seek me? It was not such an awful voice as she had expected
7:24
to come from the big head, so she took courage and answered, I
7:28
am Dorothy the small and meek. I have come to you for help.
7:32
The eyes looked at her thoughtfully for a full minute, then said the voice,
7:38
where did you get the silver shoes? I got them from the wicked
7:42
witch of the East when my house fell on her and killed her. She
7:45
replied, where did you get the mark upon your forehead? Continued the voice.
7:50
That is where the good Witch of the North kissed me when she bade
7:54
me goodbye and sent me to you, said the girl again. The eyes
7:58
looked at her sharply, and they saw she was telling the truth. Then
8:01
Oz asked, what do you wish me to do? Send me back to
8:05
Kansas, where my aunt Em and Uncle Henry are. She answered earnestly,
8:11
I don't like your country, although it is so beautiful, and I am
8:13
sure Aunt Em will be dreadfully worried over my being away. So long,
8:18
the eyes winked three times, and then they turned up to the ceiling and
8:22
down to the floor, and rolled around so queerly that they seemed to see
8:26
every part of the room. And at last they looked at Dorothy again.
8:31
Why should I do this for you, asked Oz, Because you are strong
8:35
and I am weak. Because you are a great wizard and I am only
8:39
a little girl. But you are strong enough to kill the wicked Witch of
8:43
the East, said Oz, that just happened, returned Dorothy, simply,
8:48
I could not help it, well, said the head, I will give
8:52
you my answer. You have no right to expect me to send you back
8:56
to Kansas unless you do something for me in return. In this country,
9:01
every one must pay for everything he gets. If you wish me to use
9:05
my magic power to send you home again, you must do something for me.
9:07
First. Help me, and I will help you. What must I
9:11
do, asked the girl. Kill the wicked witch of the West, answered
9:16
Oz. But I cannot, exclaimed Dorothy, greatly surprised. You killed the
9:22
witch of the East, and you wear the silver shoes which bear a powerful
9:26
charm. There is now but one wicked witch left in all this land,
9:30
and when you can tell me she is dead, I will send you back
9:33
to Kansas. But not before the little girl began to weep. She was
9:39
so much disappointed, and the eyes winked again and looked upon her anxiously,
9:43
as if the great Oz felt that she could help him if she would.
9:48
I never killed anything willingly, she sobbed, Even if I wanted to,
9:52
How could I kill the wicked witch? If you, who are great and
9:56
terrible. Cannot kill her yourself. How do you expect me to do it?
10:01
I do not know, said the head, but that is my answer.
10:03
And until the wicked witch dies, you will not see your uncle and
10:07
aunt again. Remember that the witch is wicked, tremendously wicked, and ought
10:11
to be killed. Now go and do not ask to see me again until
10:16
you have done your task. Sorrowfully, Dorothy left the throne room and went
10:20
back to where the Lion and the Scarecrow and the tin woodman were waiting to
10:24
hear what Oz had said to her. There is no hope for me,
10:26
she said sadly, for Oz will not send me home until I have killed
10:31
the wicked witch of the West, and that I can never do. Her
10:33
friends were sorry, but could do nothing to help her. So Dorothy went
10:37
to her own room and lay down on the bed and cried herself to sleep.
10:41
The next morning, the soldier with the green whiskers came to the Scarecrow
10:45
and said, come with me, for Oz has sent for you. So
10:50
the scarecrow followed him and was admitted into the Great Throne Room, where he
10:54
saw sitting in the emerald throne a most lovely lady. She was dressed in
10:58
green silk gauze, and war upon her flowing green locks a crown of jewels.
11:03
Growing from her shoulders were wings gorgeous in color, and so light that
11:07
they fluttered if the slightest breath of air reached them. When the scarecrow had
11:11
bowed as prettily as his straw stuffing would let him before this beautiful creature,
11:16
she looked upon him sweetly and said, I am Oz, the great and
11:22
terrible. Who are you? And why do you seek me now? The
11:24
scarecrow, who had expected to see the great head Dorothy had told him of,
11:30
was much astonished, but he answered her bravely. I am only a
11:33
scarecrow stuffed with straw. Therefore I have no brains, and I come to
11:39
you praying that you will put brains in my head instead of straw, so
11:43
that I may become as much a man as any other in your dominions.
11:48
Why should I do this for you, asked the lady. Because you are
11:52
wise and powerful, and no one else can help me, answered the scarecrow.
11:56
I never grant favors without some return, said Oz, But this much
12:00
I will promise if you will kill for me. The wicked witch of the
12:03
West. I will bestow upon you a great many brains, and such good
12:09
brains that you will be the wisest man in all the land of Oz.
12:13
I thought you asked Dorothy to kill the witch, said the scarecrow in surprise.
12:18
So I did. I don't care who kills her, but until she
12:20
is dead, I will not grant your wish. Now go and do not
12:24
seek me again until you have earned the brains you so greatly desire. The
12:28
Scarecrow went sorrowfully back to his friends and told them what Oz had said,
12:33
and Dorothy was surprised to find that the great wizard was not ahead as she
12:37
had seen him, but a lovely lady. All the same, said the
12:41
scarecrow, she needs a heart as much as the tin woodman. On the
12:45
next morning, the soldier with the green whiskers came to the tin Woodman and
12:48
said, Oz has sent for you. Follow me. So the tin Woodman
12:54
followed him and came to the great throne room. He did not know whether
12:56
he would find Oz a lovely lady or a head, but he hoped it
13:01
would be the lovely lady. Four he said to himself, if it is
13:05
the head, I am sure I shall not be given a heart, since
13:07
a head has no heart of its own, and therefore cannot feel for me.
13:11
But if it is the lovely lady, I shall beg hard for a
13:15
heart, for all ladies are themselves said to be kindly hearted. But when
13:20
the Woodman entered the great throne room, he saw neither the head nor the
13:24
lady, for Oz had taken the shape of a most terrible beast. It
13:28
was nearly as big as an elephant, and the green throne seemed hardly strong
13:31
enough to hold its weight. The beast had a head like that of a
13:35
rhinoceros, only there were five eyes in its face. There were five long
13:41
arms growing out of its body, and it also had five long, slim
13:46
legs. Thick, wooly hair covered every part of it, and the more
13:50
dreadful looking monster could not be imagined. It was fortunate the tin Woodman had
13:54
no heart at the moment, for it would have beat loud and fast from
13:58
terror. But being only ten, the woodman was not at all afraid,
14:03
although he was much disappointed. I am Oz, the great and terrible,
14:07
spoke the beast, in a voice that was one great roar. Who are
14:11
you and why do you seek me. I am a woodman and made of
14:16
ten. Therefore I have no heart and cannot love. I pray you to
14:20
give me a heart that I may be as other men are. Why should
14:24
I do this, demanded the beast, because I ask it, and you
14:28
alone can grant my request. Answered the woodman. Oz gave a low growl
14:33
at this, but said gruffly, if you indeed desire a heart, you
14:37
must earn it. How asked the woodman help Dorothy to kill the wicked witch
14:43
of the west, replied the beast, when the witch is dead, come
14:46
to me, and I will then give you the biggest and kindest and most
14:50
loving heart in all the land of Oz. So the tin woodman was forced
14:54
to return sorrowfully to his friends and tell them of the terrible beast he had
14:58
seen. They all wondered greatly at the many forms the great wizard could take
15:03
upon himself, and the lion said, if he is a beast, when
15:07
I go to see him, I shall roar my loudest and so frighten him
15:11
that he will grant all I ask. And if he is the lovely lady,
15:13
I shall pretend to spring upon her and so compel her to do my
15:18
bidding, and if he is the great Head, he will be at my
15:20
mercy, for I will roll his head all about the room until he promises
15:24
to give us what we desire. So be of good cheer, my friends,
15:30
for all will yet be well. The next morning, the soldier with
15:33
the green whiskers led the lion to the Great Throne room and bade him enter
15:37
the presence of Oz. The lion at once passed through the door, and
15:41
glancing around, saw to his surprise that before the throne was a ball of
15:46
fire, so fierce and glowing that he could scarcely bear to gaze upon it.
15:50
His first thought was that Oz had by accident caught on fire and was
15:54
burning up. But when he tried to go nearer, the heat was so
15:58
intense that it singed his whiskers, and he crept back, tremblingly, to
16:02
a spot nearer the door. Then a low, quiet voice came from the
16:06
ball of fire, and these were the words it spoke. I am Oz
16:11
the Great and terrible. Who are you and why do you seek me?
16:15
And the lion answered, I am a cowardly lion, afraid of everything.
16:19
I come to you to beg that you give me courage, so that in
16:22
reality I may become the king of beasts, as men call me. Why
16:27
should I give you courage, demanded Oz, Because of all wizards, you
16:32
are the greatest, and alone have power to grant my request, answered the
16:36
lion. The ball offire burned fiercely for a time, and the voice said,
16:41
bring me proof that the Wicked Witch is dead, and that moment I
16:45
will give you courage. But as long as the witch lives, you must
16:48
remain a coward. The lion was angry at this speech, but could say
16:53
nothing in reply, and while he stood silently gazing at the ball of fire,
16:57
it became so fewly hot that he turned tail and rushed from the room.
17:03
He was glad to find his friends waiting for him, and told them
17:06
of his terrible interview with the wizard. What shall we do now, asked
17:10
Dorothy. Sadly. There is only one thing we can do, returned the
17:14
lion, and that is to go to the land of the Winkies, seek
17:18
out the wicked Witch and destroy her. But suppose we cannot, said the
17:22
girl, then I shall never have courage, declared the lion. And I
17:26
shall never have brains, said the scarecrow, and I shall never have a
17:32
heart, spoke the tin Woodman, and I shall never see aunt Em and
17:37
Uncle Henry, said Dorothy, beginning to cry. Be careful, cried the
17:41
green girl. The tears will fall on your green silk gown and spot it.
17:45
So Dorothy dried her eyes and said, I suppose we must try it,
17:49
but I am sure I do not want to kill anybody, even to
17:52
see aunt Em again. I will go with you, but I'm too much
17:56
of a coward to kill the witch, said the lion. I will go,
17:59
to declared the scarecrow. But I shall not be of much help to
18:03
you. I am such a fool. I haven't the heart to harm even
18:07
a witch, remarked the tin woodman. But if you go, I certainly
18:11
shall go with you. Therefore it was decided to start upon their journey the
18:15
next morning, and the woodman sharpened his axe on a green grindstone and had
18:21
all his joints properly oiled. The scarecrow stuffed himself with fresh straw, and
18:26
Dorothy put new paint on his eyes that he might see better. The green
18:30
girl, who was very kind to them, filled Dorothy's basket with good things
18:34
to eat, and fastened a little bell around Toto's neck with a green ribbon.
18:40
They went to bed quite early and slept soundly until daylight, when they
18:45
were awakened by the crowing of a green cock that lived in the back yard
18:48
of the palace, and the crackling of a hen that had laid a green
18:52
egg. End of Chapter eleven.