The Wizard of Oz (Puffin Classics) - L. Frank Baum [25]
‘Are you really going to look upon the face of Oz the Terrible?’
‘Of course,’ answered the girl, ‘if he will see me.’
‘Oh, he will see you,’ said the soldier who had taken her message to the Wizard, ‘although he does not like to have people ask to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry and said I should send you back where you came from. Then he asked me what you looked like, and when I mentioned your silver shoes he was very much interested. At last I told him about the mark upon your forehead, and he decided he would admit you to his presence.’
Just then a bell rang, and the green girl said to Dorothy, ‘That is the signal. You must go into the Throne Room alone.’
She opened a little door and 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 centre 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 centre 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 helpless 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