Chapter Seventeen

OZMA HELPS DOROTHY

Ozma was young and beautiful. She had a white dress on. It was made of silk. She looked at Dorothy with her beautiful blue eyes and said:

"What can I do for you, child?" 1

Dorothy told the Good Witch her story.

"Now," she said, "I want to go back to Kansas prairie to Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. My aunt is waiting for me and I love her very much! She thinks that some terrible thing has happened to me, and she is unhappy."

"I hope," said Ozma, "that I can help you, dear child. I can tell you how to get back to Kansas." "You are good 2 and beautiful," cried Dorothy. "I shall be happy to go home. Please, please, tell me how to get back to Kansas."

"Your silver shoes will carry you there. I see that you don't know their magic," said Ozma.

"Oh, they are magic shoes!" said Dorothy. "Now I understand why the Wicked Witch of the West wanted so much to take them from me. She knew their magic," cried Dorothy. "But what must I do?"

"You must turn round on your left foot three times and say: 'I want to get back to Kansas!' That's all," said the Fairy.

"Oh," cried Dorothy, "how easy it is! I want very, very much to go home. But now I am glad that I didn't go home before. I have found good friends. I have seen many new and beautiful countries. But you know, East or West home is best. 3 But I want to know what my dear friends, the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman want to do."

"Let us ask them," said Ozma. "Tell us, Scarecrow, what are you going to do?"

"I shall go back to the Emerald City," said the Scarecrow. "Oz made me ruler of the Emerald City and the people like me."

Then Ozma asked the Tin Woodman and the Lion what they wanted to do.

"We don't want to leave our friend, the Scarecrow," they answered. "We want to go back to the Emerald City with him.

"I am glad that you all like the Emerald City," said Ozma. "It will be the capital of the Land of Oz from now on."

"But shall I be the ruler of the Emerald City?" asked the Scarecrow.

"Yes, certainly," said Ozma, "and you and your friends will live in the Emerald Palace."

"Dear Ozma," said Dorothy. "I know now that my friends will be happy here. May I go back to Kansas now?"

"Yes, my dear! Turn on your left foot three times and then tell the shoes to carry you home."

Dorothy thanked the Good Fairy, took Toto in her arms, and said good-bye to the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Lion. She was sorry to leave her friends. Then Ozma said: "Come again to the Emerald City, dear Dorothy. My birthday is a great holiday in the Land of Oz. I shall be glad to see you in my palace on that day."

"Oh, Dorothy, you must come, you must come!" cried the girl's friends.

"Yes, yes," answered Dorothy. With Toto in her arms she turned on her left foot three times and said to the silver shoes:

"Take me home to Aunt Em!"

"Where am I?" said Dorothy. She saw the great Kansas prairie. And in front of her she saw Uncle Henry's new farm house.

Aunt Em saw Dorothy and ran out of the house.

"My dear child!" she cried and took the girl in her arms. 4 "Where have you been all this time? 5 Where did you come from?"

"From the Land of Oz," said Dorothy. "And here is Toto too. And oh, Aunt Em! I am so glad to be at home again!"

 

 

1 What can I do for you, child? — зд. Чем я могу быть тебе полезна, дитя?

2 You are good — Вы добры

3 East or West home is best. — посл. «В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше».

4 took the girl in her arms — заключила девочку в объятия

5 Where have you been all this time? — зд. Где ты пропадала столько времени?