Волшебник страны Оз
The Wonderful City of Oz
Sometimesshewouldcrybitterlyforhours,withTotosittingatherfeetandlookingintoherface,whiningdismallytoshowhowsorryhewasforhislittlemistress. TotodidnotreallycarewhetherhewasinKansasortheLandofOzsolongasDorothywaswithhim; butheknewthelittlegirlwasunhappy,andthatmadehimunhappytoo.
NowtheWickedWitchhadagreatlongingtohaveforherowntheSilverShoeswhichthegirlalwayswore. Herbeesandhercrowsandherwolveswerelyinginheapsanddryingup,andshehadusedupallthepoweroftheGoldenCap; butifshecouldonlygetholdoftheSilverShoes,theywouldgivehermorepowerthanalltheotherthingsshehadlost. ShewatchedDorothycarefully,toseeifsheevertookoffhershoes,thinkingshemightstealthem. Butthechildwassoproudofherprettyshoesthatshenevertookthemoffexceptatnightandwhenshetookherbath. TheWitchwastoomuchafraidofthedarktodaregoinDorothy’sroomatnighttotaketheshoes, andherdreadofwaterwasgreaterthanherfearofthedark,soshenevercamenearwhenDorothywasbathing. Indeed,theoldWitchnevertouchedwater,noreverletwatertouchherinanyway.
Butthewickedcreaturewasverycunning,andshefinallythoughtofatrickthatwouldgiveherwhatshewanted. Sheplacedabarofironinthemiddleofthekitchenfloor,andthenbyhermagicartsmadetheironinvisibletohumaneyes. SothatwhenDorothywalkedacrossthefloorshestumbledoverthebar,notbeingabletoseeit,andfellatfulllength. Shewasnotmuchhurt,butinherfalloneoftheSilverShoescameoff;andbeforeshecouldreachit,theWitchhadsnatcheditawayandputitonherownskinnyfoot.
