The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (short books for teens .TXT) ๐
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the classic American childrenโs novel about the adventures of Dorothy, a young girl who along with her dog Toto is swept away by a cyclone to the magical Land of Oz. It was written by L. Frank Baum and published in May 1900.
Dorothy lives with her Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, and Toto on a farm in the Kansas prairie. One day, Dorothy and Toto are caught up in a cyclone that deposits her farmhouse into Munchkin Country in the magical Land of Oz. The falling house has killed the Wicked Witch of the East, the evil ruler of the Munchkins. The Good Witch of the North arrives with three grateful Munchkins and gives Dorothy the magical Silver Shoes that once belonged to the Wicked Witch. The Good Witch tells Dorothy that the only way she can return home is to go to the Emerald City and ask the great and powerful Wizard of Oz to help her.
The Library of Congress has declared it โAmericaโs greatest and best-loved homegrown fairy-tale.โ Its groundbreaking success and the success of the Broadway musical adaptation led Baum to write thirteen additional Oz books which serve as sequels to the first story. The 1939 film musical adaptation starring Judy Garland is considered by many to be one of the greatest films in cinema history.
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- Author: L. Frank Baum
Read book online ยซThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (short books for teens .TXT) ๐ยป. Author - L. Frank Baum
โIโm very sorry,โ returned Dorothy. โPlease forgive us.โ
But the pretty milkmaid was much too vexed to make any answer. She picked up the leg sulkily and led her cow away, the poor animal limping on three legs. As she left them the milkmaid cast many reproachful glances over her shoulder at the clumsy strangers, holding her nicked elbow close to her side.
Dorothy was quite grieved at this mishap.
โWe must be very careful here,โ said the kindhearted Woodman, โor we may hurt these pretty little people so they will never get over it.โ
A little farther on Dorothy met a most beautifully dressed young Princess, who stopped short as she saw the strangers and started to run away.
Dorothy wanted to see more of the Princess, so she ran after her. But the china girl cried out:
โDonโt chase me! Donโt chase me!โ
She had such a frightened little voice that Dorothy stopped and said, โWhy not?โ
โBecause,โ answered the Princess, also stopping, a safe distance away, โif I run I may fall down and break myself.โ
โBut could you not be mended?โ asked the girl.
โOh, yes; but one is never so pretty after being mended, you know,โ replied the Princess.
โI suppose not,โ said Dorothy.
โNow there is Mr. Joker, one of our clowns,โ continued the china lady, โwho is always trying to stand upon his head. He has broken himself so often that he is mended in a hundred places, and doesnโt look at all pretty. Here he comes now, so you can see for yourself.โ
Indeed, a jolly little clown came walking toward them, and Dorothy could see that in spite of his pretty clothes of red and yellow and green he was completely covered with cracks, running every which way and showing plainly that he had been mended in many places.
The Clown put his hands in his pockets, and after puffing out his cheeks and nodding his head at them saucily, he said:
โMy lady fair,
Why do you stare
At poor old Mr. Joker?
Youโre quite as stiff
And prim as if
Youโd eaten up a poker!โ
โBe quiet, sir!โ said the Princess. โCanโt you see these are strangers, and should be treated with respect?โ
โWell, thatโs respect, I expect,โ declared the Clown, and immediately stood upon his head.
โDonโt mind Mr. Joker,โ said the Princess to Dorothy. โHe is considerably cracked in his head, and that makes him foolish.โ
โOh, I donโt mind him a bit,โ said Dorothy. โBut you are so beautiful,โ she continued, โthat I am sure I could love you dearly. Wonโt you let me carry you back to Kansas, and stand you on Aunt Emโs mantel? I could carry you in my basket.โ
โThat would make me very unhappy,โ answered the china Princess. โYou see, here in our country we live contentedly, and can talk and move around as we please. But whenever any of us are taken away our joints at once stiffen, and we can only stand straight and look pretty. Of course that is all that is expected of us when we are on mantels and cabinets and drawing-room tables, but our lives are much pleasanter here in our own country.โ
โI would not make you unhappy for all the world!โ exclaimed Dorothy. โSo Iโll just say goodbye.โ
โGoodbye,โ replied the Princess.
They walked carefully through the china country. The little animals and all the people scampered out of their way, fearing the strangers would break them, and after an hour or so the travelers reached the other side of the country and came to another china wall.
It was not so high as the first, however, and by standing upon the Lionโs back they all managed to scramble to the top. Then the Lion gathered his legs under him and jumped on the wall; but just as he jumped, he upset a china church with his tail and smashed it all to pieces.
โThat was too bad,โ said Dorothy, โbut really I think we were lucky in not doing these little people more harm than breaking a cowโs leg and a church. They are all so brittle!โ
โThey are, indeed,โ said the Scarecrow, โand I am thankful I am made of straw and cannot be easily damaged. There are worse things in the world than being a Scarecrow.โ
XXI The Lion Becomes the King of BeastsAfter climbing down from the china wall the travelers found themselves in a disagreeable country, full of bogs and marshes and covered with tall, rank grass. It was difficult to walk without falling into muddy holes, for the grass was so thick that it hid them from sight. However, by carefully picking their way, they got safely along until they reached solid ground. But here the country seemed wilder than ever, and after a long and tiresome walk through the underbrush they entered another forest, where the trees were bigger and older than any they had ever seen.
โThis forest is perfectly delightful,โ declared the Lion, looking around him with joy. โNever have I seen a more beautiful place.โ
โIt seems gloomy,โ said the Scarecrow.
โNot a bit of it,โ answered the Lion. โI should like to live here all my life. See how soft the dried leaves are under your feet and how rich and green the moss is that clings to these old trees. Surely no wild beast could wish a pleasanter home.โ
โPerhaps there are wild beasts in the forest now,โ said Dorothy.
โI suppose there are,โ returned the Lion, โbut I do not see any of them about.โ
They walked through the forest until it became too dark to go any farther. Dorothy and Toto and the Lion lay down to sleep, while the Woodman and the Scarecrow kept watch over them as usual.
When morning came, they started again. Before they had gone far they heard a low rumble, as of the growling of many wild animals. Toto whimpered a little, but none of the others was frightened, and they kept along the well-trodden path until they came to an opening
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