The Wicked Witch of the West

Inside the Emerald City, every building rose vast and green, and a soft green glow seemed to fill the air itself, so that even the sky above seemed green too. A soldier in green led Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman through the busy streets toward a tall, splendid building. "This is where the Wizard lives," he said. "Wait here."

After a long wait, a soldier came and led them into a vast room. In the middle of the room stood a giant head, high in the air, with no body at all. Its eyes moved, and its mouth opened. "I am Oz, the powerful Wizard," commanded a loud voice. "Why have you come to me?" Dorothy was afraid, but she spoke bravely. "I want to go home to Kansas. My friends want a brain, a heart, and courage. Can you help us?"

The head's eyes grew harsh. "I grant help to no one for nothing," the voice said. "First, you must do something for me. There is a Wicked Witch in the West who rules that land harshly, and threatens everyone who lives there. Kill her, and I will grant you everything you ask for." Dorothy felt a sudden despair. "But how can we kill a witch?" she asked. "That is your journey to make," said the voice. "Come back when it is done."

So the four friends left the city, sad but brave, and journeyed west, toward the country of the Wicked Witch. Before long, they saw a strange yellow shape approaching through the tall grass. It was the Lion! "I woke up alone in a field of flowers," he said, ran to meet them. "I have pursued your road the whole way here. I am so glad to find you again!" The friends were happy to see him, and the five of them walked on together, into the west.

The Wicked Witch of the West had only one eye, but it could see very far. She saw the five companions approaching from far away, and she grew fiercely angry. She summoned a group of fierce animals to attack them, but the Tin Woodman used his axe bravely, and they ran away. Next she summoned a group of birds, but the Scarecrow scared them off. At last, still fiercely angry, she summoned all her soldiers, the Winkies, and commanded them to capture the travelers.

The Winkies captured Dorothy, Toto, and the Lion, and brought them to the witch's castle. Inside, the witch locked the Lion in a small room with no food, hoping to make him weak enough to obey her. But the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were too strange for the Winkies to hurt — one was only straw, the other only metal — so they could hide nearby, thinking of a way to save their friends.

The witch wanted the silver shoes on Dorothy's feet, for she knew they carried powerful magic. When she tried to take them, Dorothy grew angry, and without thinking, she picked up a bucket of water nearby and threw it right at the witch. "You wicked thing!" the witch cried. "See what you have done — I am dissolving!" Right before Dorothy's eyes, the witch began to grow smaller and smaller, like sugar dissolving in water, until nothing remained of her at all.

The Winkies, who had only obeyed the witch because they were afraid, were joyful. "You have won our freedom!" they cried. "Thank you, thank you!" They helped find the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, and held a joyful party to thank the five friends.

Dorothy found the witch's magic cap, which held secret words that could call the flying monkeys to help the one who wore it. She kept it carefully, thinking it might help them on their journey home. The Lion, too, felt strangely different now. "For the first time," he said, "I do not feel afraid at all. Perhaps I already have more courage than I believed." Still, he wished to ask the Wizard, just to be sure.

The Winkies asked the five friends to remain and rule the west country, but Dorothy shook her head. "I still want to go home to Kansas," she said, "and my friends still need the Wizard's help." So, with the Wicked Witch gone and the Winkies free at last, Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Lion said farewell to their new friends and turned back toward the Emerald City, ready to ask the powerful Wizard Oz to keep his promise at last.