Īvn wɖ îz pṛtctd bî ɖ grīn specṭclz, Doṛʈi n hr frendz wr at frst dazld bî ɖ briłnsi v ɖ wundrfl Siti. Ɖ strīts wr lînd wɖ bytifl hǎzz ol bilt v grīn marbl n studd evrẃr wɖ sparc̣lñ emṛldz. Ɖe wōct ovr a pevmnt v ɖ sem grīn marbl, n ẃr ɖ blocs wr jônd tgɖr wr roz v emṛldz, set closli, n gliṭrñ in ɖ brîtnis v ɖ sún. Ɖ windopeinz wr v grīn glas; īvn ɖ scî abv ɖ Siti hd a grīn tint, n ɖ rez v ɖ sún wr grīn.
Ɖr wr mni ppl—men, wimin, n ćildṛn—wōcñ abt, n ɖz wr ol drest in grīn cloɖz n hd grīniś scinz. Ɖe lct at Doṛʈi n hr strenjli asortd cumṗni wɖ wunḍrñ îz, n ɖ ćildṛn ol ran awe n hid bhnd ɖer muɖrz ẃn ɖe sw ɖ Layn; bt nwn spouc t ɖm. Mni śops std in ɖ strīt, n Doṛʈi sw ɖt evrʈñ in ɖm wz grīn. Grīn candi n grīn pop corn wr ofrd fr seil, az wel az grīn śuz, grīn hats, n grīn cloɖz v ol sorts. At wn ples a man wz selñ grīn leṃned, n ẃn ɖ ćildṛn bòt it Doṛʈi cd si ɖt ɖe peid fr it wɖ grīn peniz.
Ɖr sīmd t b no horsz nr animlz v eni cnd; ɖ men carid ʈñz arnd in litl grīn carts, ẃć ɖe pśt bfr ɖm. Evrwn sīmd hapi n cntntd n prospṛs.
Ɖ Gardịn v ɖ Gets léd ɖm ʈru ɖ strīts untl ɖe cem t a big bildñ, xacli in ɖ midl v ɖ Siti, ẃć wz ɖ Palis v Óz, ɖ Gret Wiẓd. Ɖr wz a soljr bfr ɖ dor, drest in a grīn yṇform n wẹrñ a loñ grīn bird.
“Hir r strenjrz,” sd ɖ Gardịn v ɖ Gets t him, “n ɖe dmand t si ɖ Gret Óz.”
“Step insd,” ansrd ɖ soljr, “n I wl cari yr mesij t him.”
So ɖe pást ʈru ɖ Palis Gets n wr léd intu a big rūm wɖ a grīn carpit n luvli grīn frnićr set wɖ emṛldz. Ɖ soljr md ɖm ol wîp ɖer fīt upn a grīn mat bfr enṭrñ ɖs rūm, n ẃn ɖe wr sītd h sd p’lîtli:
“Plīz mc yrslvz cumftbl ẃl I g t ɖ dor v ɖ Ʈronrūm n tel Óz y r hir.”
Ɖe hd t wêt a loñ tîm bfr ɖ soljr rtrnd. Ẃn, at last, h cem bac, Doṛʈi asct:
“Hv y sìn Óz?”
“Ǒ, no,” rtrnd ɖ soljr; “I hv nvr sìn him. Bt I spouc t him az h sat bhnd hiz scrīn n gev him yr mesij. H sd h wl grant y an ōdịns, f y so dzîr; bt ć wn v y mst entr hiz prezns alon, n h wl admit bt wn ć de. Ɖrfr, az y mst rmen in ɖ Palis fr sevṛl dez, I wl hv y śoun t rūmz ẃr y me rest in cumḟt aftr yr jrni.”
“Ʈanc y,” rplaid ɖ grl; “ɖt z vri cnd v Óz.”
Ɖ soljr nǎ blù upn a grīn ẃisl, n at wns a yuñ grl, drest in a priti grīn silc gǎn, entrd ɖ rūm. Ś hd luvli grīn her n grīn îz, n ś baud lo bfr Doṛʈi az ś sd, “Folo m n I wl śo y yr rūm.”
So Doṛʈi sd gdbî t ol hr frendz xpt Toto, n tecñ ɖ dog in hr armz foloud ɖ grīn grl ʈru sevn paṣjz n p ʈri flîts v sterz untl ɖe cem t a rūm at ɖ frunt v ɖ Palis. It wz ɖ swītist litl rūm in ɖ wrld, wɖ a soft cumftbl bed ɖt hd śīts v grīn silc n a grīn velvit cǎnṭpein. Ɖr wz a tîni fǎntn in ɖ midl v ɖ rūm, ɖt śot a spre v grīn prfym intu ɖ er, t fōl bac intu a bytifli carvd grīn marbl besn. Bytifl grīn flǎrz std in ɖ windoz, n ɖr wz a ślf wɖ a ro v litl grīn bcs. Ẃn Doṛʈi hd tîm t opn ɖz bcs ś faund ɖm fl v qir grīn picćrz ɖt md hr laf, ɖe wr so funi.
In a wordrob wr mni grīn dresz, md v silc n satin n velvit; n ol v ɖm fitd Doṛʈi xacli.
“Mc yrslf prficli at hom,” sd ɖ grīn grl, “n f y wś fr enʈñ rñ ɖ bel. Óz wl snd fr y tmoro-mornñ.”
Ś left Doṛʈi alon n wnt bac t ɖ uɖrz. Ɖz ś olso léd t rūmz, n ć wn v ɖm faund himslf lojd in a vri pleznt part v ɖ Palis. V cors ɖs p’lîtnis wz westd on ɖ Scercro; fr ẃn h faund himslf alon in hiz rūm h std styṗdli in wn spot, jst wɖn ɖ dorwe, t wêt tl mornñ. It wd nt rest him t lî dǎn, n h cd nt clos hiz îz; so h rmend ol nît stẹrñ at a litl spîdr ẃć wz wīvñ its web in a cornr v ɖ rūm, jst az f it wr nt wn v ɖ most wundrfl rūmz in ɖ wrld. Ɖ Tin Wŭdmn le dǎn on hiz bed fṛm fors v habit, fr h rmembrd ẃn h wz md v fleś; bt nt biyñ ebl t slīp, h pást ɖ nît muvñ hiz jônts p n dǎn t mc śr ɖe cept in gd wrcñ ordr. Ɖ Layn wd hv prifŕd a bed v draid līvz in ɖ forist, n dd nt lîc biyñ śut p in a rūm; bt h hd tù mć sns t let ɖs wuri him, so h sprañ upn ɖ bed n rold himslf p lîc a cat n prd himslf aslip in a minit.
Ɖ nxt mornñ, aftr brecfst, ɖ grīn meidn cem t feć Doṛʈi, n ś drest hr in wn v ɖ pritiist gǎnz, md v grīn bṛcedd satin. Doṛʈi pt on a grīn silc epṛn n taid a grīn ribn arnd Toto’z nec, n ɖe startd fr ɖ Ʈronrūm v ɖ Gret Óz.
Frst ɖe cem t a gret hōl in ẃć wr mni lediz n jntlṃn v ɖ cort, ol drest in rić costymz. Ɖz ppl hd nʈñ t d bt tōc t ć uɖr, bt ɖe olwz cem t wêt ǎtsd ɖ Ʈronrūm evri mornñ, olɖo ɖe wr nvr pmitd t si Óz. Az Doṛʈi entrd ɖe lct at hr krịsli, n wn v ɖm ẃisprd:
“R y riyli gwñ t lc upn ɖ fes v Óz ɖ Teribl?”
“V cors,” ansrd ɖ grl, “f h wl si m.”
“Ǒ, h wl si y,” sd ɖ soljr hu hd tecn hr mesij t ɖ Wiẓd, “olɖo h dz nt lîc t hv ppl asc t si him. Indd, at frst h wz angri n sd I śd snd y bac ẃr y cem fṛm. Ɖen h asct m ẃt y lct lîc, n ẃn I mnśnd yr silvr śuz h wz vri mć inṭrestd. At last I tld him abt ɖ marc upn yr fōrhed, n h dsîdd h wd admit y t hiz prezns.”
Jst ɖen a bel rañ, n ɖ grīn grl sd t Doṛʈi, “Ɖt z ɖ signl. Y mst g intu ɖ Ʈronrūm alon.”
Ś opnd a litl dor, n Doṛʈi wōct boldli ʈru n faund hrslf in a wundrfl ples. It wz a big, rǎnd rūm wɖ a hî arćt rūf, n ɖ wōlz n sīlñ n flor wr cuvrd wɖ larj emṛldz set closli tgɖr. In ɖ sntr v ɖ rūf wz a gret lît, az brît az ɖ sún, ẃć md ɖ emṛldz sparcl in a wundrfl manr.
Bt ẃt inṭrestd Doṛʈi most wz ɖ big ʈron v grīn marbl ɖt std in ɖ midl v ɖ rūm. It wz śept lîc a ćer n sparcld wɖ jmz, az dd evrʈñ els. In ɖ sntr v ɖ ćer wz an inorṃs Hed, wɖt a bodi t s’port it or eni armz or legz ẃtvr. Ɖr wz no her upn ɖs hed, bt it hd îz n a nǒz n mǎʈ, n wz mć bigr ɖn ɖ hed v ɖ bigist jaynt.
Az Doṛʈi gezd upn ɖs in wundr n fir, ɖ îz trnd slǒli n lct at hr śarpli n steḍli. Ɖen ɖ mǎʈ muvd, n Doṛʈi hŕd a vôs se:
“I am Óz, ɖ Gret n Teribl. Hu r y, n ẃ d y sīc m?”
It wz nt sć an ōfl vôs az ś hd xpctd t cm fṛm ɖ big Hed; so ś tc curij n ansrd:
“I am Doṛʈi, ɖ Smōl n Mīc. I hv cm t y fr hlp.”
Ɖ îz lct at hr ʈōtḟli fr a fl minit. Ɖen sd ɖ vôs:
“Ẃr dd y gt ɖ silvr śuz?”
“I got ɖm fṛm ɖ Wicid Wić v ɖ Īst, ẃn mî hǎs fél on hr n cild hr,” ś rplaid.
“Ɖt z ẃr ɖ Gd Wić v ɖ Norʈ cist m ẃn ś bád m gdbî n snt m t y,” sd ɖ grl.
Agn ɖ îz lct at hr śarpli, n ɖe sw ś wz telñ ɖ truʈ. Ɖen Óz asct, “Ẃt d y wś m t d?”
“Snd m bac t Canẓs, ẃr mî Ānt Ém n Uncl Hnri r,” ś ansrd rṇstli. “I d’nt lîc yr cuntri, olɖo it z so bytifl. N I am śr Ānt Ém wl b dredḟli wurid ovr mî biyñ awe so loñ.”
Ɖ îz wnct ʈri tîmz, n ɖen ɖe trnd p t ɖ sīlñ n dǎn t ɖ flor n rold arnd so qirli ɖt ɖe sīmd t si evri part v ɖ rūm. N at last ɖe lct at Doṛʈi agn.
“Ẃ śd I d ɖs fr y?” asct Óz.
“Bcz y r stroñ n I am wìc; bcz y r a Gret Wiẓd n I am onli a litl grl.”
“Bt y wr stroñ inuf t cil ɖ Wicid Wić v ɖ Īst,” sd Óz.
“Ɖt jst hapnd,” rtrnd Doṛʈi simpli; “I cd nt hlp it.”
“Wel,” sd ɖ Hed, “I wl gv y mî ansr. Y hv no rît t xpct m t snd y bac t Canẓs unls y d smʈñ fr m in rtrn. In ɖs cuntri evrwn mst pe fr evrʈñ h gts. F y wś m t yz mî majic pǎr t snd y hom agn y mst d smʈñ fr m frst. Hlp m n I wl hlp y.”
“Ẃt mst I d?” asct ɖ grl.
“Cil ɖ Wicid Wić v ɖ Wst,” ansrd Óz.
“Bt I canot!” xclemd Doṛʈi, gretli s’prîzd.
“Y cild ɖ Wić v ɖ Īst n y wer ɖ silvr śuz, ẃć ber a pǎrfl ćarm. Ɖr z nǎ bt wn Wicid Wić left in ol ɖs land, n ẃn y cn tel m ś z ded I wl snd y bac t Canẓs—bt nt bfr.”
Ɖ litl grl bgan t wīp, ś wz so mć dis’pôntd; n ɖ îz wnct agn n lct upn hr añśsli, az f ɖ Gret Óz flt ɖt ś cd hlp him f ś wd.
“I nvr cild enʈñ, wilñli,” ś sobd. “Īvn f I wontd t, hǎ cd I cil ɖ Wicid Wić? F y, hu r Gret n Teribl, canot cil hr yrslf, hǎ d y xpct m t d it?”
“I d nt nǒ,” sd ɖ Hed; “bt ɖt z mî ansr, n untl ɖ Wicid Wić dîz y wl nt si yr uncl n ānt agn. Rmembr ɖt ɖ Wić z Wicid—tṛmndsli Wicid—n òt t b cild. Nǎ g, n d nt asc t si m agn untl y hv dn yr tasc.”
Soroḟli Doṛʈi left ɖ Ʈronrūm n wnt bac ẃr ɖ Layn n ɖ Scercro n ɖ Tin Wŭdmn wr wêtñ t hír ẃt Óz hd sd t hr. “Ɖr z no hop fr m,” ś sd sadli, “fr Óz wl nt snd m hom untl I hv cild ɖ Wicid Wić v ɖ Wst; n ɖt I cn nvr d.”
Hr frendz wr sori bt cd d nʈñ t hlp hr; so Doṛʈi wnt t hr ǒn rūm n le dǎn on ɖ bed n craid hrslf t slīp.
Ɖ nxt mornñ ɖ soljr wɖ ɖ grīn ẃiscrz cem t ɖ Scercro n sd:
“Cm wɖ m, fr Óz hz snt fr y.”
So ɖ Scercro foloud him n wz admitd intu ɖ gret Ʈronrūm, ẃr h sw, sitñ in ɖ emṛld ʈron, a most luvli Ledi. Ś wz drest in grīn silc gōz n wòr upn hr flowñ grīn locs a crǎn v juwlz. Growñ fṛm hr śoldrz wr wñz, gorjs in culr n so lît ɖt ɖe flutrd f ɖ slîtist breʈ v er rīćt ɖm.
Ẃn ɖ Scercro hd baud, az priṭli az hiz strw stufñ wd let him, bfr ɖs bytifl crīćr, ś lct upn him swītli, n sd:
“I am Óz, ɖ Gret n Teribl. Hu r y, n ẃ d y sīc m?”
Nǎ ɖ Scercro, hu hd xpctd t si ɖ gret Hed Doṛʈi hd tld him v, wz mć astoniśt; bt h ansrd hr brevli.
“I am onli a Scercro, stuft wɖ strw. Ɖrfr I hv no brenz, n I cm t y preyñ ɖt y wl pt brenz in mî hed instd v strw, so ɖt I me bcm az mć a man az eni uɖr in yr dmińnz.”
“Ẃ śd I d ɖs fr y?” asct ɖ Ledi.
“Bcz y r wîz n pǎrfl, n nwn els cn hlp m,” ansrd ɖ Scercro.
“I nvr grant fevrz wɖt sm rtrn,” sd Óz; “bt ɖs mć I wl promis. F y wl cil fr m ɖ Wicid Wić v ɖ Wst, I wl bsto upn y a gret mni brenz, n sć gd brenz ɖt y wl b ɖ wîzist man in ol ɖ Land v Óz.”
“I ʈt y asct Doṛʈi t cil ɖ Wić,” sd ɖ Scercro, in s’prîz.
“So I dd. I d’nt cer hu cilz hr. Bt untl ś z ded I wl nt grant yr wiś. Nǎ g, n d nt sīc m agn untl y hv ŕnd ɖ brenz y so gretli dzîr.”
Ɖ Scercro wnt soroḟli bac t hiz frendz n tld ɖm ẃt Óz hd sd; n Doṛʈi wz s’prîzd t fînd ɖt ɖ Gret Wiẓd wz nt a Hed, az ś hd sìn him, bt a luvli Ledi.
“Ol ɖ sem,” sd ɖ Scercro, “ś nīdz a hart az mć az ɖ Tin Wŭdmn.”
On ɖ nxt mornñ ɖ soljr wɖ ɖ grīn ẃiscrz cem t ɖ Tin Wŭdmn n sd:
“Óz hz snt fr y. Folo m.”
So ɖ Tin Wŭdmn foloud him n cem t ɖ gret Ʈronrūm. H dd nt nǒ ẃɖr h wd fînd Óz a luvli Ledi or a Hed, bt h hopt it wd b ɖ luvli Ledi. “Fr,” h sd t himslf, “f it z ɖ hed, I am śr I śl nt b gvn a hart, sins a hed hz no hart v its ǒn n ɖrfr canot fīl fr m. Bt f it z ɖ luvli Ledi I śl beg hard fr a hart, fr ol lediz r ɖmslvz sd t b cîndli hartid.”
Bt ẃn ɖ Wŭdmn entrd ɖ gret Ʈronrūm h sw nɖr ɖ Hed nr ɖ Ledi, fr Óz hd tecn ɖ śep v a most teribl Bīst. It wz nirli az big az an elifnt, n ɖ grīn ʈron sīmd hardli stroñ inuf t hold its weit. Ɖ Bīst hd a hed lîc ɖt v a rînosṛs, onli ɖr wr fîv îz in its fes. Ɖr wr fîv loñ armz growñ ǎt v its bodi, n it olso hd fîv loñ, slim legz. Ʈic, wŭli her cuvrd evri part v it, n a mor dredfl-lcñ monstr cd nt b imajind. It wz forćṇt ɖ Tin Wŭdmn hd no hart at ɖt momnt, fr it wd hv bìt lǎd n fast fṛm terr. Bt biyñ onli tin, ɖ Wŭdmn wz nt at ol afreid, olɖo h wz mć dis’pôntd.
“I am Óz, ɖ Gret n Teribl,” spouc ɖ Bīst, in a vôs ɖt wz wn gret ror. “Hu r y, n ẃ d y sīc m?”
“I am a Wŭdmn, n md v tin. Ɖrfr I hv no hart, n canot luv. I pre y t gv m a hart ɖt I me b az uɖr men r.”
“Ẃ śd I d ɖs?” dmandd ɖ Bīst.
“Bcz I asc it, n y alon cn grant mî rqst,” ansrd ɖ Wŭdmn.
Óz gev a lo grǎl at ɖs, bt sd, grufli: “F y indd dzîr a hart, y mst rn it.”
“Hǎ?” asct ɖ Wŭdmn.
“Hlp Doṛʈi t cil ɖ Wicid Wić v ɖ Wst,” rplaid ɖ Bīst. “Ẃn ɖ Wić z ded, cm t m, n I wl ɖen gv y ɖ bigist n cîndist n most luvñ hart in ol ɖ Land v Óz.”
So ɖ Tin Wŭdmn wz forst t rtrn soroḟli t hiz frendz n tel ɖm v ɖ teribl Bīst h hd sìn. Ɖe ol wundrd gretli at ɖ mni formz ɖ Gret Wiẓd cd tec upn himslf, n ɖ Layn sd:
“F h z a Bīst ẃn I g t si him, I śl ror mî lǎdist, n so frîtn him ɖt h wl grant ol I asc. N f h z ɖ luvli Ledi, I śl pritnd t sprñ upn hr, n so cmpel hr t d mî bidñ. N f h z ɖ gret Hed, h wl b at mî mrsi; fr I wl rol ɖs hed ol abt ɖ rūm untl h proṃsz t gv s ẃt w dzîr. So b v gd ćir, mî frendz, fr ol wl yt b wel.”
Ɖ nxt mornñ ɖ soljr wɖ ɖ grīn ẃiscrz léd ɖ Layn t ɖ gret Ʈronrūm n bád him entr ɖ prezns v Óz.
Ɖ Layn at wns pást ʈru ɖ dor, n glansñ arnd sw, t hiz s’prîz, ɖt bfr ɖ ʈron wz a Bōl v Fîr, so firs n glowñ h cd scersli ber t gêz upn it. Hiz frst ʈōt wz ɖt Óz hd bî axidnt còt on fîr n wz brnñ p; bt ẃn h traid t g nirr, ɖ hīt wz so intns ɖt it sinjd hiz ẃiscrz, n h crept bac tremblñli t a spot nirr ɖ dor.
Ɖen a lo, qayt vôs cem fṛm ɖ Bōl v Fîr, n ɖz wr ɖ wrdz it spouc:
N ɖ Layn ansrd, “I am a Cawdli Layn, afreid v evrʈñ. I cem t y t beg ɖt y gv m curij, so ɖt in riaḷti I me bcm ɖ Cñ v Bīsts, az men cōl m.”
“Ẃ śd I gv y curij?” dmandd Óz.
“Bcz v ol Wiẓdz y r ɖ gretist, n alon hv pǎr t grant mî rqst,” ansrd ɖ Layn.
Ɖ Bōl v Fîr brnd firsli fr a tîm, n ɖ vôs sd, “Brñ m prūf ɖt ɖ Wicid Wić z ded, n ɖt momnt I wl gv y curij. Bt az loñ az ɖ Wić livz, y mst rmen a cawd.”
Ɖ Layn wz angri at ɖs spīć, bt cd se nʈñ in rplî, n ẃl h std sîḷntli gezñ at ɖ Bōl v Fîr it bcem so fyrịsli hot ɖt h trnd teil n ruśt fṛm ɖ rūm. H wz glad t fînd hiz frendz wêtñ fr him, n tld ɖm v hiz teribl inṭvy wɖ ɖ Wiẓd.
“Ẃt śl w d nǎ?” asct Doṛʈi sadli.
“Ɖr z onli wn ʈñ w cn d,” rtrnd ɖ Layn, “n ɖt z t g t ɖ land v ɖ Wnciz, sīc ǎt ɖ Wicid Wić, n dstrô hr.”
“Bt s’poz w canot?” sd ɖ grl.
“Ɖen I śl nvr hv curij,” dclerd ɖ Layn.
“N I śl nvr hv brenz,” add ɖ Scercro.
“N I śl nvr hv a hart,” spouc ɖ Tin Wŭdmn.
“N I śl nvr si Ānt Ém n Uncl Hnri,” sd Doṛʈi, bginñ t crî.
“B cerfl!” craid ɖ grīn grl. “Ɖ tirz wl fōl on yr grīn silc gǎn n spot it.”
So Doṛʈi draid hr îz n sd, “I s’poz w mst trî it; bt I am śr I d nt wont t cil enbdi, īvn t si Ānt Ém agn.”
“I wl g wɖ y; bt I’m tù mć v a cawd t cil ɖ Wić,” sd ɖ Layn.
“I wl g tù,” dclerd ɖ Scercro; “bt I śl nt b v mć hlp t y, I am sć a fūl.”
“I hv’nt ɖ hart t harm īvn a Wić,” rmarct ɖ Tin Wŭdmn; “bt f y g I srtnli śl g wɖ y.”
Ɖrfr it wz dsîdd t start upn ɖer jrni ɖ nxt mornñ, n ɖ Wŭdmn śarpnd hiz ax on a grīn grîndston n hd ol hiz jônts proprli ôld. Ɖ Scercro stuft himslf wɖ freś strw n Doṛʈi pt ny pent on hiz îz ɖt h mt si betr. Ɖ grīn grl, hu wz vri cnd t ɖm, fild Doṛʈi’z bascit wɖ gd ʈñz t īt, n fasnd a litl bel arnd Toto’z nec wɖ a grīn ribn.
Ɖe wnt t bed qt rli n slept sǎndli untl dêlît, ẃn ɖe wr awecnd bî ɖ crowñ v a grīn coc ɖt livd in ɖ bacyard v ɖ Palis, n ɖ cac̣lñ v a hen ɖt hd leid a grīn eg.
• • • • • •
