第2章 THE COUNCIL WITH THE MUNCHKINS 会见芒奇金人

She was awakened by a shock, so sudden and severe that if Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened; and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally.

Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving; nor was it dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the window, flooding the little room. She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran and opened the door.

The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw.

The cyclone had set the house down very gently—for a cyclone—in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.

While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights, she noticed coming toward her a group of the queerest people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many years older.

Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly dressed. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the little woman's hat was white, and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her shoulders. Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well-polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy thought, were about as old as Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards. But the little woman was doubtless much older. Her face was covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly.

When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing in the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if afraid to come farther. But the little old woman walked up to Dorothy, made a low bow and said, in a sweet voice: “You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage.”

Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the little woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying she had killed the Wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles from home; and she had never killed anything in all her life.

But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so Dorothy said, with hesitation, “You are very kind, but there must be some mistake. I have not killed anything.”

“Your house did, anyway,”replied the little old woman, with a laugh, “and that is the same thing. See!”she continued, pointing to the corner of the house. “There are her two feet, still sticking out from under a block of wood.”

Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes.

“Oh, dear! Oh, dear!”cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together in dismay. “The house must have fallen on her. Whatever shall we do?”

“There is nothing to be done,”said the little woman calmly.

“But who was she?”asked Dorothy.

“She was the Wicked Witch of the East, as I said,”answered the little woman. “She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many years, making them slave for her night and day. Now they are all set free, and are grateful to you for the favor.”

“Who are the Munchkins?”inquired Dorothy.

“They are the people who live in this land of the East where the Wicked Witch ruled.”

“Are you a Munchkin?”asked Dorothy.

“No, but I am their friend, although I live in the land of the North. When they saw the Witch of the East was dead the Munchkins sent a swift messenger to me, and I came at once. I am the Witch of the North.”

“Oh, gracious!”cried Dorothy. “Are you a real witch?”

“Yes, indeed,”answered the little woman. “But I am a good witch, and the people love me. I am not as powerful as the Wicked Witch was who ruled here, or I should have set the people free myself.”

“But I thought all witches were wicked,”said the girl, who was half frightened at facing a real witch.

“Oh, no, that is a great mistake. There were only four witches in all the Land of Oz, and two of them, those who live in the North and the South, are good witches. I know this is true, for I am one of them myself, and cannot be mistaken. Those who dwelt in the East and the West were, indeed, wicked witches; but now that you have killed one of them, there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land of Oz—the one who lives in the West.”

“But,”said Dorothy, after a moment's thought, “Aunt Em has told me that the witches were all dead—years and years ago.”

“Who is Aunt Em?”inquired the little old woman.

“She is my aunt who lives in Kansas, where I came from.”

The Witch of the North seemed to think for a time, with her head bowed and her eyes upon the ground. Then she looked up and said, “I do not know where Kansas is, for I have never heard that country mentioned before. But tell me, is it a civilized country?”

“Oh, yes,”replied Dorothy.

“Then that accounts for it. In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us.”

“Who are the wizards?”asked Dorothy.

“Oz himself is the Great Wizard,”answered the Witch, sinking her voice to a whisper. “He is more powerful than all the rest of us together. He lives in the City of Emeralds.”

Dorothy was going to ask another question, but just then the Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and pointed to the corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying.

“What is it?”asked the little old woman, and looked, and began to laugh. The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely, and nothing was left but the silver shoes.

“She was so old,”explained the Witch of the North, “that she dried up quickly in the sun. That is the end of her. But the silver shoes are yours, and you shall have them to wear.”

She reached down and picked up the shoes, and after shaking the dust out of them handed them to Dorothy.

“The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes,”said one of the Munchkins,“and there is some charm connected with them; but what it is we never knew.”

Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on the table. Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said: “I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure they will worry about me. Can you help me find my way?”

The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, and then at Dorothy, and then shook their heads.

“At the East, not far from here,”said one, “there is a great desert, and none could live to cross it.”

“It is the same at the South,”said another, “for I have been there and seen it. The South is the country of the Quadlings.”

“I am told,”said the third man, “that it is the same at the West. And that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by the Wicked Witch of the West, who would make you her slave if you passed her way.”

“The North is my home,”said the old lady, “and at its edge is the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz. I'm afraid, my dear, you will have to live with us.”

Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all these strange people. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted Munchkins, for they immediately took out their handkerchiefs and began to weep also. As for the little old woman, she took off her cap and balanced the point on the end of her nose, while she counted “One, two, three”in a solemn voice. At once the cap changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk marks:

“LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS”

The little old woman took the slate from her nose, and having read the words on it, asked, “Is your name Dorothy, my dear?”

“Yes,”answered the child, looking up and drying her tears.

“Then you must go to the City of Emeralds. Perhaps Oz will help you.”

“Where is this city?”asked Dorothy.

“It is exactly in the center of the country, and is ruled by Oz, the Great Wizard I told you of.”

“Is he a good man?”inquired the girl anxiously.

“He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I have never seen him.”

“How can I get there?”asked Dorothy.

“You must walk. It is a long journey, through a country that is sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm.”

“Won't you go with me?”pleaded the girl, who had begun to look upon the little old woman as her only friend.

“No, I cannot do that,”she replied, “but I will give you my kiss, and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North.”

She came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead. Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as Dorothy found out soon after.

“The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick,”said the Witch, “so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you. Good-bye, my dear.”

The three Munchkins bowed low to her and wished her a pleasant journey, after which they walked away through the trees. The Witch gave Dorothy a friendly little nod, whirled around on her left heel three times, and straightway disappeared, much to the surprise of little Toto, who barked after her loudly enough when she had gone, because he had been afraid even to growl while she stood by.

But Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.

多萝西被震醒了，这次震动震得又猛又狠，要不是她躺在柔软的床上，也许就会受伤。实际上，这次震动使她屏住了呼吸，因为她不知道发生了什么事儿。透透把冰冷的小鼻子伸到她的脸上，低声哀叫。

多萝西坐起来，注意到房子不动了，天也不黑了，因为明亮的阳光照进了窗户，洒满了小屋。她从床上跳出来，跑过去开门，透透紧跟在她后面。

小女孩惊叫一声，环顾四周，看到奇妙的景象，眼睛越瞪越大。

龙卷风轻轻地——对龙卷风来说是这样——把房子在那奇美之地的中央放了下来。只见这里到处都是一块块漂亮的绿地，还有长满鲜艳甘果的参天大树；四面八方都有一簇簇美丽的鲜花；身披罕见华羽的小鸟唱着歌，在树林和矮树丛中振翅而飞；不远处有一条小溪，在绿岸间奔流闪亮，声音潺潺。在小女孩听来，这声音非常悦耳，因为她在干燥的灰色大草原上已经住得太久了。

她站在那里，急切地望着这片奇异而美丽的景色时，注意到她一生从未见过的一群最奇特的人朝她走来。他们不像她常见的成人那样高大；不过，他们也不是很小。事实上，他们大约和多萝西一样高，多萝西那样的年龄长得非常成熟，只不过从外表看，他们的年龄比她大得多。

三男一女，全都衣着古怪。男人们戴着圆帽，头顶上耸起一英尺高的小尖尖儿，四边挂着小铃铛，他们走动时，叮当作响，清脆悦耳。男人们的帽子呈蓝色。女人的帽子呈白色，她穿着一件白色长袍，长袍打着褶从她肩上垂下来，上面闪耀着小星星，像钻石一样在阳光下闪闪发亮。男人们穿着蓝色衣服，和他们的帽子色调一样，他们穿着锃光净亮的靴子，靴子上面带着深深的蓝色卷状物。多萝西想，这些男人和亨利叔的年龄差不多，因为其中两个有络腮胡。不过，那个小女人的年龄肯定要大得多，因为她的脸皱纹斑斑，头发差不多都白了，走起路来也非常僵硬。

当这些人走近房子时，多萝西正站在门口。他们停住脚步，耳语了一阵，好像不敢再向前走了。终于，小老太太走到多萝西身边，深鞠一躬，用甜美的声音说道：“最高贵的女魔法师，欢迎你来到芒奇金人的地方。我们非常感谢你杀死了东方坏女巫，并把我们从奴役中解救出来。”

听了这番话，多萝西惊讶不已。这个小老太太称她为女魔法师，并说她杀死了东方坏女巫，这是什么意思呢？多萝西是一个天真温和的小女孩，被龙卷风从家里卷了好多英里远，从来没有杀过任何东西呀。

可是，小老太太显然在盼望着她的回答；所以，多萝西迟疑地说：“你真好，但一定是弄错了。我没有杀过任何东西。”

“不管怎样，也是你的房子杀了她，”小老太太大笑着回答说，“是一码事儿。看！”她指着房子的角落继续说道，“她的两只脚还在从一块木板下伸出来。”

多萝西定睛一看，发出了一声轻轻的惊叫。果真，就在房子架着大梁的角落下面伸出了两只脚，脚上还穿着尖头银鞋。

“哎呀！好家伙！”多萝西惊慌地紧握着双手嚷道，“一定是房子倒在了她身上。我们到底怎么办？”

“没什么事儿要办。”小老太太平静地说。

“可她是谁呢？”多萝西问。

“她正是我所说的东方坏女巫。”小老太太回答说，“她已经奴役芒奇金人好多年了，让他们整日整夜为她卖命。现在，他们都自由了，非常感谢你的帮忙。”

“芒奇金人是谁？”多萝西问道。

“他们是住在东方这块土地上的人，这块土地是由坏女巫统治的。”

“你是芒奇金人吗？”多萝西问。

“不是，可我是他们的朋友，尽管我住在北方土地上。芒奇金人看见东方女巫死去，就派了一个飞毛腿给我报信。于是，我就马上赶来了。我是北方女巫。”

“噢，天哪！”多萝西叫道，“你真是女巫吗？”

“是的，真是，”小老太太回答说，“但我是好女巫，人们都爱我。我不像曾统治这里的坏女巫那样强大，否则我早就让这些人得到自由了。”

“可我还以为所有女巫都是坏的呢。”小女孩说，面对真正的女巫，她还是有些害怕。

“噢，不，这是个大错。在奥兹所有的地方，只有四个女巫。其中两个是好女巫，她们住在北方和南方。我知道这是真的，因为我自己就是其中一个，绝不可能弄错。住在东方和西方的那两个的确是坏女巫；但现在，你已经杀死了其中一个，奥兹所有的地方只剩下一个坏女巫了——就是住在西方的那个。”

“可是，”多萝西想了想说，“埃姆婶曾告诉过我，那些女巫都死了，好多年前就死了。”

“埃姆婶是谁？”小老太太问道。

“她是我的婶婶，住在堪萨斯州，我就是从那里来的。”

北方女巫低下头，眼睛看着地面，似乎想了一会儿，随后抬头说道：“我不知道堪萨斯州在哪里，因为我以前从来没听人提起过那个国家。不过，告诉我，那是个文明国家吗？”

“噢，是的。”多萝西回答说。

“那么，这就是其中的理由。在文明国家里，我相信没有留下女巫，没有留下男巫，没有留下女魔法师，也没有留下男魔法师。可是，你明白，奥兹国从来没有过文明，因为我们和世界上其他所有的地方都隔得很远。所以，我们中间还有女巫和男巫。”

“男巫是谁？”多萝西问。

“奥兹本人就是个男巫，”女巫压低声音回答说，“他比我们几个合在一起还要强大。他住在翡翠城。”

多萝西正要问另一个问题，但那些一直默立在旁边的芒奇金人突然大声喊叫起来，指着屋角坏女巫一直躺着的地方。

“什么事儿？”小老太太问，然后定睛一看，笑了起来。死女巫的那双脚已经完全不见了，只留下了一双银鞋。

“她太老了，”北方女巫解释说，“她在太阳底下很快就干枯了。这就是她的下场。不过，那双银鞋是你的了，你把它们穿上吧。”

她弯腰拿起那双鞋，拂去灰尘后，递给了多萝西。

“东方女巫曾对那双银鞋非常自豪，”其中一个芒奇金人说，“它们和某种魔力有关系。不过，我们从来不知道是什么关系。”

多萝西将那双鞋带进屋里，放在桌子上，随后又走出来，对芒奇金人说：“我渴望回到婶婶和叔叔身边，因为我敢肯定他们一定会担心我。你们能帮我找到路吗？”

芒奇金人和女巫起先互相看了看，随后又瞧了瞧多萝西，摇了摇头。

“东方离这里不远，”一个芒奇金人说，“有一片大沙漠，没有人能活着穿过去。”

“南方也一样，”另一个芒奇金人说，“因为我曾到过那里，亲眼见过。南方是夸德林人的国家。”

“有人告诉我，”第三个芒奇金人说，“西方也一样。那个国家住的是温基人，由西方坏女巫统治，如果你经过她那里，她就会让你当奴隶。”

“北方是我的家，”老太太说，“在这个奥兹国周围边界那边也是大沙漠。我想，我的宝贝，你必须和我们生活在一起。”

听到这话，多萝西呜呜哭了起来，因为在这些奇怪的人中她感到非常孤独。她的眼泪好像使仁慈的芒奇金人伤心起来，因为他们拿出手帕，也哭了起来。那个小老太太则脱下帽子，将它顶在鼻尖上，声音严肃地数着：“一、二、三。”帽子立刻变成了一块石板，上面写着大大的白粉笔字：

“让多萝西到翡翠城去”

小老太太从鼻子上拿下石板，读过上面这些字后，问道：“你是叫多萝西吗，我的宝贝？”

“是的，”小女孩抬起头，擦干眼泪，回答说。

“那你必须到翡翠城去，也许奥兹会帮助你。”

“这个城在哪里？”多萝西问。

“在国家正中心，由大男巫奥兹统治，我告诉过你。”

“他是好人吗？”小女孩不安地问道。

“他是好男巫，然而他是不是一个人，我说不清，因为我从来没有见过他。”

“我怎么才能到那里呢？”多萝西问。

“你必须走路去。那是一段漫长的旅程，需要穿过一个国家，有时令人愉快，有时会让人感到黑暗可怕。不过，我会用我知道的所有魔法，使你免受伤害。”

“你不跟我一块儿去吗？”小女孩恳求道，她已经开始把小老太太当成了她唯一的朋友。

“不，我不能那样做，”她回答说，“不过，我会送给你吻，没有人敢伤害被北方女巫吻过的人。”

她走近多萝西，轻轻地在她的前额上吻了一下。过了一会儿，多萝西才发现，她的嘴唇在她的额头上留下了一个又圆又亮的标记。

“到翡翠城去的路是用黄砖铺的，”女巫说，“所以，你不会迷路。你到达奥兹那里时，不要怕他，但要把你的故事告诉他，请他帮你。再见，我的宝贝。”

三个芒奇金人也向她深鞠一躬，祝她旅途愉快。说完，他们穿林而去。女巫向多萝西友好地微微点了点头，左脚跟旋转了三次，转眼就不见了。小透透大吃一惊，女巫离开后，它还在她后面大声吠叫，因为她站在旁边时，它甚至连吠也不敢吠一声。

可是，因为多萝西知道她是女巫，料想她就会那样消失，所以一点儿也不吃惊。