Back to the Emerald City

The Winged Monkeys find the Lion and free him. He is happy now. They find the Scarecrow's clothes and put some straw in them. The Scarecrow laughs and says, "Thank you!"

Then the Winged Monkeys help the Tin Woodman. They give him a new oil can.

"Now I can move my arms and legs. Thank you!" he says.

"The Wicked Witch of the West is dead!" says Dorothy to her friends.

Everyone is very happy.

"We must go back to the Wizard of Oz and tell him," says Dorothy, "The Winged Monkeys can take us back to the Emerald City."

"Blow the magic whistle!" says the Tin Woodman.

Dorothy blows the whistle and the monkeys come again. They carry Dorothy and her friends up into the sky. Soon they are at the green door of the Emerald City. The little green man opens the door. He gives them glasses and takes them to the Palace. They go to the Wizard's room, but no one is there.

A voice says, "I am the Wizard of Oz."

"Where are you?" asks Dorothy.

"I am everywhere, but you can't see me," says the Wizard, "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Don't you remember us? I'm Dorothy! I'm here with my friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Lion. The Wicked Witch of the West is dead and you must keep your promise. I want to go home to Kansas."

"Yes," says the Scarecrow, "the Wicked Witch is dead so you must give me a brain."

"And you must give me a heart," says the Tin Woodman.

"And I want some courage," says the Lion.

"Is the Wicked Witch of the West really dead?" asks the Wizard.

"Yes, she is!" they all say.

"Come back tomorrow," says the Wizard, "I must think about this."

"No, I don't want to come back tomorrow," says the Tin Woodman, "I want a heart now."

"And I want a brain now," says the Scarecrow.

"I'm angry and I'm going to eat you," says the Lion. He opens his big mouth and roars.

Toto, afraid of the Lion, jumps up and hits a big screen.

It falls over and the friends see a little old man with no hair.

They are very surprised.

The Tin Woodman is angry and picks up his ax.

"Who are you?" asks the Tin Woodman.

"I am Oz the Great," says the little man in a quiet voice, "Please don't hurt me!"

"But the Wizard is a big head with no body," says Dorothy.

"No, it's a beautiful woman," says the Scarecrow.

"You're wrong, it's a monster with five eyes, five arms and five legs," says the Tin Woodman.

"No," says the Lion, "The Wizard is a big hall of fire."

"You're all wrong," says the little man quietly, "I am the Wizard, but I'm not a real Wizard. I'm from Kansas too. I like traveling in hot-air balloons. That is why I'm here."

"Oh!" say the four friends and they look at each other.

"The people here think I'm a wizard because I come from the sky," says the little man, "I live inside this Palace and never go out. No one must see me. Everyone must think I'm a real wizard."

The Scarecrow takes off his glasses and says, "The Emerald City isn't green. It just looks green, because everyone wears green glasses. It's a trick! Everything here is a trick!"

"Yes, it's a trick," says the little man sadly, "I'm very sorry, but I don't know any magic so I can't help you."

"You're a bad man," says Dorothy.

"No, I'm a good man, but I am a very bad wizard," he says.

"Now the Wicked Witch of the West is dead," says the Scarecrow, "You must keep your promise. I want a brain!"

"You're right," says Oz, "I must keep my promise. Come back tomorrow."

By L. Frank Baum

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