Chapter 5

The Wicked Witch of the West

The Witch blows her silver whistle and forty Winged Monkeys quickly arrive.

"What do you want?" the King of the Winged Monkeys asks.

"There are three people, a dog and a lion on my road," she says.

"Go and kill the people and the dog. But bring me the lion. He is big and strong. He can work for me."

"Yes, immediately!" say the Winged Monkeys, and they fly away.

They quickly reach the road, and see the four friends and the dog. They break the Tin Woodman's arms and legs. They take the straw out of the Scarecrow and throw his clothes into a tree. Then they take the Lion to the Wicked Witch's castle.

The Winged Monkeys do not hurt Dorothy and Toto because they see the good witch's kiss on Dorothy's forehead. They decide to take them to the Wicked Witch's castle with the Lion.

The Wicked Witch sees the kiss on Dorothy's face and she is afraid. But she doesn't say anything.

"Ha, ha! Now you are my prisoner. You must work in my house every day. Clean this dirty kitchen!" she says to Dorothy, "Remember, I can watch you all the time!"

Dorothy looks at her sadly and starts to clean the kitchen.

"How can I go back to Kansas now?" she thinks. She is very unhappy.

Dorothy does not know her shoes are magic, but the Wicked Witch knows, and she wants them.

One morning Dorothy's left shoe falls off. The Wicked Witch quickly take it and says, "This is my shoe now!"

"No, it isn't!" cries Dorothy angrily, "Give it to me!"

The Wicked Witch then tries to take the other shoe too. Dorothy is very angry because she loves her silver shoes. She sees a bucket of water near the door. She takes it and throws the water at the Wicked Witch.

"No! Don't do that!" cries the Wicked Witch of the West.

"Water kills me! Aaagh! Help! Help me please."

Now on the floor there is only the Wicked Witch's black hat, her black dress and her silver whistle.

Dorothy looks for her but cannot find her. She puts her left shoe on again.

"Now I am free and I can help my friends," Dorothy says, "Perhaps I can call the Winged Monkeys."

She picks up the witch's silver whistle and looks at it.

"Is this a magic whistle?" she thinks.

She blows it and the Winged Monkeys arrive. She is surprised and happy.

"Can you help my friends?" she asks.

"Yes," says one Monkey, "We always help the person with the magic whistle."

By L. Frank Baum


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