Orakel Children's Books
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, prepared as a public-domain Orakel edition with 25 chapter-aware companion links.
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Introduction: Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood
Introduction: Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal. The winged fairies of Grimm and Andersen have brought more happiness to childish hearts than all other human
Open2Chapter I: The Cyclone
Chapter I: The Cyclone from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer’s wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle
Open3Chapter II: The Council with the Munchkins
Chapter II: The Council with the Munchkins from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. 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.
Open4Chapter III: How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow
Chapter III: How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. When Dorothy was left alone she began to feel hungry. So she went to the cupboard and cut herself some bread, which she spread with butter. She gave some to Toto, and taking a pail from the shelf she carried it down to the little brook and filled it with clear, sparkling water. Toto ran over to the trees and began to bark at the birds sitting there. Dorothy went to get him, and saw such delicious fruit hanging from
Open5Chapter IV: The Road Through the Forest
Chapter IV: The Road Through the Forest from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After a few hours the road began to be rough, and the walking grew so difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow bricks, which were here very uneven. Sometimes, indeed, they were broken or missing altogether, leaving holes that Toto jumped across and Dorothy walked around. As for the Scarecrow, having no brains, he walked straight ahead, and so stepped into the holes and fell at full length on the
Open6Chapter V: The Rescue of the Tin Woodman
Chapter V: The Rescue of the Tin Woodman from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. When Dorothy awoke the sun was shining through the trees and Toto had long been out chasing birds around him and squirrels. She sat up and looked around her. There was the Scarecrow, still standing patiently in his corner, waiting for
Open7Chapter VI: The Cowardly Lion
Chapter VI: The Cowardly Lion from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick, but these were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees, and the walking was not at all
Open8Chapter VII: The Journey to the Great Oz
Chapter VII: The Journey to the Great Oz from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in the forest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thick covering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped a great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that warmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last of their bread, and now she did not know what they would do for
Open9Chapter VIII: The Deadly Poppy Field
Chapter VIII: The Deadly Poppy Field from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Our little party of travelers awakened the next morning refreshed and full of hope, and Dorothy breakfasted like a princess off peaches and plums from the trees beside the river. Behind them was the dark forest they had passed safely through, although they had suffered many discouragements; but before them was a lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald
Open10Chapter IX: The Queen of the Field Mice
Chapter IX: The Queen of the Field Mice from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. “We cannot be far from the road of yellow brick, now,” remarked the Scarecrow, as he stood beside the girl, “for we have come nearly as far as the river carried us
Open11Chapter X: The Guardian of the Gate
Chapter X: The Guardian of the Gate from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It was some time before the Cowardly Lion awakened, for he had lain among the poppies a long while, breathing in their deadly fragrance; but when he did open his eyes and roll off the truck he was very glad to find himself still
Open12Chapter XI: The Wonderful City of Oz
Chapter XI: The Wonderful City of Oz from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Even with eyes protected by the green spectacles, Dorothy and her friends were at first dazzled by the brilliancy of the wonderful City. The streets were lined with beautiful houses all built of green marble and studded everywhere with sparkling emeralds. They walked over a pavement of the same green marble, and where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds, set closely, and glittering in the
Open13Chapter XII: The Search for the Wicked Witch
Chapter XII: The Search for the Wicked Witch from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The soldier with the green whiskers led them through the streets of the Emerald City until they reached the room where the Guardian of the Gates lived. This officer unlocked their spectacles to put them back in his great box, and then he politely opened the gate for our
Open14Chapter XIII: The Rescue
Chapter XIII: The Rescue from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Cowardly Lion was much pleased to hear that the Wicked Witch had been melted by a bucket of water, and Dorothy at once unlocked the gate of his prison and set him free. They went in together to the castle, where Dorothy’s first act was to call all the Winkies together and tell them that they were no longer
Open15Chapter XIV: The Winged Monkeys
Chapter XIV: The Winged Monkeys from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. You will remember there was no road—not even a pathway—between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City. When the four travelers went in search of the Witch she had seen them coming, and so sent the Winged Monkeys to bring them to her. It was much harder to find their way back through the big fields of buttercups and yellow daisies than it was being carried. They knew, of course, they must go straight
Open16Chapter XV: The Discovery of Oz, the Terrible
Chapter XV: The Discovery of Oz, the Terrible from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The four travelers walked up to the great gate of Emerald City and rang the bell. After ringing several times, it was opened by the same Guardian of the Gates they had met
Open17Chapter XVI: The Magic Art of the Great Humbug
Chapter XVI: The Magic Art of the Great Humbug from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. “Congratulate me. I am going to Oz to get my brains at last. When I return I shall be as other men
Open18Chapter XVII: How the Balloon Was Launched
Chapter XVII: How the Balloon Was Launched from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. For three days Dorothy heard nothing from Oz. These were sad days for the little girl, although her friends were all quite happy and contented. The Scarecrow told them there were wonderful thoughts in his head; but he would not say what they were because he knew no one could understand them but himself. When the Tin Woodman walked about he felt his heart rattling around in his breast; and he told Dorothy he had
Open19Chapter XVIII: Away to the South
Chapter XVIII: Away to the South from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Dorothy wept bitterly at the passing of her hope to get home to Kansas again; but when she thought it all over she was glad she had not gone up in a balloon. And she also felt sorry at losing Oz, and so did her
Open20Chapter XIX: Attacked by the Fighting Trees
Chapter XIX: Attacked by the Fighting Trees from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The next morning Dorothy kissed the pretty green girl good-bye, and they all shook hands with the soldier with the green whiskers, who had walked with them as far as the gate. When the Guardian of the Gate saw them again he wondered greatly that they could leave the beautiful City to get into new trouble. But he at once unlocked their spectacles, which he put back into the green box, and gave them many good wishes
Open21Chapter XX: The Dainty China Country
Chapter XX: The Dainty China Country from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. While the Woodman was making a ladder from wood which he found in the forest Dorothy lay down and slept, for she was tired by the long walk. The Lion also curled himself up to sleep and Toto lay beside
Open22Chapter XXI: The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts
Chapter XXI: The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After climbing down from the china wall the travelers found themselves in a disagreeable country, full of bogs and marshes and covered with tall, rank grass. It was difficult to walk without falling into muddy holes, for the grass was so thick that it hid them from sight. However, by carefully picking their way, they got safely along until they reached solid ground. But here the country seemed wilder than ever, and
Open23Chapter XXII: The Country of the Quadlings
Chapter XXII: The Country of the Quadlings from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The four travelers passed through the rest of the forest in safety, and when they came out from its gloom saw before them a steep hill, covered from top to bottom with great pieces of
Open24Chapter XXIII: Glinda The Good Witch Grants Dorothy’s Wish
Chapter XXIII: Glinda The Good Witch Grants Dorothy’s Wish from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Before they went to see Glinda, however, they were taken to a room of the Castle, where Dorothy washed her face and combed her hair, and the Lion shook the dust out of his mane, and the Scarecrow patted himself into his best shape, and the Woodman polished his tin and oiled his
Open25Chapter XXIV: Home Again
Chapter XXIV: Home Again from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Aunt Em had just come out of the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward
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