Дороті та Чарівник у країні Оз
15. Old Friends are Reunited
IorderedtheEmeraldCitytobebuiltjustwherethefourcountriescorneredtogether,andwhenitwascompletedIannouncedmyselftheRuleroftheLandofOz,whichincludedallthefourcountriesoftheMunchkins,theGillikins,theWinkiesandtheQuadlings.OverthisLandIruledinpeaceformanyyears,untilIgrewoldandlongedtoseemynativecityonceagain.SowhenDorothywasfirstblowntothisplacebyacycloneIarrangedtogoawaywithherinaballoon;buttheballoonescapedtoosoonandcarriedmebackalone.AftermanyadventuresIreachedOmaha,onlytofindthatallmyoldfriendsweredeadorhadmovedaway.So,havingnothingelsetodo,Ijoinedacircusagain,andmademyballoonascensionsuntiltheearthquakecaughtme."
"Thatisquiteahistory,"saidOzma;"butthereisalittlemorehistoryabouttheLandofOzthatyoudonotseemtounderstand—perhapsforthereasonthatnooneevertoldityou.ManyyearsbeforeyoucameherethisLandwasunitedunderoneRuler,asitisnow,andtheRuler’snamewasalways’Oz,’whichmeansinourlanguage’GreatandGood’;or,iftheRulerhappenedtobeawoman,hernamewasalways’Ozma.’ButonceuponatimefourWitchesleaguedtogethertodeposethekingandrulethefourpartsofthekingdomthemselves;sowhentheRuler,mygrandfather,washuntingoneday,oneWickedWitchnamedMombistolehimandcarriedhimaway,keepinghimacloseprisoner.ThentheWitchesdividedupthekingdom,andruledthefourpartsofituntilyoucamehere.