Чарівник країни Оз

           Theyworeroundhatsthatrosetoasmallpointafootabovetheirheads, withlittlebellsaroundthebrimsthattinkledsweetlyastheymoved. Thehatsofthemenwereblue; thelittlewoman’shatwaswhite, andsheworeawhitegownthathunginpleatsfromhershoulders. Overitweresprinkledlittlestarsthatglistenedinthesunlikediamonds. Themenweredressedinblue,ofthesameshadeastheirhats, andworewell-polishedbootswithadeeprollofblueatthetops. Themen,Dorothythought,wereaboutasoldasUncleHenry, fortwoofthemhadbeards. Butthelittlewomanwasdoubtlessmucholder. Herfacewascoveredwithwrinkles,herhairwasnearlywhite,andshewalkedratherstiffly. 

           WhenthesepeopledrewnearthehousewhereDorothywasstandinginthedoorway, theypausedandwhisperedamongthemselves, asifafraidtocomefarther. ButthelittleoldwomanwalkeduptoDorothy, madealowbowandsaid,inasweetvoice: 

           "Youarewelcome,mostnobleSorceress,tothelandoftheMunchkins. WearesogratefultoyouforhavingkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast, andforsettingourpeoplefreefrombondage." 

           Dorothylistenedtothisspeechwithwonder. Whatcouldthelittlewomanpossiblymeanbycallingherasorceress, andsayingshehadkilledtheWickedWitchoftheEast? Dorothywasaninnocent,harmlesslittlegirl, whohadbeencarriedbyacyclonemanymilesfromhome;andshehadneverkilledanythinginallherlife. 

           Butthelittlewomanevidentlyexpectedhertoanswer; soDorothysaid,withhesitation, "Youareverykind,buttheremustbesomemistake. Ihavenotkilledanything."