The Oz Series
Chapter 15
Part of the Dorothy's Journey to the Wizard and Back to Kansas arc.
What happens
The four travelers reach the great gate of the Emerald City and ring the bell, and the same Guardian of the Gates opens it, surprised at their return. When the Scarecrow explains they visited the Wicked Witch of the West and that she is melted, the Guardian is astonished and, learning Dorothy melted her, bows low before her. He leads them into his room, locks the green spectacles from his great box on their eyes as before, and lets them through. The people, hearing that Dorothy melted the Wicked Witch, gather and follow the travelers in a great crowd to the Palace of Oz.
The soldier with the green whiskers admits them, and the beautiful green girl shows each traveler to their old rooms to rest. Word is carried to Oz that Dorothy and the others have returned after destroying the Witch, but Oz makes no reply and sends no word for several days. Growing vexed at this poor treatment after being sent to face hardship and slavery, the Scarecrow has the green girl deliver a message: if Oz does not admit them at once, they will call the Winged Monkeys to find out whether he keeps his promises. Frightened, having once met the Winged Monkeys in the Land of the West, Oz sends word for them to come to the Throne Room at four minutes after nine the next morning.
The travelers pass a sleepless night, each thinking of his promised gift; Dorothy dreams briefly of Kansas and Aunt Em. Promptly the next morning the green-whiskered soldier leads them into the Throne Room, where they are surprised to find no one at all, the empty room's stillness more dreadful than any form Oz had taken. A solemn Voice from near the top of the dome announces "I am Oz, the Great and Terrible," and claims to be everywhere but invisible to common mortals. The Voice seats itself upon the throne, and the travelers claim their promises: Dorothy her return to Kansas, the Scarecrow brains, the Tin Woodman a heart, and the Lion courage. When the Voice, trembling slightly, confirms the Witch is destroyed by Dorothy's bucket of water, it asks them to return the next day, but the travelers angrily refuse to wait longer.
The Lion roars loudly to frighten the Wizard, and Toto, startled, tips over a screen in the corner. Behind it stands revealed a little old man with a bald head and wrinkled face, as surprised as they are. When the Tin Woodman raises his axe demanding to know who he is, the little man admits he is Oz, the Great and Terrible, and begs not to be struck, promising to do anything they want. The travelers express their shock, having each believed Oz to be a great Head, a lovely Lady, a terrible Beast, or a Ball of Fire, and Oz confesses he has been making believe and is not a Great Wizard but a common man and a humbug.
Oz explains that only the four of them and himself know he is a humbug, and that letting them into the Throne Room was a great mistake, since he usually refuses to see even his subjects so they believe him terrible. He leads them to a small chamber and shows the great Head made of many thicknesses of paper hung by wire, which he moved by pulling threads while a ventriloquist voice seemed to come from it. He shows the dress and mask of the lovely Lady, the sewn skins with slats that formed the terrible Beast, and the cotton ball hung from the ceiling and soaked in oil that burned as the Ball of Fire.
Oz then tells his story: he was born in Omaha, became a well-trained ventriloquist able to imitate any bird or beast, then a balloonist who went up on circus days. One day his balloon's ropes twisted so he could not descend, and a current of air carried him many miles for a day and a night to a strange, beautiful country. The people, seeing him come from the clouds, thought him a great Wizard, and he let them believe it. To keep them busy he ordered them to build the City and Palace, named it the Emerald City, and put green spectacles on everyone so everything looked green, though the city is no greener than any other. He grew old ruling the people, who like him, but he shut himself up in the Palace.
Oz explains his great fear was the four Witches who ruled the North, South, East, and West; the Witches of the North and South were good, but those of the East and West were terribly wicked, and only their belief in his greater power kept them from destroying him. He was therefore pleased when Dorothy's house fell on the Wicked Witch of the East and promised anything to be rid of the other Witch, but now that she is melted he is ashamed he cannot keep his promises. Dorothy calls him a bad man, and he replies he is a good man but a bad Wizard.
Oz addresses each gift: he tells the Scarecrow he does not need brains because experience brings knowledge, but agrees to stuff his head; he tells the Lion he already has true courage, which is facing danger while afraid, but agrees to give him a courage that makes one forget fear; and he tells the Tin Woodman he is wrong to want a heart since it makes people unhappy, but agrees to give one anyway, all to be done the next morning. For Dorothy he needs two or three days to consider a way across the desert. In return he asks only that they keep his secret and tell no one he is a humbug. They agree and return to their rooms in high spirits, Dorothy still hoping "The Great and Terrible Humbug" will send her home.
Who is in play
- Dorothy
- Cowardly Lion
- Tin Woodman
- Scarecrow
- Dorothy's Traveling Party
- Winged Monkeys
- Witch of the North
- Aunt Em
- City of Emeralds
- Kansas
- Oz
- Toto
- Wicked Witch of the East
- Guardian of the Gates
- Palace of Oz
- the soldier with the green whiskers