Far away in a little town of Kansas, a girl named Dorothy lived with her uncle, aunt and a little dog, Toto. Dorothy and Toto used to play together for hours. One day when they were playing, wind began to blow and the sky became dark. A horrible cyclone came to the town. It was very strong and could rip out trees and blow houses away. Dorothy called out to her uncle, “Uncle! Hurry! Come down here!!”
Dorothy and her family went down to the basement to stay safe. Dorothy’s dog, Toto, didn’t get away in time and was trapped in the house. Dorothy ran back to save Toto. At that moment, the cyclone reached the house and blew it away, together with Dorothy and Toto. Dorothy’s house landed in Munchkinland. This was a place with strange flowers and the smallest houses that Dorothy had ever seen.
There was also a road made of yellow bricks. As her house fell, it killed the Wicked Witch. The Good Witch gave Dorothy the Wicked Witch’s magic silver shoes to show how grateful she was. Dorothy said, “I just want to get back home to Kansas and be with my family again!”
“Put on the silver shoes and go to the Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City. He can make any wish come true, and he will help you get home,” said the Good Witch. “Just follow the yellow brick road. Goodbye!” she added.
Dorothy took a basket of bread and put on the silver shoes. She started off to see the Wizard, hoping he would help her get back home. As she walked down the road, she came upon a Scarecrow. The birds were taunting him, but he ignored them and just stood there. He told Dorothy that he was unhappy because his brain was made of straw. “If I had a real brain, I could think of a way to get rid of these nasty birds!”
Dorothy invited him to come along to the Wizard of Oz. Maybe he could help. Dorothy untied the Scarecrow from his post and took him with her. Soon Dorothy and the Scarecrow reached a deep, dark forest. They heard a loud clanking noise. They saw a man all made of tin brandishing an axe at a tall tree.
“Please help me! I got caught in the rain and rusted, and I haven’t been able to move for a year since then.” Dorothy and the Scarecrow applied some grease to the Tinman’s joints. He was then able to move. The Tinman decided to go with them because he wanted to ask the Wizard of Oz for a heart.
Dorothy and her friends continued down the road. Suddenly, they heard a Lion crying. He said, “I have been banished from my home for being a coward, and all my friends laugh at me!” Dorothy asked him to join them in their journey to the Wizard of Oz, who would surely give him courage.
They now came to a wide blue river. They decided to construct a raft and cross the river. After a while, they reached the edge of a cliff. While everyone was worrying, the Lion said, “If you all climb on my back, I could jump across.” The Lion was terrified but he jumped over, bringing his friends safely on the other side.
The four friends came across a poppy field. Dorothy, Toto and the Lion breathed in the flowers’ fragrance and fell into deep sleep. “Dorothy! Wake up! This is an enchanted poppy field!” said the Tinman. But Dorothy and Toto had already drifted off. The Scarecrow and the Tinman carried out Dorothy and Toto, but took the help of thousands of field mice in carrying out the Lion.
After a long and adventurous journey, Dorothy and her friends reached the gates of the Emerald City, where the Wizard of Oz lived. Everything around them was dazzling green. The gatekeeper told them that they could meet the Wizard the next morning.
The next morning, Dorothy and her friends were led into a large room. The Wizard told them that he would only grant their wishes if they killed the Wicked Witch of the West. Realizing there was no other way out, Dorothy and her friends set out once more.
The Wicked Witch knew that they were coming. She tried to destroy them with various minions–wolves, crows and bees–but each of them was defeated. Finally, the Wicked Witch sent the Winged Monkeys after them. The four friends were captured.
The Wicked Witch noticed Dorothy’s silver shoes and tried to steal them. This angered Dorothy and she threw a pail of water on the Wicked Witch. To her shock, the water melted the Witch and Dorothy was free!
Back in Oz, Dorothy and her friends discovered that the Wizard was an ordinary man who had arrived there by accident just as Dorothy did. With a bit of good-hearted manipulation, he gave the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion what they wanted, noting that each displayed in the journey what they thought they lacked.
The Wizard came up with a plan to return home with Dorothy by way of a hot-air balloon. But at the last moment, Dorothy was left behind. She met the Good Witch of the South, who told Dorothy to tap the heels of her silver shoes together and wish to be home. Dorothy did and arrived back in Kansas. She rushed towards Aunt Em, shouting how good it was to be back home!
