Tuesday, November 4, 2008

More From the Wonderful Wizard of Oz

After being captured, Dorothy loses her silver shoes to the Witch and, out of anger, throws a bucket of water on her. The Witch melts and the soldiers rejoice at being freed from her tyranny. They help to reassemble the scarecrow and tin woodman, who they love so much they ask him to be their new ruler. He agrees to return after he has helped Dorothy get back to Kansas. Dorothy uses the cap to call the Winged Monkeys and have them return her to the Emerald City. Here, she and her companions meet with the wizard and tell him of their deed.


The wizard tries to put them off, telling them to come back tomorrow, but Toto accidentally knocks over a screen revealing an old man who journeyed to Oz long ago in a hot air balloon. He presents the scarecrow with a head full of bran, pins, and needles; the lion with a potion of courage; and the tin woodman with a stuffed heart. Although these tokens are useless, because the scarecrow, lion, and tin woodman believe in the wizard's powers, the items are used a focus for their desires. He then appoints the scarecrow as his successor as ruler over Oz.


The wizard and Dorothy fashion a new hot air balloon out of green silk but when they go to leave Toto jumps out of the balloon and chases after a kitten in the crowd. Dorothy runs after him and the rope holding the balloon breaks, leaving the wizard to float away. Dorothy asks the Winged Monkeys to take her to the balloon but they explain that they can not fly over the desert surrounding Oz.


The Soldier with the Green Whiskers tells Dorothy that the Good Witch of the South, Glinda, may know how to help her return home. So Dorothy, the scarecrow, the lion, and the tin woodman journey to Glinda's place in Quadling Country. On the way they encounter fighting trees, Hammer-Heads, and a giant spider which the lion kills. Out of gratitude, the forest animals ask him to be the new ruler of the forest. He agrees to return to them after he helps Dorothy to return to Kansas. After passing carefully through China Country, Dorothy calls the Winged Monkeys to carry them over the Hammer-Heads' mountain.

Once they reach Glinda's place, she explains that Dorothy had the ability to return home all along, that the Silver Shoes can take her anywhere she wants to go. After saying goodbye, she returns to Kansas and the Silver Shoes are never seen again

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