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looked at Dorothy again.
"Why should I do this for you?" asked Oz."Because you are strong and I am weak; because you are a GreatWizard and I am only a little girl.""But you were strong enough to kill the Wicked Witch of the East,"said Oz.
"That just happened," returned Dorothy simply; "I could not help it.""Well," said the Head, "I will give you my answer. You have noright to expect me to send you back to Kansas unless you do somethingfor me in return. In this country everyone must pay for everythinghe gets. If you wish me to use my magic power to send you home againyou must do something for me first. Help me and I will help you.""What must I do?" asked the girl."Kill the Wicked Witch of the West," answered Oz."But I cannot!" exclaimed Dorothy, greatly surprised."You killed the Witch of the East and you wear the silver shoes,which bear a powerful charm. There is now but one Wicked Witch leftin all this land, and when you can tell me she is dead I will sendyou back to Kansas--but not before."The little girl began to weep, she was so much disappointed;and the eyes winked again and looked upon her anxiously, as if theGreat Oz felt that she could help him if she would."I never killed anything, willingly," she sobbed. "Even if Iwanted to, how could I kill the Wicked Witch? If you, who are Greatand Terrible, cannot kill her yourself, how do you expect me to do it?""I do not know," said the Head; "but that is my answer, anduntil the Wicked Witch dies you will not see your uncle and auntagain. Remember that the Witch is Wicked--tremendously Wicked-and ought to be killed. Now go, and do not ask to see me againuntil you have done your task."
Sorrowfully Dorothy left the Throne Room and went back wherethe Lion and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were waiting tohear what Oz had said to her. "There is no hope for me," shesaid sadly, "for Oz will not send me home until I have killedthe Wicked Witch of the West; and that I can never do."Her friends were sorry, but could do nothing to help her; soDorothy went to her own room and lay down on the bed and criedherself to sleep.
The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers came tothe Scarecrow and said:
"Come with me, for Oz has sent for you."So the Scarecrow followed him and was admitted into the greatThrone Room, where he saw, sitting in the emerald throne, a mostlovely Lady. She was dressed in green silk gauze and wore uponher flowing green locks a crown of jewels. Growing from hershoulders were wings, gorgeous in color and so light that theyfluttered if the slightest breath of air reached them.When the Scarecrow had bowed, as prettily as his straw stuffing wouldlet him, before this beautiful creature, she looked upon him sweetly,and said:
