Lesson 7: The Wizard of Oz

 

When Dorothy was left alone she began to feel hungry. So she went to the cupboard and cut herself some bread, which she spread with butter. She gave some to Toto, and taking a pail from the shelf she carried it down to the little brook and filled it with clear, sparkling water. Toto ran over to the trees and began to bark at the birds sitting there. Dorothy went to get him, and saw such delicious fruit hanging from the branches that she gathered some of it, finding it just what she wanted to help out her breakfast.

Then she went back to the house, and having helped herself and Toto to a good drink of the cool, clear water, she set about making ready for the journey to the City of Emeralds.

Dorothy had only one other dress, but that happened to be clean and was hanging on a peg beside her bed. It was gingham, with checks of white and blue; and although the blue was somewhat faded with many washings, it was still a pretty frock. The girl washed herself carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied her pink sunbonnet on her head. She took a little basket and filled it with bread from the cupboard, laying a white cloth over the top. Then she looked down at her feet and noticed how old and worn her shoes were.

“They surely will never do for a long journey, Toto,” she said. And Toto looked up into her face with his little black eyes and wagged his tail to show he knew what she meant.

At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East.

“I wonder if they will fit me,” she said to Toto. “They would be just the thing to take a long walk in, for they could not wear out.”

She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones, which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her.

Finally she picked up her basket.

“Come along, Toto,” she said. “We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again.”

She closed the door, locked it, and put the key carefully in the pocket of her dress. And so, with Toto trotting along soberly behind her, she started on her journey.

Vocabulary:

 

Spread: To move something around so that it covers a large area.

Example sentence: He spread the cards out on the table.

 

Sparkling: Shining brightly.

Example sentence: The river’s water is sparkling in the light.

 

Gather: To collect several things together.

Example sentence: She gathered her things together and left.

 

Journey: To travel from one place to another.

Example sentence: We take games for the children when we go on long journeys.

 

Somewhat: Slightly; a little bit. 

Example sentence: We were somewhat disappointed with the food.

 

Fade: To become less bright or strong.

Example sentence: The music began to fade.

 

Worn: Something that has been used a lot and shows damage.

Example sentence: He sat in an a worn leather chair.

 

Trot: To walk with quick, short steps.

Example sentence: The little boy trotted along behind his father.

 

Sober: Serious.

Example sentence: He was in a sober mood.