ilized countries I believe there
are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But,
you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off
from all the rest of the world. Therefore we still have witches and
wizards amongst us."

"Who are the wizards?" asked Dorothy.

"Oz himself is the Great Wizard," answered the Witch, sinking her voice
to a whisper. "He is more powerful than all the rest of us together.
He lives in the City of Emeralds."

Dorothy was going to ask another question, but just then the Munchkins,
who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and pointed to the
corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying.

"What is it?" asked the little old woman, and looked, and began to
laugh. The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely, and
nothing was left but the silver shoes.

"She was so old," explained the Witch of the North, "that she dried up
quickly in the sun. That is the end of her. But the silver shoes are
yours, and you shall have them to wear." She reached down and picked up
the shoes, and after shaking the dust out of them handed them to
Dorothy.

"The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes," said one of
the Munchkins, "and there is some charm connected with them; but what
it is we never knew."

Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on the table.
Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said:

"I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure they will
worry about me. Can you help me find my way?"

The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, and then at
Dorothy, and then shook their heads.

"At the East, not far from here," said one, "there is a great desert,
and none could live to cross it."

"It is the same at the South," said another, "for I have been there and
seen it. The South is the country of the Quadlings."

"I am told," said the third man, "that it is the same at the West. And
that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by the Wicked Witch of
the West, who would make you her slave if you passed her way."

"The North is my home," said the old lady, "and at its edge is the same
great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz. I'm afraid, my dear, you
will have to live with us."

Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all these
strange people. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted Munchkins,
for they immediately took out their ha