Dorothy's Mystical Adventures in Oz Part 18

"So, my pretty," she screamed at Dorothy. "Are you coming to kill me, too? Who's going to do it? Your scraggly stuffed friend?" She pointed her finger at the Scarecrow, and bolts of lightning shot from her fingers to explode around him. "Or maybe your brave little p.u.s.s.y-cat!"

she said mockingly, as she did the same thing to the Lion and made him jump. "Or what about your tin-can friend?" she whined, shooting a bolt of lightning above the Tin Woodman's head and creating a miniature cloudburst over him, making him jump clear to escape the water. "I'll be waiting for you, my little pretty," she screamed at Dorothy. "That's if you ever get through Thoughtformland. All my thoughts live there, you know. And they just can't wait for your arrival." She burst into squeals of horrible laughter as she made a final swoop over their heads and disappeared over the treetops. Everyone was s.h.i.+vering with fright.

"Why-why, th-th-that o-old b-b-biddy," stuttered the Tin Woodman.

"Who-who does she th-think she is?"

"She called me a p.u.s.s.y-cat!" said the Lion angrily. "I'll show her!" he said, putting up his paw-fists in a mock-fighting stance. He pranced around, shadow-boxing, making Dorothy laugh. Her laughter eased the tension somewhat, although they were all rather apprehensive about continuing their journey toward Thoughtformland.

"If you'd rather not go on, Dorothy," the Tin Woodman said, hesitantly.

"Oh, no!" said Dorothy. "Love is stronger than hate. We will overcome.

If we return now, the witch will have won. Evil will have overcome, and fear will be a part of your daily lives again. We must talk to the Wicked Witch. We must reason with her."

"T-t-talk to her?" stammered the Scarecrow.

"Reason with her!" exclaimed the Tin Woodman.

"Do you know what you're saying, Dorothy?" said the Lion. "I knew one of the Winkies who used to work for her sister, and he told me that when this one used to come and visit her, she would rant and rave and scream and yell the whole time she was visiting. n.o.body could just talk to her.

Of course, her sister was just as bad. They were quite a pair together.

I don't see how you could talk to her."

"Not only that," interceded the Scarecrow. "This one holds Dorothy responsible for the death of her sisters."

"But it was an accident!" said Dorothy. "I had no control over where the cyclone chose to plop my house down, and when I threw the bucket of water over the other sister I was as surprised as anyone that the water melted her away. Everyone knows I'm completely innocent"

"Everyone but her," said the Tin Woodman. "She believes that you killed her sisters on purpose. She wants revenge, there's no question about that."

"Oh, dear," said Dorothy, sitting down on a rock and cupping her head in her hands. "What are we going to do?"

"There, there. Don't be discouraged," said the Lion, putting his paw on Dorothy's shoulder. "We must have courage, and trust that somewhere within the murky depths of her being there is a spark of goodness not yet dead that can be kindled into a glowing ember."

"You're right," said Dorothy, standing up briskly. "If we give up now, we would never forgive ourselves; we must give it all we've got and forget our fears, like Daniel in the lions' den."

Chapter Sixteen:

Thoughtformland

"I'm trying to imagine what Thoughtformland is like," said the Tin Woodman as they continued their journey.

"The Wicked Witch said that all of her thoughts were here," said the Scarecrow.

"If thoughts have forms, what kind of shape must her thoughts be in?"

said the Lion half to himself.

"What did you say?" said Dorothy.

"I said," repeated the Lion, "If the thoughts have forms, what kind of shape must her thoughts be in?"

"Which might apply to us all," said Dorothy.

"What?" asked the Lion. "What did you say?"

"I said," replied Dorothy, beginning to sing:

"If thoughts are things that go b.u.mp in the night, what kind of thoughts do you think are right?

What kind of thoughts do you think to yourself?

What kind of thoughts will you think tonight?"

Everyone joined in to repeat the last line:

"What kind of thoughts will you think tonight?"

Dorothy began again:

"If thoughts are things that can give you a fright, What kind of thoughts will you bring to sight?

What kind of thoughts do you think to yourself?

What kind of thoughts will you think tonight?"

Again everyone joined in:

Ohhh... What kind of thoughts will you think tonight?

The Lion said, "Let me make one up:

If thoughts have wings and can fly away, what kind of thoughts are you thinking today?"

"Very good!" said Dorothy, as they all chimed in:

"What kind of thoughts are you thinking today?"

"Let me try," said the Scarecrow:

"If thoughts are things that can zip and zoom, what kind of thoughts do you think in your room?"

They all sang at the top of their voices:

"What kind of thoughts do you think in your room?"

By now, everyone was in rare humor. "I've got a good one," said the Tin Woodman:

"If the thoughts of witches are jagged and sharp, what kind of thoughts do they think after dark?"

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Dorothy. "Now everyone," she shouted, waving her arms: