Dorothy's Mystical Adventures in Oz Part 31

Dorothy put her arms around the witch and hugged her. "It was worth going through it all to see you making this transition," said the girl warmly.

Tears now rolled freely from the Witch's eyes. Dorothy began to cry, too. "My heart is very happy for you," she said. "You have entered the door which leads to Heaven. For many, that door is never opened. Yet all have the key."

"I think I know what you mean," replied the Witch. "That key is Love, isn't it?"

Dorothy nodded silently and hugged the Witch tightly. "We are all going to be very good friends," she said.

Suddenly the Witch looked very sad.

"What's the matter?" asked Dorothy.

"I'm so ugly," said the Witch. "I think that's one of the reasons I became so hateful in the first place."

"Hatefulness will make anyone look ugly," said Dorothy. "True beauty is within. An overwhelming feeling of love and kindness could never be ugly."

The Witch brightened up. "Do you think I can become attractive?" she inquired hopefully.

"Of course," replied Dorothy. "You are already becoming so."

Sure enough, the Witch's features were changing. The harshness and the cruel lines around her mouth were dissolving. The greenish tinge to her face was changing to a soft pink glow.

The transformation was amazing. Except for the black cloak and pointed hat, one would never know she was the dreadful Wicked Witch. Her face was actually beautiful now. Her long jagged nose had shortened considerably, giving her quite a sophisticated look.

The Witch was wondering why everyone was staring at her so intently.

"What's the matter?" she asked, rather alarmed.

"Look at your reflection in the water," said Dorothy.

The Witch ran over to the pond. She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her reflection. "This is unbelievable!" she said excitedly.

Dorothy walked over to her. "When we get back to Oz, where our friend the Scarecrow is Emperor, we must find you some new clothes. You will accompany us on our journey, won't you?"

"Oh, yes," replied the Witch. "Thank you. I can't stay in this place now. I will never return here. Oh, this is so exciting! I'm so looking forward to visiting the Emerald City! It will be a pleasure to accompany you. I feel as if a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I have lived in a lonely, cold, isolated world all my life. Now I am looking forward to meeting people and enjoying life. Who knows, perhaps I may meet a handsome prince."

Dorothy put her arm around the Witch. "This is indeed a wonderful moment for all of us."

Well," the Witch said, looking around at all her friends, "are we all ready?"

Everyone nodded vigorously.

"Then off we go!"

They all joined together, arm-in-arm, and began to sing as they danced along.

"We're the best of friends together, so happy, so jolly.

We're the best of friends together, as happy as can be.

We're the best of friends together, and n.o.body -- ever, can part our compa-nee....

Not n-o-o-o-body -- ever -- can part our compa-nee, -- part our compa-nee -- part our compa-nee

When the song came to an end, the Witch said, "I'm so happy, Dorothy, to have such kind and loving friends. Oh, what a fool I've been all these years. I took great pleasure in hurting people and making them fear me.

But it was a pleasure that didn't come from deep within me. Not the kind of pleasure that makes you tingle with joy, the way I feel now. No, it was a selfish, s.a.d.i.s.tic pleasure derived from the feeling of power over others. What a difference between the two. There is no comparison. But, you see, I had to experience the kind of feeling I have now to know the difference. And it was your being kind to me in spite of this cruelty to you which brought me into this wonderful new understanding. I feel as if I have been rescued from a deep, dark, cold dungeon in which I have spent all my life; as if I've been brought out of perpetual darkness into bright suns.h.i.+ne. It is truly wonderful."

"It has made us all very happy, too, to see you so happy," said Dorothy.

"It is difficult to love someone who obviously hates you, but we know that hatefulness and resentment are not natural expressions of humanity, but are caused by a lack of understanding and knowledge of universal laws. Once people become locked up into this self-created prison, it is almost impossible to break them out of it. But, if we don't try, there can never be any hope for any of us."

"Well, I'm certainly glad you tried with me," said the Witch, "or I'd still be there, and totally unaware that in reality I was locked up in my own prison and had thrown away the key."

"Well, you are free now," said Dorothy. "And, with that experience behind you, you will have the understanding to be able to help others in similar situations. That is why we must always show compa.s.sion for those who express hatred and resentment, for they are extremely unhappy people, crying out for help. We must mentally surround them with love.

For to do otherwise means we are caught up in the same trap they are."

"Well, look how far we've walked." Dorothy gestured towards the houses they had pa.s.sed when they first entered Americanpresidentland. The houses were quiet, with no signs of life anywhere. "The meeting must be over," said the Lion. Just as he spoke, a shape jumped out of the bushes at him. The Lion jumped with surprise. The shape growled, but, upon seeing the Lion, the growls subsided and changed into a sort of purring sound. The shape was none other than another lion. And what a pretty lion. She had long curling eyelashes and beautiful big brown eyes. The Cowardly Lion was absolutely spellbound. His heart pounded furiously. He tried to speak but couldn't. Eventually, he managed a weak whisper. "h.e.l.lo."

"h.e.l.lo," replied the other lion, rather coyly. "Where do you live?"

"Quite a long way from here," said he, somewhat embarra.s.sed by everyone looking at them.

Dorothy said, "Why don't we leave these two alone for a while to get acquainted? We'll walk slowly, Lion," she said, "so you can catch up.

Miss Lion is welcome to join us if she wishes."

"Thank you, Dorothy," said the Lion. The female lion looked quite pleased by the invitation. "Well, I'm very happy for you both," replied Dorothy. "Now you each have someone to share your life with."

"She is a very lovely soul," said the Lion, looking into his companion's eyes. "It seems as if we were just made for each other."

"I'm sure you were," replied Dorothy. "I'm sure you were."

Chapter Twenty-two:

A Political Discussion

The journey back to Oz was quite uneventful. Everyone just enjoyed each other's company as they talked of many things.

"You know," said the Tin Woodman at one point, "one of the most pleasant aspects of life is having good friends: someone you can talk to who understands you, and with whom you can share your hopes and dreams and innermost thoughts."

"Yes, friends.h.i.+p is a wonderful thing," said Dorothy. "I was quite a lonely little girl on the farm until I met all of you. Now I have the most wonderful friends in the world."

"Thank you, Dorothy," said the Scarecrow. "We all feel very fortunate to have you as a friend, too. You have taught us many things."

"Well, thank you," said Dorothy. "I know I have learned an awful lot from all of you. And we have all learned tremendously from the friends we have met on our journey."

"I know I have learned a great deal lately," said the Witch. "Thanks to all of you."

"Thank you," said Dorothy. "I think all people everywhere learn from each other. That is part of the joy of life. If there could be no friendly exchange of thoughts and ideas with others, life would not be too meaningful."