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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Chapter 10. The Guardian of the Gate
The Cowardly Lion woke after lying among the poppies for a long time, breathing their deadly smell.
When he did open his eyes and roll off the truck he was very glad to find himself still alive.
"I ran as fast as I could,"
He said, sitting down and yawning, "but the flowers were too strong for me. How did you get me out?".
Then they told him of the field mice, and how they had kindly saved him from death.
The Cowardly Lion laughed, and said,
I have always thought myself big and terrible, yet little flowers nearly killed me, and little mice saved my life.
"How strange it all is!"
"But, comrades, what shall we do now?"
"We must go on until we find the road of yellow brick again," said Dorothy.
"And then we can keep on to the Emerald City."
So, the Lion rested and feeling like himself again, they all began the journey, enjoying the soft, fresh grass.
It wasn't long before they reached the road of yellow brick and turned again toward the Emerald City where the Great Oz lived.
The road was smooth and well paved now, and the country around was beautiful.
The travelers were glad to leave the forest behind and be free of the dangers they had met there.
Once more they could see fences beside the road, but these were painted green.
When they came to a small house where a farmer lived, that also was painted green.
They passed several such houses during the afternoon.
Sometimes people came to the doors and looked at them as if they wanted to ask questions.
But no one came near or spoke to them because of the great Lion, whom they were very afraid of.
The people were all dressed in lovely emerald green and wore pointed hats like those of the Munchkins.
"This must be the Land of Oz," said Dorothy, "and we're surely getting near the Emerald City."
"Yes," answered the Scarecrow.
"Everything is green here, while in the country of the Munchkins blue was the favorite color."
"But the people don't seem to be as friendly as the Munchkins, and I'm afraid we won't find a place to pass the night."
"I want something to eat besides fruit," said the girl.
"And I'm sure Toto is nearly starved. Let us stop at the next house and talk to the people."
So, when they came to a good sized farmhouse, Dorothy walked boldly up to the door and knocked.
A woman opened it just far enough to look out, and said,
"What do you want, child, and why is that great Lion with you?"
"We wish to pass the night with you, if you'll allow us," answered Dorothy.
"The Lion is my friend and comrade, and wouldn't hurt you for the world."
"Is he tame?" asked the woman, opening the door a little wider.
"Oh, yes," said the girl, "and he's a great coward, too. He'll be more afraid of you than you're of him."
"Well," said the woman after thinking it over and taking another peep at the Lion.
"If that's the case, you may come in, and I'll give you some supper and a place to sleep."
So they all entered the house, where there were, besides the woman, two children and a man.
The man had hurt his leg and was lying on the couch in a corner.
They seemed very surprised to see so strange a company, and while the woman was busy putting the table the man asked,
"Where are you all going?"
"To the Emerald City," said Dorothy, "to see the Great Oz."
"Oh, indeed!" exclaimed the man.
"Are you sure that Oz will see you?"
"Why not?" she replied.
"Why, it's said that he never lets anyone come into his presence".
I have been to the Emerald City many times.
It's a beautiful and wonderful place.
But I have never been allowed to see the Great Oz.
And I don't know of any living person who has seen him.
"Does he never go out?" asked the Scarecrow.
"Never. He sits day after day in the great Throne Room of his Palace, and even those who wait on him don't see him face to face."
"What's he like?" asked the girl.
"That's hard to tell," said the man, thinking.
"You see, Oz is a Great Wizard, and can take on any form he wants."
"So some say he looks like a bird, and some say he looks like an elephant, and some say he looks like a cat."
"To others he appears as a beautiful fairy, or a brownie, or in any other form that pleases him."
"But who the real Oz is, when he's in his own form, no living person can tell."
"That's very strange," said Dorothy, "but we must try, in some way, to see him, or we shall have made our journey for nothing."
"Why do you wish to see the terrible Oz?" asked the man.
"I want him to give me some brains," said the Scarecrow eagerly.
"Oh, Oz could do that easily enough," said the man.
"He has more brains than he needs."
"And I want him to give me a heart," said the Tin Woodman.
"That won't trouble him," the man went on, "for Oz has a large collection of hearts, of all sizes and shapes."
"And I want him to give me courage," said the Cowardly Lion.
"Oz keeps a great pot of courage in his Throne Room," said the man.
"Which he has covered with a golden plate to keep it from running over. He'll be glad to give you some."
"And I want him to send me back to Kansas," said Dorothy.
"Where is Kansas?" asked the man, surprised.
"I don't know," replied Dorothy sadly, "but it's my home, and I'm sure it's somewhere."
"Very likely. Well, Oz can do anything,"
So I suppose he'll find Kansas for you.
But first you must see him, and that will be hard, for the Great Wizard does not see anyone.
But first you must see him, and that will be hard, for the Great Wizard does not see anyone.
"And he usually has his own way. But what do YOU want?"
He went on, speaking to Toto.
Toto only wagged his tail, for, strangely, he couldn't speak.
The woman now called to them that supper was ready, they gathered around the table.
Dorothy ate some nice porridge, a dish of scrambled eggs, and a plate of white bread, and enjoyed her meal.
The Lion ate some porridge, but didn't like it, saying oats were food for horses, not lions.
The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman ate nothing at all.
Toto ate a little of everything and was glad to get a good supper again.
The woman gave Dorothy a bed to sleep in, and Toto lay down beside her.
The Lion guarded the door of her room so she would not be disturbed.
The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood up in a corner and kept quiet all night, although of course they couldn't sleep.
The next morning, as soon as the sun was up, they started on their way.
Soon they saw a beautiful green glow in the sky just before them.
"That must be the Emerald City," said Dorothy.
As they walked on, the green glow became brighter and brighter.
And it seemed that at last they were near the end of their travels.
Yet it was afternoon before they came to the great wall that surrounded the City.
It was high and thick and of a bright green color.
In front of them, and at the end of the road of yellow brick, was a big gate set with emeralds.
The emeralds glittered so in the sun that even the painted eyes of the Scarecrow were dazzled by their bright light.
There was a bell beside the gate, and Dorothy pushed the button and heard a silvery tinkle from within.
Then the big gate swung slowly open.
And they all passed through and found themselves in a high arched room, the walls of which shone with countless emeralds.
Before them stood a little man about the same size as the Munchkins.
He was dressed all in green, from his head to his feet, and even his skin had a green look.
At his side was a large green box.
When he saw Dorothy and her companions the man asked, "What do you wish in the Emerald City?"
"We came here to see the Great Oz," said Dorothy.
The man was so surprised at this answer that he sat down to think it over.
"It has been many years since anyone asked me to see Oz," he said, shaking his head.
"He's strong and terrible, and if you come on a silly trip to bother the Great Wizard's wise thoughts, he might be angry."
"He might destroy you all in an instant."
"But it isn't a foolish errand, nor an idle one," replied the Scarecrow.
"It's important. And we have been told that Oz is a good Wizard."
"So he's," said the green man.
"And he rules the Emerald City wisely and well."
"But to those who aren't honest, or who come to him from curiosity, he's very terrible, and few have ever dared ask to see his face."
"I'm the Guardian of the Gates, and since you demand to see the Great Oz I must take you to his Palace."
"But first you must put on the spectacles."
"Why?" asked Dorothy.
"Because if you didn't wear spectacles the brightness and glory of the Emerald City would blind you."
"Even those who live in the City must wear spectacles night and day."
"They're all locked on, for Oz ordered it when the City was first built, and I have the only key that'll unlock them."
He opened the big box, and Dorothy saw that it was filled with spectacles of every size and shape.
All of them had green glass.
The Guardian of the Gates found a pair that would just fit Dorothy and put them over her eyes.
Two golden bands were fastened to them.
They passed around the back of her head.
They were locked together by a small key on a chain the Guardian of the Gates wore around his neck.
When they were on, Dorothy couldn't take them off even if she wanted to.
But she didn't want to be blinded by the glare of the Emerald City, so she said nothing.
Then the green man fit spectacles for the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion, and even little Toto.
All were locked fast with the key.
Then the Guardian of the Gates put on his own glasses and said he was ready to show them the Palace.
Taking a big golden key from a peg on the wall, he opened another gate.
And they all followed him through the portal into the streets of the Emerald City.