Dorothy's Mystical Adventures in Oz
Page 13
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Chapter Sixteen:
Thoughtformland
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"I'm trying to imagine what Thoughtformland is like," said the TinWoodman as they continued their journey.
"The Wicked Witch said that all of her thoughts were here," said theScarecrow.
"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 ofshape 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 bump 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 theTin 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:
"Ohhh... What kind of thoughts do they think after dark?"
"How about this for the last verse?" said the Scarecrow:
"If you think a thought that you do not like, the shape of that thought must be a horrible sight! What kind of thoughts do you think to yourself? What kind of thoughts will you think tonight?"
Everyone sang the last line really loud:
"What kind of thoughts will you think tooo-night?"
"Well, we certainly cheered ourselves up, said Dorothy.
Just then, they came upon a clearing. In the middle of the clearing wasa large sign, and beyond the sign, huge iron gates loomed. They were setwithin a massive stone wall. As they approached the sign, they couldmake out large gothic letters which read:
BEWARE ALL YE WHO ENTER THE LAND OF THOUGHTS
FOR EACH AND EVERY THOUGHT THOU THINKETH,
A THOUSAND LIKE SHALT DESCEND UPON THINE HEAD.
"Oh, my!" Dorothy said. "We'd better think the nicest thoughts we canthink of."
As they approached the gate, the Lion began to chant:
"Better think nice -- sugar and spice."
The others quickly joined in:
"Better think nice -- sugar and spice."
Dorothy gingerly touched the big iron gate. It swung open easily. "Well, here we go," she said. The little group chanted faster and faster:
"Better think nice -- sugar and spice. Better think nice -- sugar and spice."
They looked about them as they chanted. There were flowers and treeseverywhere -- and, of all things, a yellow brick road. A sign said:
STAY ON THE PATH AND THINK OF GOLDEN YELLOW DAFFODILS.
"Well, that sounds like sage advice," said Dorothy as she walked towardsthe path. To the right of the path were little signs which said thingslike:
SHARING AND CARING ARE WAYS TO BE DARING
KINDNESS AND LOVE ARE THINGS FROM ABOVE
LOVE IS ETERNAL AND NEVER INFERNAL
On the left side of the path were negative signs which read such things as:
JOY AND COMPASSION ARE OUT OF FASHION
TAKING AND HATING GET A HIGH RATING
Circling all around the negative signs on the left were ugly blobs ofdirty reds and grays, and dull brownish greens flecked with scarlet.Some of the blobs were dirty brownish yellow with streaks of orange andblack. All of the blobs had hooks around them. Some of the larger blobsdescended and sat on the edges of the boards. Dorothy could almost seeeyes in them glaring at her hatefully. She turned her head quickly tothe positive signs on her right. Beautiful little forms were dancing andtwinkling around them. The forms were made up of the prettiest, mostdelicate colors. Dorothy could feel a tremendous radiation of loveemanating from them.
"Keep your eyes on the right," she told everyone. "And keep yourthoughts pure. I have a feeling that these ugly things are just waitingfor us to think a bad thought so they can attack us."
Someone started to chant again: /"Better think nice /--/ sugar andspice.... Better think nice /--/ sugar and spice...."/
"I hope that awful witch doesn't come here," said Dorothy. "I just hateher."
The minute Dorothy had the hateful thought, hundreds of evil blobs flewat her screaming the most terrible piercing scream she had ever heard.Their hooks extended out, trying to grab hold of her and attachthemselves to her. Some hooked onto her sweater and to her hair. Dorothysquealed hysterically. Her arms were flying about, trying to get themoff of her.
"Dorothy! Dorothy!" said the Tin Woodman. "Don't show fear." But it wastoo late. From the sky came hordes of grayish darts, like fragments fromexploding rocks. Everyone raised their arms to try to shield themselves.Following the darts came the dreaded cackles of the Wicked Witch on herbroomstick. The sky was filled with her piercing screams of horriblelaughter.
"Well, my pretty, what say you now, eh?" She screamed again as she flewabout them. Large jagged crimson red spikes flew from her hands towardsthem, also ugly blobs of brownish gray with red spikes sticking out.From her eyes shot slithering snake-like pointed shapes with coloredstripes of dirty green and yellow and muddy orange. They writhed about,trying to stick their sharp points into Dorothy's feet.
"Quick now," said the Tin Woodman. "Close your eyes and think nicethoughts."
Dorothy closed her eyes and thought of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, and Totoand the little one-room farmhouse. A great love arose from within herand poured out to them. The minute this happened, a beautiful whitelight appeared around the little group huddled together. All of thehorrible blobs flew back to their signs, while the barbs that had comefrom the Wicked Witch turned around and sped like bullets back towardsher. Now it was her turn to scream with fright. She motioned her legs asif she were riding a bicycle and pedaled as fast as she could to try toget away. But the blobs caught up with her, hooking onto her clothes.One hooked her large nose. The snake-like shapes attached themselves toher behind with their pointed heads. She pedaled furiously off into thedistance, grabbing at them, trying to pull them off. Everyone roaredwith laughter.
"Don't forget," the Lion said, when the l
aughter had subsided, "whatthat first sign said: /Think golden yellow daffodils/."
So they all closed their eyes and imagined that they were surrounded bygolden yellow daffodils. When they opened their eyes again, they wereamazed to see miles of golden daffodils all around them.
"I have a feeling we are out of Thoughtformland," said the Tin Woodman.
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness," said Dorothy. "Thatwas too much."