Dorothy and Glinda

Dorothy's journey through Oz brings her into contact with several witches, but her relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, is the one that finally resolves her quest. Unlike the Witch of the North, who could only offer a protective kiss and a direction, or the deceptive Oz, who could not fulfill his promise, Glinda possesses genuine magical authority and a clear understanding of the land's powers. She is the last and most effective helper Dorothy encounters, the one who both reveals the means of return and ensures the happy endings of all her friends.

Meeting and the Telling of the Story

After a long and perilous journey south, Dorothy and her companions—the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion—arrive at Glinda's beautiful castle. They are led into a big room where Glinda sits upon a throne of rubies. To their eyes, she is both beautiful and young, with rich red hair and a dress of pure white, and her blue eyes look kindly upon the little girl. Dorothy tells the Witch her entire story: how the cyclone brought her to the Land of Oz, how she found her companions, and of all the wonderful adventures they had met with. Glinda listens to the full account, learning of the house that crushed the Wicked Witch of the East, the freeing of the Munchkins, and the encounters with Oz.

The Granting of the Wish and the Revelation of the Shoes

Moved by Dorothy's tale, Glinda leans forward and kisses the sweet, upturned face of the loving little girl. She declares that she can tell Dorothy a way to get back to Kansas, but she asks for the Golden Cap in return. Dorothy willingly gives it to her, acknowledging it is of no use to her now. Glinda then reveals the crucial secret that has been hidden from Dorothy throughout her entire adventure: "Your Silver Shoes will carry you over the desert," she explains. "If you had known their power you could have gone back to your Aunt Em the very first day you came to this country." She instructs Dorothy that the shoes have wonderful powers, and that one of the most curious things about them is that they can carry her to any place in the world in three steps, each step made in the wink of an eye. All Dorothy must do is knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry her wherever she wishes to go.

Securing the Futures of the Companions

Before Dorothy departs, Glinda demonstrates her comprehensive care for the entire party. She asks each companion what they will do after Dorothy leaves. The Scarecrow wishes to return to rule the Emerald City, but worries about crossing the hill of the Hammer-Heads. Glinda promises to use her first command of the Golden Cap to have the Winged Monkeys carry him there. The Tin Woodman wishes to return to the Winkies, who had begged him to rule over them. Glinda promises her second command will carry him safely to the Land of the West. The Lion wishes to return to the grand old forest where the beasts have made him their King. Glinda promises her third command will carry him there. After using up the powers of the Cap, she declares she will give it to the King of the Monkeys, so that he and his band may be free forevermore. The companions thank her earnestly for her kindness.

The Farewell and the Return

With the futures of her friends secured, Dorothy prepares for her own departure. She throws her arms around the Lion's neck and kisses him, patting his big head tenderly. She kisses the Tin Woodman, who is weeping in a way most dangerous to his joints. She hugs the soft, stuffed body of the Scarecrow in her arms instead of kissing his painted face, finding herself crying at this sorrowful parting from her loving comrades. Glinda steps down from her ruby throne to give the little girl a good-bye kiss, and Dorothy thanks her for all the kindness she has shown to her friends and herself. Then, taking Toto up solemnly in her arms and saying one last good-bye, Dorothy claps the heels of her shoes together three times and commands, "Take me home to Aunt Em!" Instantly she is whirling through the air, and the Silver Shoes take her in three steps to the Kansas prairie, where she finds herself before the new farmhouse, with Uncle Henry milking the cows and Toto running toward the barn. The Silver Shoes fall off in her flight and are lost forever in the desert, but Dorothy is home at last.