The Winkies Attack

After her wolves, crows, and bees had all been destroyed by Dorothy's companions, the Wicked Witch of the West was so angry that she stamped her foot, tore her hair, and gnashed her teeth. Desperate to eliminate the intruders, she called a dozen of her slaves, the Winkies, and gave them sharp spears, commanding them to go to the strangers and destroy them. This attack was the Witch's fourth attempt to kill the travelers, following the successive failures of her wolves, crows, and black bees, and it marked a shift from using magical creatures to forcing her human subjects into battle.

The Winkies' Reluctance and the Rout

The Winkies were not a brave people, but they had to do as they were told. They marched away until they came near to Dorothy and her friends. However, when the Cowardly Lion gave a great roar and sprang towards them, the poor Winkies were so frightened that they ran back as fast as they could. The Lion's roar, a display of the very courage he sought, was enough to break the attack without a single blow being struck. The Winkies' flight demonstrated their lack of will to fight for their cruel oppressor, and their terror contrasted sharply with the Witch's rage.

Consequences and the Witch's Desperation

When the Winkies returned to the castle, the Wicked Witch beat them well with a strap and sent them back to their work. This punishment underscored the brutal bondage under which the Winkies lived, a servitude that had lasted for many years, making them slave for her night and day. The failure of this attack, combined with the loss of her wolves, crows, and bees, exhausted all her other powers. With no other options left, she was forced to resort to her last and most powerful resource: the Golden Cap, which she used to summon the Winged Monkeys. The Winkies' failed assault thus served as the final catalyst that pushed the Witch to unleash her ultimate weapon, setting the stage for the capture of Dorothy and her friends.