Witch of the North and Dorothy

The Witch of the North is the first magical being Dorothy encounters in the Land of Oz, and their brief meeting sets the entire journey in motion. She appears moments after Dorothy's house has landed, accompanied by a group of Munchkins, and immediately addresses the bewildered girl as a "most noble Sorceress," thanking her for killing the Wicked Witch of the East and freeing the Munchkins from bondage. When Dorothy protests that she has killed nothing, the Witch calmly explains that the house did the deed, and that is the same thing. She points to the dead Witch's feet, still shod in silver shoes, protruding from under the house. The Witch of the North identifies herself as a good witch who lives in the land of the North, and she clarifies the geography of power in Oz: there are only four witches in all the land, two good (North and South) and two wicked (East and West). With the Witch of the East now dead, only the Wicked Witch of the West remains. She also explains that Oz himself is the Great Wizard, more powerful than all the witches combined, and that he lives in the City of Emeralds.

The Kiss and the Mark

The Witch of the North cannot accompany Dorothy on her journey, but she gives her a gift of immense protective power. She comes close to Dorothy and kisses her gently on the forehead, and where her lips touch the girl they leave a round, shining mark. The Witch declares that no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North. This mark proves decisive later: when the Winged Monkeys capture Dorothy, their leader sees the mark and stops short, telling the others they dare not harm her because she is protected by the Power of Good, which is greater than the Power of Evil. The Wicked Witch of the West also sees the mark on Dorothy's forehead and, though tempted to run away, realizes she cannot hurt the girl directly. The mark thus functions as a talisman of immunity, a visible sign of the North's blessing that shields Dorothy from the most direct threats.

Guidance and the Yellow Brick Road

Before departing, the Witch of the North gives Dorothy the essential directions that structure her entire quest. She tells Dorothy that the road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick, so she cannot miss it. She instructs Dorothy not to be afraid of Oz, but to tell her story and ask him for help. The Witch then demonstrates her own magical nature by whirling around on her left heel three times and disappearing straightway, much to the surprise of Toto, who barks after her. Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, is not surprised in the least. The Witch's instructions are the first clear map Dorothy receives, and they set her on the path that leads to the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and ultimately to the revelation of Oz's true nature.

Contrast with Other Witches

The Witch of the North stands in clear contrast to both the wicked witches and the other good witch, Glinda. She is a small, wrinkled old woman who walks rather stiffly, and her magic is limited compared to the Wicked Witch of the East, whom she admits she could not defeat herself. She is also less powerful than Oz, whom she describes as more powerful than all the witches together. Unlike Glinda, who sits on a ruby throne and commands the Winged Monkeys, the Witch of the North appears in the open, among the Munchkins, and her magic is modest: she changes her cap into a slate to read a message, and she disappears with a spin. Yet her role is foundational. She is the one who interprets Dorothy's arrival as liberation, who explains the moral geography of Oz, and who gives Dorothy the protective kiss that makes her journey possible. Without her, Dorothy would have had no direction, no protection, and no understanding of the world she had fallen into.