# Novial/Wizard of Oz/The Cyclone

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| Novial heme Kontenaje - Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 2 Chapitre Un Li Siklone | Novial home Contents - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 Chapter One The Cyclone | Novial home Contents - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 Chapter One The Cyclone |
| Dorothy habitad mid li grandi stepes de Kansas, che Onklo Henry, kel esed farmere, e Tanta Em, kel esed li marita del farmere. Lesen hause esed mikri, pro ke li ligne por konstrukta lu had mus bli porta per veture trans multi mayles. Esed quar mures, planche e tekte, kel fad un chambre; e disi chambre kontenad rustosi aspektenti forne, armore por li plates, table, tri o quar stules, e li lites. | Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. | Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. |
| Onklo Henry e Tanta Em haved grandi lite in un angule, e Dorothy haved mikri lite in altri angule. Esed totim nuli mansarde, e nuli kelere – exept mikri true fosat in li tere, nomat siklone-kelere, vor li familie poved vada tikas ke un de ti grandi tordo-ventes did eventa, sat fortosi por destrukte irgi strukture in sen vie. On arivad a lu per trape mid li planche, fro kel skale dukted subu en li mikri, sinlumosi true. | Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar--except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole. | Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar--except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole. |
| Kand Dorothy stead in li porte e regardad sirku, la poved vida nulu exept li grandi, grisi stepe an chaki latere. Nek arbre ni hause rupted li larji extensione de plani lande kel arivad al borde del siele ye omni direktiones. Li sune had baka li plugat lande en grisi mase, kun mikri krakos kursent tra lu. Even li gasone non esed verdi, pro ke li sune had brula li kulmines del longi folies til ke lus esed li sami, grisi kolore kel blid vida omnilok. Unfoy li hause had es piktet, ma li sune desligad li farbe e li pluves lavad lu for, e nun li hause esed matud e grisi kom omni altru. | When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else. | When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else. |
| Kand Tanta Em venid habita dar la esed yuni, beleti marita. Li sune e vente had chanja anke la. Lus had prenda li sintile ek lan okules e livad lus sobre griseso; lus had prenda li redeso fro lan vanges e labies, e lus anke esed grisi. Kand Dorothy, kel esed orfane, unesmim venid a la, Tanta Em had es talim alarmat per li pueren rido ke la kriad e presed sen manu a sur sen kordie kand unque Dorothyn gayi voise arivad a lan oreles; e la ankore regardad li mikri puera surprisatim pro ke la poved trova irgu pri kel a rida. | When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at. | When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at. |
| Onklo Henry nulitem ridad. Lo laborad multim fro matine til nokte e non savad te kel joyo esed. Lo esed grisi anke, fro sen longi barbe til sen rudi butes, e lo aspektad severi e soleni, e rarim parlad. | Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke. | Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke. |
| Esed Toto kel kausad Dorothy rida, e salvad la fro deveno tam grisi kam lan sirkumdantus. Toto non esed grisi; lo esed mikri, nigri hunde, kun longi, silkatri piles e mikri, nigri okules kel brilietad gayim an chaki latere de lon komiki, mikri nase. Toto ludad durant li toti jorne, e Dorothy ludad kun lo, e amad lo karim. | It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly. | It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly. |
| Disdi, tamen, les non ludad. Onklo Henry sidad sur li porte-stone e regardad pavoretosim li siele, kel esed ankore plu grisi kam ordinarim. Dorothy stead in li porte kun Toto in sen brases, e regardad anke li siele. Tanta Em esed lavant li plates. | Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes. | Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes. |
| Ek li ferni norde les audid basi ululo del vente, e Onkla Henry e Dorothy poved vida vor li longi gasone ondad devan li venienti sturme. Nun venid akuti siflo in li aere fro li sude, e kand les turnad sen okules vers ti direktione les vidad ruges in li gasone venient anke fro ti direktione. | From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw ripples in the grass coming from that direction also. | From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw ripples in the grass coming from that direction also. |
| Subitim Onklo Henry steeskad. | Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up. | Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up. |
| “Siklone veni, Em,“ lo vokad a sen marita. ”Me vada sorga li animales.” Tand lo kursed vers li hangares vor li boves e kavales esed tenat. | "There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called to his wife. "I'll go look after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept. | "There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called to his wife. "I'll go look after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept. |
| Tanta Em haltad sen laboro e venid al porte. Un regardeto montrad a la li tre proximi danjere. | Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand. | Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand. |
| ”Rapidim, Dorothy!”, la klamad.”Kurse al kelere!” | "Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!" | "Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!" |
| Toto saltad ek Dorothyn brases e kashad se sub li lite, e li puera komensad riprenda lo. Tanta Em, tre pavorosi, jetad aperti li trape in li planche e klimad subu per li skale en li mikri, deslumosi true. Dorothy kaptad Toto finalim e komensad seku sen tanta. Kand la esed mi-trans li chambre venid grandi kriacho fro li vente, e li hause tremblad talim multim ke la perdad sen stea-povo e sideskad subitim a sur li planche. | Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor. | Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor. |
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| Novial home Kontenaje - Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 2 Chapitre Un Li Siklone  Dorothy habitad mid li grandi stepes de Kansas, che Onklo Henry, kel esed farmere, e Tanta Em, kel esed li marita del farmere. Lesen hause esed mikri, pro ke li ligne por konstrukta lu had mus bli porta per veture trans multi mailes. Esed quar mures, planche e tekte, kel fad un chambre; e disi chambre kontenad rustosi aspektenti forne, armore por li plates, table, tri o quar stules, e li lites.  Onklo Henry e Tanta Em haved grandi lite in un angule, e Dorothy haved mikri lite in altri angule. Esed totim nuli mansarde, e nuli kelere – exept mikri true fosat in li tere, nomat siklone-kelere, vor li familie poved vada tikas ke un de ti grandi tordo-ventes did eventa, sat fortosi por destrukte irgi strukture in sen vie. On arivad a lu per trape mid li planche, fro kel skale dukted subu en li mikri, sinlumosi true.  Kand Dorothy stead in li porte e regardad sirku, la poved vida nulu exept li grandi, grisi stepe an chaki latere. Nek arbre ni hause rupted li larji extensione de plani lande kel arivad al borde del siele ye omni direktiones. Li sune had baka li plugat lande en grisi mase, kun mikri krakos kursent tra lu. Even li gasone non esed verdi, pro ke li sune had brula li kulmines del longi folies til ke lus esed li sami, grisi kolore kel blid vida omnilok. Unfoy li hause had es piktet, ma li sune desligad li farbe e li pluves lavad lu for, e nun li hause esed matud e grisi kom omni altru.  Kand Tanta Em venid habita dar la esed yuni, beleti marita. Li sune e vente had chanja anke la. Lus had prenda li sintile ek lan okules e livad lus sobre griseso; lus had prenda li redeso fro lan vanges e labies, e lus anke esed grisi. Kand Dorothy, kel esed orfane, unesmim venid a la, Tanta Em had es talim alarmat per li pueren rido ke la kriad e presed sen manu a sur sen kordie kand unque Dorothyn gayi voise arivad a lan oreles; e la ankore regardad li mikri puera surprisatim pro ke la poved trova irgu pri kel ye rida.  Onklo Henry nulitem ridad. Lo laborad multim fro matine til nokte e non savad te kel joyo esed. Lo esed grisi anke, fro sen longi barbe til sen rudi butes, e lo aspektad severi e soleni, e rarim parlad.  Esed Toto kel kausad Dorothy rida, e salvad la fro deveno tam grisi kam lan sirkumdantus. Toto non esed grisi; lo esed mikri, nigri hunde, kun longi, silkatri piles e mikri, nigri okules kel brilietad gayim an chaki latere de lon komiki, mikri nase. Toto ludad durant li toti jorne, e Dorothy ludad kun lo, e amad lo karim.  Disdi, tamen, les non ludad. Onklo Henry sidad sur li porte-stone e regardad pavoretosim li siele, kel esed ankore plu grisi kam ordinarim. Dorothy stead in li porte kun Toto in sen brases, e regardad anke li siele. Tanta Em esed lavant li plates.  Ek li ferni norde les audid basi ululo del vente, e Onkla Henry e Dorothy poved vida vor li longi gasone ondad devan li venienti sturme. Nun venid akuti siflo in li aere fro li sude, e kand les turnad sen okules vers ti direktione les vidad ruges in li gasone venient anke fro ti direktione. Subitim Onklo Henry steeskad.  “Siklone veni, Em,“ lo vokad a sen marita. ”Me vada sorga li animales.” Tand lo kursed vers li hangares vor li boves e kavales esed tenat. Tanta Em haltad sen laboro e venid al porte. Un regardesko montrad a la li tre proximi danjere. ”Rapidim, Dorothy!”, la klamad.”Kurse al kelere!”  Toto saltad ek Dorothyn brases e kashad se sub li lite, e li puera komensad riprenda lo. Tanta Em, tre pavorosi, jetad aperti li trape in li planche e klimad subu per li skale en li mikri, deslumosi true. Dorothy kaptad Toto finalim e komensad seku sen tanta. Kand la esed mi-trans li chambre venid grandi kriacho fro li vente, e li hause tremblad talim multim ke la perdad sen stea-povo e sideskad subitim a sur li planche. Tand stranju eventad.  Li hause rotad rapidim dufoy o trifoy e lentim levad se tra li aere. Dorothy sentid quasi la vadad supru in balone.  Li nordi e sudi ventes renkontrad mutu vor li hause stead, e fad lu li exakti sentre del siklone. Mid siklone li aere es generalim tranquili, ma li grandi presione del vente an chaki latere levad lu sempre plu alti, til ke lu esed al maxim alti kulmine del siklone; e dar lu restad e blid porta for tra multi mailes tam fasilim kam on vud pove porta plume.  Esed tre deslumosi, e li vente kriachad sirk la, ma Dorothy trovad ke la voyajad kelkigrad fasilim. After li unesmi poki jirationes, e altrfoy kand li hause pentad multim, la sentid quasi la blid bersa dolsim, kom bebe in berse.  Toto non prisad lu. Lo kursed sirk li chambre, nun dislok, nun tilok, aboyant lautim; ma Dorothy sidad totim tranquili sur li planche e vartad por vida tu kel saled eventa.  Unfoy Toto vadad tro proxim li averti trape, e falad inu; e unesmim li mikri puera pensad ke la had perda lo. Ma bald la vidad un ek lon oreles saliant tra li true, pro ke li forti presione del aere suportad lo talim ke lo non poved fala. La reptad til li true, kaptad Toto per li orele, e tirad lo retro en li chambre, aftru klosant li trape por ke nuli plusi aksidentes vud pove eventa.  Hore after hore pasad for, e lentim Dorothy venkad sen timo; ma la sentid totim solitari, e li vente kriachad talim lautim omnilok sirk la ke la preske devenid surdi. Komensim la questionad se ob la saled bli rupte en pieses kand li hause saled fala ri; ma durant ke li hores pasad e nulu hororisiv eventad, la haltad pavoreta e desised varta kalmim e vida tu kel li future saled porta. Finalim la reptad super li baskulanti planche til sen lite, e lieskad sur lu; e Toto sekud e lieskad apud la. Malgre li baskulo del hause e li kriacho del vente, Dorothy bald klosad sen okules e dormieskad profundim. | Novial home Contents - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 Chapter One The Cyclone Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar--except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole. When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else. When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at. Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke. It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly. Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes. From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw ripples in the grass coming from that direction also. Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up. "There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called to his wife. "I'll go look after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept. Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand. "Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!" Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor. Then a strange thing happened. The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon. The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact center of the cyclone. In the middle of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather. It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle. Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen. Once Toto got too near the open trap door, and fell in; and at first the little girl thought she had lost him. But soon she saw one of his ears sticking up through the hole, for the strong pressure of the air was keeping him up so that he could not fall. She crept to the hole, caught Toto by the ear, and dragged him into the room again, afterward closing the trap door so that no more accidents could happen. Hour after hour passed away, and slowly Dorothy got over her fright; but she felt quite lonely, and the wind shrieked so loudly all about her that she nearly became deaf. At first she had wondered if she would be dashed to pieces when the house fell again; but as the hours passed and nothing terrible happened, she stopped worrying and resolved to wait calmly and see what the future would bring. At last she crawled over the swaying floor to her bed, and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down beside her. In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing of the wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep. | Novial home Contents - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 Chapter One The Cyclone Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cookstove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar--except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole. When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else. When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at. Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke. It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly. Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes. From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw ripples in the grass coming from that direction also. Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up. "There's a cyclone coming, Em," he called to his wife. "I'll go look after the stock." Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept. Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand. "Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!" Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor. Then a strange thing happened. The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon. The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact center of the cyclone. In the middle of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather. It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle. Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen. Once Toto got too near the open trap door, and fell in; and at first the little girl thought she had lost him. But soon she saw one of his ears sticking up through the hole, for the strong pressure of the air was keeping him up so that he could not fall. She crept to the hole, caught Toto by the ear, and dragged him into the room again, afterward closing the trap door so that no more accidents could happen. Hour after hour passed away, and slowly Dorothy got over her fright; but she felt quite lonely, and the wind shrieked so loudly all about her that she nearly became deaf. At first she had wondered if she would be dashed to pieces when the house fell again; but as the hours passed and nothing terrible happened, she stopped worrying and resolved to wait calmly and see what the future would bring. At last she crawled over the swaying floor to her bed, and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down beside her. In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing of the wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep. |