"Let us sit down while you have your tea," motioned the Tin Woodman. "I'll explain everything."
As Dorothy sipped her tea she wondered what terrible things could possibly have occurred since she left.
The Tin Woodman looked at Dorothy rather seriously. "Do you remember when you first arrived in Oz and your house fell on the Wicked Witch of the East and killed her dead? And how angry the Wicked Witch of the West was?"
Dorothy nodded. She remembered only too well ... especially when the magical Silver Shoes were given to her by the Good Witch of the North. The Wicked Witch of the West couldn't contain herself; she was absolutely furious. First her sister killed, then the Silver Shoes stolen from right under her nose!
"Well," continued the Tin Woodman, "there was a third sister; the Wicked Witch of the Deep South. She heard about all this just before you left Oz. Then, after you returned to Kansas, the news reached her that you'd thrown water over her favorite sister — the Wicked Witch of the West, and liquidated her. Oh, was she angry! She was livid! And when she found out you'd escaped from Oz she screamed so loudly that her false teeth fell out and all the Munchkins fell down laughing. That really made her mad. She screamed at the Munchkins and told them if you ever come back to Oz you can kiss yourself goodbye, because you'll never see yourself again."
"What a horrible thing to say!" exclaimed Dorothy. "What a terrible person she must be."
"Oh, she is," said the Scarecrow. "She's worse than the Wicked Witches of the East and West put together. It's a good thing you left Oz when you did. Even the Silver Shoes would not have been strong enough to stop her."
Dorothy was about to speak when a familiar figure walked through the open door . It was Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. The girl ran to her friend and hugged her.
"How wonderful to see you again," said Glinda, holding Dorothy tightly to her. "We all missed you terribly when you returned to Kansas."
"I missed all of you, too," replied Dorothy. "More than I can say."