away.
See what you have done! she screamed. In a minute I shall melt
away.
I m very sorry, indeed, said Dorothy, who was truly frightened to see
the Witch actually melting away like brown sugar before her very eyes.
Didn t you know water would be the end of me? asked the Witch, in a
wailing, despairing voice.
Of course not, answered Dorothy. How should I?
Well, in a few minutes I shall be all melted, and you will have the
castle to yourself. I have been wicked in my day, but I never thought a
little girl like you would ever be able to melt me and end my wicked
deeds. Look out here I go!
With these words the Witch fell down in a brown, melted, shapeless mass
and began to spread over the clean boards of the kitchen floor. Seeing
that she had really melted away to nothing, Dorothy drew another bucket
of water and threw it over the mess. She then swept it all out the
door. After picking out the silver shoe, which was all that was left of
the old woman, she cleaned and dried it with a cloth, and put it on her
foot again. Then, being at last free to do as she chose, she ran out to
the courtyard to tell the Lion that the Wicked Witch of the West had
come to an end, and that they were no longer prisoners in a strange
land.
Chapter XIII
The Rescue
The Cowardly Lion was much pleased to hear that the Wicked Witch had
been melted by a bucket of water, and Dorothy at once unlocked the gate
of his prison and set him free. They went in together to the castle,
where Dorothy s first act was to call all the Winkies together and tell
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