From The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wicked Witch of the West
Ruler of the West • Cruel and cowardly
A cruel ruler of the Winkies who wants the silver shoes and fears water more than anything.
Who is The Wicked Witch of the West?
The Wicked Witch of the West rules the land of the Winkies from her yellow castle. She has just one eye, but it can see a very long way, and she sends wolves, crows and Winged Monkeys after Dorothy and her friends. She wants Dorothy’s silver shoes badly, yet she cannot harm Dorothy because of the Good Witch’s protective kiss.
The Wicked Witch of the West is a character in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.
What is The Wicked Witch of the West like?
- greedy
- bossy
- sneaky
The Wicked Witch of the West’s story
The Wicked Witch of the West rules the Winkies in the yellow western country. She has only one eye, but it can see like a telescope. She notices Dorothy’s party coming and sends forty wolves, forty crows and a swarm of black bees against them. Each time, one of Dorothy’s friends defeats the attack.
Her last weapon is the Golden Cap, which lets her command the Winged Monkeys, who carry Dorothy and the Lion to her castle. She cannot hurt Dorothy because of the kiss on her forehead, so she makes Dorothy her servant, cleaning the pots and kettles, sweeping the floor and keeping the fire fed. She is afraid of the dark and of water, but she badly wants the silver shoes.
She puts an invisible iron bar across the kitchen floor. Dorothy trips and one shoe falls off, and the Witch snatches it. Furious, Dorothy throws a bucket of water over her. The Witch melts into a brown puddle, and the Winkies are free.
“In a minute I shall melt away.”
A moment to remember
She hides an invisible bar on the kitchen floor to trip Dorothy and grab a silver shoe, but a bucket of mop water ends her mischief for good.
Family and friends
- Dorothy Gale: her servant and her enemy
- Cowardly Lion: her prisoner
- Scarecrow: enemy
- Tin Woodman: enemy; he later rules her Winkies
Talk about it
Dorothy stayed kind even when the Witch was mean to her. What can you do when someone is unkind to you?
Questions about The Wicked Witch of the West
- How does the Wicked Witch of the West die?
- She melts when Dorothy throws a bucket of water over her. Dorothy did it in anger after the Witch tricked her and took one of her silver shoes.
- What does the Wicked Witch of the West want in the book?
- She wants Dorothy’s silver shoes, because they have great magic. She also wants the Lion to pull her carriage.
- Is the Wicked Witch of the West green in the book?
- No. Baum does not make her green. She is a one-eyed witch who rules the Winkies from a yellow castle.
Read the story in
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Ages 6–9, 72 pages
