One of the brightest fairy tales of our childhood is “The Wizard of the Emerald City”. It tells about the adventures of a girl, Ellie, who accidentally ended up in a magical land. And to return home, she needs to find one wizard - Goodwin. Volkov A. M.’s book “The Wizard of Oz” is a retelling of the story written by the American writer L. F. Baum “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

Briefly about the character

Goodwin is a dreamer and illusionist who, caught in a hurricane in a hot air balloon, finds himself in the magical Green Land. The residents take him for a sorcerer. Perhaps that's why Goodwin wanted to build the Emerald City. But in the process it turned out that there were not enough materials for construction.

Then he finds an interesting solution: the wizard ordered all residents to wear green glasses. That is, Goodwin used simple glass for construction, and the townspeople believe that these are emeralds. The Wizard gradually becomes bored in the Green Country, and he decides to restore the balloon in order to return home to Kansas.

Despite the fact that Goodwin is not a wizard, but a good magician, he helps Ellie and her friends. He appoints the Scarecrow as the new ruler of the city.

Upon returning to Kansas, Goodwin begins working in a circus and then opens a grocery store. Ellie saw him in Kansas and even invited him to go on a trip to the Magic Land again, but Goodwin stayed at home.

Request from Ellie and her friends

Ellie and her friends were looking for the wizard Goodwin to help make their dreams come true. The girl wanted to return home to Kansas, the Scarecrow dreamed of getting brains, the Tin Woodman - a heart, and the Lion - courage. Before entering the Emerald City, the heroes put on green glasses.

Local residents called the ruler of the city the Great and Terrible, because they considered him a wizard. Despite the fact that he did not possess magic (Goodwin hid this), he was an excellent illusionist. That’s why he appeared before his friends in different images: a talking head, a beautiful woman, a monster and a fireball. He still agrees to help his friends, but only if they fulfill his request - they destroy the Wicked Witch of the West, who has seized power in the country of the Migunov.

Help

The friends complied with the request, but despite this, Goodwin does not want to accept them. The heroes persevere and get an audience. Goodwin tells them that he is not a magician, but a simple magician. He talks about how he came to this country and how the Emerald City appeared.

However, Goodwin managed to fulfill the requests of Ellie and her companions. The Scarecrow received brains made from pins and sawdust, the Woodcutter received a silk heart, and the Lion received a carbonated drink that gave him courage. True, the placebo effect most likely worked here.

And then Goodwin and Ellie return to Kansas in a new hot air balloon. The fact that the ruler of the Emerald City was able to fulfill requests without magic confirms that he was a gifted magician and a quick-witted person.

Character in other works

Goodwin from the fairy tale “The Wizard of Oz” is practically no different from the hero of the original story created by the American writer L. F. Baum. A.M. Volkov only changed the name of the main character and some details of his biography.

Unlike the stories of other authors, in Volkov’s cycle little information is given about the ruler of the Emerald City. In addition to the first part, he is also mentioned in the book “Oorfene Deuce and His Wooden Soldiers.” In it, Ellie finds Goodwin, who has already opened his grocery store, and offers to go to the Magic Land again, but he refuses.

Also, a separate cycle about adventures in the land of Oz was created by S. Sukhinov. He pays more attention to the wizard's personality and even devotes a story to him called "Goodwin, the Great and the Terrible." Just like Baum, in him Goodwin becomes a real magician.

But in all adaptations, most of the biography remained the same as in the original story. Wizard Goodwin from the fairy tale about the land of Oz is one of the most popular sorcerers. Even though he wasn't one. But tricks can also be classified as magic, because not all people can understand how this or that trick is done. Goodwin, despite his reputation as the Great and the Terrible, was a kind and sympathetic person. After all, he agreed to help Ellie and her companions.

He also had good ingenuity and charisma: he managed to convince the residents that he was a wizard, and that the city was built from emeralds. But Goodwin did this not so much because of vanity, but because of the creative side of his nature. And by the way, he managed to bring a little magic into the life of Ellie and her companions.

THE AMAZING TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE WIZARD GOODWIN
The next morning, the green girl washed and combed Ellie’s hair and led her to Goodwin’s throne room.
In the hall next to the throne room, court gentlemen and ladies in elegant costumes gathered. Goodwin never went out to them and never hosted them. However, for many years they spent every morning in the palace, laughing and gossiping; they called it court service and were very proud of it.
The courtiers looked at Ellie with surprise and, noticing her silver shoes, bowed low to her to the ground.
“Fairy... fairy... this is a fairy...” a whisper was heard.
One of the bravest courtiers approached Ellie and, bowing incessantly, asked:
“I dare to ask, dear lady fairy, did you really receive a terrible reception from Goodwin?”
“Yes, Goodwin wants to see me,” Ellie answered modestly.
A roar of surprise rang through the crowd. At this time the bell rang.
- Signal! - said the green girl. “Goodwin demands you into the throne room.”
The soldier opened the door. Ellie timidly entered and found herself in an amazing place. Goodwin's throne room was round, with a high vaulted ceiling; and everywhere - on the floor, on the ceiling, on the walls - countless precious stones glittered.
Ellie looked ahead. In the center of the room stood a throne of green marble, shining with emeralds. And on this throne lay a huge living head, one head, without a body...

The head looked so impressive that Ellie was stupefied with fear.
The face of the head was smooth and shiny, with full cheeks, a huge nose, and large, tightly compressed lips. The bare skull sparkled like a convex mirror. The head seemed lifeless: no wrinkles on the forehead, no folds at the lips, and only the eyes lived on the whole face. With incomprehensible agility they turned in their orbits and stared at the ceiling. When the eyes rolled, a creak was heard in the silence of the hall, and this amazed Ellie.
The girl looked at the incomprehensible movement of the eyes and was so confused that she forgot to bow her head.
- I am Goodwin, the great and terrible! Who are you and why are you bothering me?
Ellie noticed that the mouth of the head did not move and the voice, quiet and even pleasant, was heard as if from the side.
The girl cheered up and answered:
– I am Ellie, small and weak. I came from afar and ask you for help.
The eyes turned again in their sockets and froze, looking to the side; They seemed to want to look at Ellie, but couldn't.
The voice asked:
-Where did you get your silver shoes?
– From the cave of the evil sorceress Gingema. My house fell on it - crushed it, and now the glorious munchkins are free...
– Munchkins released?! – the voice perked up. – And Gingema is no more? Good news! – The eyes of the living head spun and finally stared at Ellie. - Well, what do you want from me?
- Send me to my homeland, to Kansas, to my dad and mom...
– Are you from Kansas?! - the voice interrupted, and kind human notes were heard in it. “And how is it now...” But the voice suddenly fell silent, and the eyes of the head turned away from Ellie.
“I’m from Kansas,” the girl repeated. “Even though your country is magnificent, I don’t love it,” she continued bravely. – There are such dangers at every step...
-What happened to you? – the voice asked.
- Dear, I was attacked by a cannibal. He would have eaten me if my faithful friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, had not rescued me. And then saber-toothed tigers chased us... And then we found ourselves in a terrible poppy field... Oh, this is a real sleepy kingdom! Lev, Toto, and I fell asleep there. And if it weren’t for the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, and even the mice, we would have slept there until we died... But all this is enough to tell for the whole day. And now I ask you: please fulfill the three cherished wishes of my friends, and when you fulfill them, you and I will have to return home.
- Why would I have to bring you home?
- Because it’s written so in Villina’s magic book...
“Oh, this is the good sorceress of the Yellow Country, I’ve heard about her,” said the voice. – Her predictions are not always fulfilled.
“And also because,” Ellie continued. – That the strong should help the weak. You are a great sage and wizard, and I am a helpless little girl...
“You turned out to be strong enough to kill the evil sorceress,” the head objected.
“It was Villina’s magic that did it,” the girl answered simply. - I have nothing to do with this.
“Here is my answer,” said the living head, and its eyes spun with such extraordinary speed that Ellie screamed in fright. – I don’t do anything for nothing. If you want to use my magic arts to return home, you must do as I tell you.
The head's eyes blinked many times in a row. Despite her fear, Ellie watched her eyes with interest and waited to see what they would do next. The eye movements did not correspond at all to the words of the head and the tone of its voice, and it seemed to the girl that the eyes lived an independent life.
The head was waiting for a question.
– But what should I do? – asked Ellie, surprised.
“Free the Violet Country from the power of the evil sorceress Bastinda,” answered the head.
- But I can’t! – Ellie cried in fright.
“You ended the slavery of the munchkins and managed to get Gingema’s magical silver slippers.” There is only one evil sorceress left in my country, and under her power the poor, timid little creatures, the inhabitants of the Violet Country, are languishing. They need to be given freedom too...
– But how to do this? – Ellie asked. – After all, I can’t kill the sorceress Bastinda?
“Hm, hm...” the voice faltered for a moment. – It doesn’t matter to me. You can put her in a cage, you can expel her from the Violet Country, you can... Yes, in the end,” the voice got angry. – You will see on the spot what can be done! The only important thing is to free the Miguns from her dominion, and judging by what I told you about yourself and your friends, you can and should do this. So said Goodwin, the great and terrible, and his word is law!
The girl began to cry.
– You demand the impossible from us!
“Every reward must be deserved,” the head objected dryly. “Here is my last word: you will return to Kansas to your father and mother when you free the Miguns.” Remember that Bastinda is a powerful and evil sorceress, terribly powerful and evil, and we must deprive her of her magical power. Go and don't come back to me until you complete your task.
Sad Ellie left the throne room and returned to her friends, who were anxiously awaiting her.
- No hope! - said the girl with tears. – Goodwin ordered me to deprive the evil Bastinda of her magical powers, and I will never do this!
Everyone was sad, but no one could console Ellie. She went to her room and cried until she fell asleep.

Goodwin seated the guests in soft chairs and began:

My name is James Goodwin. I was born in Kansas...

How?! - Ellie was surprised. - And you're from Kansas?

Yes, my child! - Goodwin sighed. - You and I are fellow countrymen. I left Kansas many, many years ago. Your appearance touched and excited me, but I was afraid of exposure and sent you to Bastinda. - He lowered his head in shame. - However, I hoped that the silver shoes would protect you, and, as you can see, I was not mistaken... But let’s return to my story. In my youth I was an actor, playing kings and heroes. Convinced that this activity gave me little money, I became a balloonist...

By whom? - Ellie didn’t understand.

Ball-lo-ni-stom. I climbed on a cylinder, that is, on a balloon filled with light gas. I did this for the amusement of the crowd, traveling around fairs. I always tied my tank with a rope. One day the rope broke, my balloon was caught in a hurricane, and it rushed off to God knows where. I flew for a whole day, flew over the desert and huge mountains and landed in the Magic Land, which is now called Goodwin's country. People came running from everywhere and, seeing me descending from the sky, mistook me for the Great Wizard. I did not dissuade these gullible people. On the contrary, I remembered the roles of kings and heroes and played the role of a wizard quite well for the first time (however, there were no critics there!). I declared myself the ruler of the country, and the inhabitants obeyed me with pleasure. They expected my protection from the evil sorceresses who visited the country. The first thing I did was build the Emerald City.

Where did you get so much green marble? - Ellie asked.

And so many different green things? - asked the Tin Woodman.

Patience, my friends! “You will soon know all my secrets,” Goodwin said, smiling. - There is no more green in my city than in any other. “It’s all about the green glasses that my subjects never take off,” he mysteriously lowered his voice.

How? - Ellie cried. - So, the marble of houses and pavements...

White, my child!

What about emeralds? - asked the Scarecrow.

Simple glass, but of a good quality! - Goodwin added proudly. - I spared no expense. And then, the emeralds on the city’s towers are real. After all, they can be seen from afar.

Ellie and her friends were more and more surprised. Now the girl understood why the ribbon on Toto’s neck turned white when they left the Emerald City.

And Goodwin calmly continued:

The construction of the Emerald City lasted several years. When it ended, we had protection from evil sorceresses. I was still young at that time. It occurred to me that if I was close to the people, they would recognize me as an ordinary person. And then my power will end. And I locked myself in the throne room and the rooms adjacent to it.

I stopped communicating with the whole world, not excluding my servants. I got the supplies you saw and started working miracles. I have given myself the solemn names of the Great and the Terrible. After a few years, people forgot my real appearance, and all sorts of rumors about me spread throughout the country. And I achieved this and tried in every possible way to maintain my reputation as a great sorcerer. In general, I succeeded, but there were also mistakes. My campaign against Bastinda was a major failure. The Flying Monkeys defeated my army. Fortunately, I managed to escape and got rid of captivity. Since then I have been terribly afraid of sorceresses. It would be enough for them to find out who I really am and it would be the end for me: after all, I’m not a wizard! And how glad I was when I found out that Ellie’s house had been crushed by Gingema! I decided that it would be good to destroy the power and the second evil sorceress. That is why I so persistently sent you against Bastinda. But now that Ellie has melted her, I’m ashamed to admit that I can’t keep my promises! - Goodwin finished with a sigh.

“I think you’re a bad person,” Ellie said.

No, my child! I'm not a bad person, but I'm a very bad wizard!

So I won't get any brains from you? - the Scarecrow asked with a groan.

Why do you need brains? Judging by everything I know about you, you have no worse judgment than any person with brains,” Goodwin flattered the Scarecrow.

“Maybe so,” objected the Scarecrow, “but still, without brains, I will be miserable!”

Goodwin looked at him carefully.

Do you know what brains are? - he asked.

No! - admitted the Scarecrow. - I have no idea.

Fine! Come to me tomorrow and I will fill your head with first-class brains. But you yourself must learn to use them.

Oh, I'll learn! - The Scarecrow cried joyfully. - I give you my word that I will learn! Hey-hey-hey-go! I'll soon have brains! - the happy Scarecrow sang, dancing.

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Goodwin looked at him with a smile.

What about courage? - Lev stuttered timidly.

You are a brave beast! Goodwin replied. - All you lack is self-confidence. And then, every living creature is afraid of danger, and courage lies in overcoming fear. You know how to overcome your fear.

“And you give me such courage,” Lev stubbornly interrupted, “so that I won’t be afraid of anything.”

“Okay,” Goodwin said with a sly smile. - Come tomorrow and you will receive it.

Is it boiling in your pot under a golden lid? - inquired the Scarecrow.

Almost like that! Who told you? - Goodwin was surprised.

Farmer on the way to the Emerald City.

“He is well informed about my affairs,” Goodwin noted briefly.

Will you give me your heart? - asked the Tin Woodman.

The heart makes a lot of people unhappy,” Goodwin said. - It's not a big advantage to have a heart.

“This is debatable,” the Tin Woodman resolutely objected. - I will endure all misfortunes without complaint if I have a heart.

Fine. Tomorrow you will have a heart. After all, I was a wizard for so many years that it was difficult not to learn anything.

What about returning to Kansas? - Ellie asked, very worried.

Ah, my child! This is a very difficult task. But give me a few days, and perhaps I will be able to get you across...

You can do it, you definitely can! - Ellie screamed joyfully. - After all, in Villina’s magic book it is said that I will return home if I help three creatures achieve the fulfillment of their most cherished desires.

Friends, satisfied, left Goodwin's throne room, and Ellie began to hope that the Great and Terrible Deceiver would return her to Kansas.

Suddenly everyone becomes quiet and makes way. A throne of green marble, shining with emeralds, appears in the center of the square. And on this throne lies a huge living head, one head, without a body... Only Ellie and her friends find themselves in front of the throne. Ellie steps forward.

ELLIE. I am Ellie, small and weak. I came from afar and ask you for help.

ELLIE. From the cave of the evil sorceress Gingema. My house fell on her - she died, and now the glorious munchkins are free...

ELLIE. Send me to my homeland, to Kansas, to my dad and mom...

GOODWIN'S VOICE. Here's my answer: I don't do anything for nothing. If you want to use my magic arts to return home, you must do as I tell you. Liberate the Violet Country from the power of the evil sorceress Bastinda.

ELLIE. But I can't do it.

ELLIE. Villina's magic did it, and I'm just a little girl...

ELLIE(cries). You are asking for the impossible!

ELLIE. The great and terrible Goodwin! You don't want to fulfill my request. But then, please, I beg you, at least help my friends. They came with me and expect you to fulfill their deepest desires. They dreamed so much about meeting you!...

GOODWIN. I will fulfill their wishes only if I consider it necessary!

Suddenly the large head disappears, and in its place appears a beautiful sea maiden with a shiny fish tail. The virgin fans herself with a fan, making monotonous mechanical movements with her hand. The Scarecrow gathers his courage and bows respectfully.

SCARED. Good stump! Oh, I mean, day! Do you happen to know where Goodwin is?

SCARED. Can't be!

SCARED. I somehow didn’t think about this.

SCARED. How do you know?

The woodcutter takes a few steps towards the throne. Once again, Goodwin magically changes his appearance. Now a monstrous beast sits on the throne. His muzzle is like that of a rhinoceros, and about a dozen eyes are scattered on it, blankly looking in different directions. About twelve legs of varying lengths and thicknesses hang from the clumsy body.

are you bothering me?

WOODCUTTER. I am a Woodcutter and made of iron. I don't have a heart and I don't know how to love. Give me a heart and I will be like all other people. This is my deepest desire!

It is Leo's turn to go to Goodwin, but when he wants to approach the throne of the great wizard, he jumps back in amazement: a fireball swings and shines above the throne.

A LION. I am the cowardly lion! I would like to get some courage from you to become the king of beasts, as everyone calls me.

Leaving the Emerald City, Ellie and her friends return the green glasses to the gate guard (Goodwin).

ELLIE. This Goodwin turned out to be completely different from what I expected. I thought he was kind, I thought he would take pity on me and return me to my mom and dad...

GOODWIN. But he didn’t refuse you, did he?

ELLIE. He ordered to first defeat the evil sorceress Bastinda. But I don't even know who she is?

GOODWIN. Bastinda has ruled the Violet Country for two hundred years, she has frightened the poor Migun people so much that they blink continuously, and some even have an eye twitch.

ELLIE. I'm scared!

GOODWIN. But you are not alone. True friends are next to you.

ELLIE. It’s so good to have such wonderful friends like you nearby! With you, I really am almost not afraid of anything. Well, it's time for us to hit the road again!

SCARED. Hey-hey-hey-go! Hold on, evil Bastinda! Soon we will come to your Violet Country, and then you will not be happy!