Dorothy lived with her uncle Henry and aunt Em who were both farmers. Their house had only four walls, a floor and a small space under the floor to protect them from powerful winds. The house was in the middle of poor land with strong sunlight and few plants. Aunt Em used to be young and cheerful, but the sun and wind had taken away her happiness. Uncle Henry also looked serious and strict. Only Toto, a little black dog with shiny hair and bright eyes, could bring laughter into Dorothy's life.
One day, they heard low sounds of wind from both the north and the south. Uncle Henry realized a strong wind was coming. He rushed to protect the animals while Aunt Em hurried Dorothy to the basement. Suddenly, the house began to rock and rise to the air. In the center, the wind blew loudly, but Dorothy found herself riding safely on the rising house.
Frightened, Toto ran around the room until Dorothy caught him and protected him from falling through the open door. She closed it carefully to avoid further danger. As hours passed, Dorothy slowly got over her fear. She finally fell asleep on her bed with Toto by her side. The wind had set Dorothy's house down gently in a beautiful country.
As she looked around, she saw green grass, fruitful trees, and colourful flowers. Birds with special feathers sang and flew around. As she stood enjoying the beautiful views, a group of strangely dressed people came near. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads. Three men were dressed in blue, and a little woman wore a white dress. They stopped and discussed in a low voice, as if afraid to come farther.
