Emily Gale and her husband Henry were counting chicks in an incubator.

"How many chick so far, Em?" he asked.

"Seventy," she responded.

"Aunt Em! Aunt Em!"

Dorothy, with Toto in her arms rushed up to them with Gwen by her side. "Just listen to what Miss Gulch did to Toto, she-"

"Whatever Miss Gulch did will have to be discussed later, Dorothy," said Aunt Em. "We need to count these chicks."

"Uncle Henry?"

"Not now, Hun," said Uncle Henry. "I'm helping your aunt. This old incubator has gone bad and we are very likely to lose a lot of our chicks. Oh, Hello, Gwen," he added looking at her.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Gale," she responded giving Dorothy and apologetic look.
"The poor little chicks," said Dorothy. "But Aunt Em, Miss Gulch hit Toto right on the back with a rake, just because he chased her nasty old cat. Now she says that she is going to get the sheriff and-"

"Dorothy!" said Aunt Em. "Please, we're busy."

"Oh, alright," said Dorothy forlornly, knowing that it was useless to explain.

"Poor kid," said Uncle Henry looking at his niece walk away. "Her and her Miss Gulch problems."

"Yes, but we all need to solve problems ourselves sometimes, Henry," said Aunt Em.

The three farmhands, Zeke, Hunk and Hickeory were fixing a wagon.

"Come on, Hick!" snapped Hunk. "Use your head, the wheel doesn't go that end. OOOOWWWW!"

Zeke had accidentally dropped a hammer on Hunk;s figner.

"What's the big idea?" cried Hunk.

"Well, you don't use your head much do you, Hunk?" laughed Zeke. "Don't put your finger next to a space that will be hammered."

Hunk raised a fist at Zeke who cowered much to his amusement.

"Imfeel for you there, Zeke," said Hickory.

Dorothy rushed up to them with Gwen.

"Guys? Miss Gulch says she ois goingot kill Toto."

"She's just giving you a fright," they all said not taking their eyes of the wagon.

Hunk walked up to her.

"You ain't using your head about that nasty piece of work Miss Gulch, Dorothy. Think you didn't have a brain at all."

"I jolly well do have brains, Hunk!" snapped Dorothy offended.

"Then why don't you use them?" Hunk said. "When you come home from school don't pass Miss Gulch's home. That way Toto won't get into her garden, and that way you'll stay out of trouble. See?"

"Oh, Hunk," sighed Dorothy. "You just won't listen that's all."

"Well you head ain't made out of straw you know," he smiled. He went back to the wagon and hammered his finger by accident.

"Rather hypocritical," said Gwen hiding a giggle.

Hickory got up and stretched. "All this work is so hard I feel I am starting to rust. Considering I'm not made of tin. Don't let Hunk kid you about that miserable old Gulch grouch, Dorothy. She's only a miserable sour-faced maid who has no heart left. You should have a little more heart and feel little pity for her, even if she is such a miserable old grouch."

"Well gee; I do try to have a heart, Hickory," said Dorothy.

"That mean old Gulch woman is nothing to fear, Dorothy. You need a little courage, that's all."

"Thank you for the advice, Zeke," said Dorothy. "But I'm not afraid of her." In truth, she was, but didn't like to admit, a sixteen-year-old girl frightened of a horrible old woman.

"What I would do next time I see her is walk right up to her and spit her in the eye," laughed Zeke.

"Just never let go of your bravery, Dorothy," said Gwen. "Or you will be at the mercy of Miss Gulch."

Aunt Em came up to them with a plate of fresh crullers.

"Here now, what's with all this jabber-wapping when there's a ton of work to be done? I know three shiftless farmhands who will be out of a job before they can say Jack Robinson. Hickory, you and Hunk get working on that wagon."

"Someday, miss Gale," said Hickory pointing a finger in the air. "They will erect a statue of me in this town."

"And don't start posing for it now," she took back. "Here, you can't work on an empty stomach. Have some crullers."

"Ah thanks you, Miss Gale," said hickory taking one. "You're thoughtful."

"Cheers, Miss Gale," said Hunk taking one.

"Thank you, Miss Gale," said Zeke taking a cruller. "I'm starving."

"I'll bet you are," said Aunt Em. "But laying about causes more hunger. Now go tend to them hogs before they worry themselves into anaemia."

"Yes, Miss Gale," he said, and he left.

"Miss Gale," said Gwen. "Dorothy needs to tell you something about Miss Gulch."

"Still worrying about that crabby woman, Dorothy?"

"Do you know what she said she was gonna do to Toto?" Dorothy began. "She said she's going to take Toto to the-"

"Dorothy," Aunt Em cut in. "I know how sensitive you are with little things and always getting yourself into a fret over nothing. All you need to do is just be strong and stand up to people who are merciless and threaten you even when you don't deserve it. Now you just be a good girl and help us out today, and find yourself a place where you can't get into any trouble." And she went back to her business.

"A place where there isn't any trouble," repeated Dorothy. "Don't you two know of such a place?"

"Not really," said Gwen. "But wouldn't that be nice?"

"There must be. It's not a place you can get to by boat or train; it's far, far away. Being the moon, beyond the rain."

And she began to sing.

When all the world is a hopeless jumble and the raindrops tumble all around

Heaven opens a magic lane

When all the clouds darken up the skyway there's a rainbow highway to be found

Leading from your window pane

To a place behind the sun, just a step beyond the rain

Somewhere over the rainbow way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far

Behind me

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow. Why then, oh, why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly

Beyond the rainbow why, oh, why can't I?