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diff --git a/518-h/518-h.htm b/518-h/518-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7281b88 --- /dev/null +++ b/518-h/518-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7431 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Enchanted Island of Yew, by L. Frank Baum +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +PRE { font-size: small; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.finis { text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Enchanted Island of Yew, by L. Frank Baum + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Enchanted Island of Yew + +Author: L. Frank Baum + +Posting Date: July 30, 2008 [EBook #518] +Release Date: May, 1996 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ENCHANTED ISLAND OF YEW *** + + + + +Produced by John N. White and Dennis Amundson. + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +The Enchanted Island of Yew +</H1> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Whereon Prince Marvel Encountered the High Ki of Twi <BR> +and Other Surprising People +</H3> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +By +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +L. Frank Baum +</H2> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Author of "The Wizard of Oz," <BR> +"The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus,"<BR> +"The Magical Monarch of Mo," Etc.<BR> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +Contents +</H2> + +<PRE> + 1. <A HREF="#chap01">Once On a Time</A> + 2. <A HREF="#chap02">The Enchanted Isle</A> + 3. <A HREF="#chap03">The Fairy Bower</A> + 4. <A HREF="#chap04">Prince Marvel</A> + 5. <A HREF="#chap05">The King of Thieves</A> + 6. <A HREF="#chap06">The Troubles of Nerle</A> + 7. <A HREF="#chap07">The Gray Men</A> + 8. <A HREF="#chap08">The Fool-Killer</A> + 9. <A HREF="#chap09">The Royal Dragon of Spor</A> + 10. <A HREF="#chap10">Prince Marvel Wins His Fight</A> + 11. <A HREF="#chap11">The Cunning of King Terribus</A> + 12. <A HREF="#chap12">The Gift of Beauty</A> + 13. <A HREF="#chap13">The Hidden Kingdom of Twi</A> + 14. <A HREF="#chap14">The Ki and The Ki-Ki</A> + 15. <A HREF="#chap15">The High Ki of Twi</A> + 16. <A HREF="#chap16">The Rebellion of The High Ki</A> + 17. <A HREF="#chap17">The Separation of The High Ki</A> + 18. <A HREF="#chap18">The Rescue of The High Ki</A> + 19. <A HREF="#chap19">The Reunion of The High Ki</A> + 20. <A HREF="#chap20">Kwytoffle, the Tyrant</A> + 21. <A HREF="#chap21">The Wonderful Book of Magic</A> + 22. <A HREF="#chap22">The Queen of Plenta</A> + 23. <A HREF="#chap23">The Red Rogue of Dawna</A> + 24. <A HREF="#chap24">The Enchanted Mirrors</A> + 25. <A HREF="#chap25">The Adventurers Separate</A> + 26. <A HREF="#chap26">The End of the Year</A> + 27. <A HREF="#chap27">A Hundred Years Afterward</A> +</PRE> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +1. "Once on a Time" +</H3> + +<P> +I am going to tell a story, one of those tales of astonishing +adventures that happened years and years and years ago. Perhaps you +wonder why it is that so many stories are told of "once on a time", and +so few of these days in which we live; but that is easily explained. +</P> + +<P> +In the old days, when the world was young, there were no automobiles +nor flying-machines to make one wonder; nor were there railway trains, +nor telephones, nor mechanical inventions of any sort to keep people +keyed up to a high pitch of excitement. Men and women lived simply and +quietly. They were Nature's children, and breathed fresh air into +their lungs instead of smoke and coal gas; and tramped through green +meadows and deep forests instead of riding in street cars; and went to +bed when it grew dark and rose with the sun--which is vastly different +from the present custom. Having no books to read they told their +adventures to one another and to their little ones; and the stories +were handed down from generation to generation and reverently believed. +</P> + +<P> +Those who peopled the world in the old days, having nothing but their +hands to depend on, were to a certain extent helpless, and so the +fairies were sorry for them and ministered to their wants patiently and +frankly, often showing themselves to those they befriended. +</P> + +<P> +So people knew fairies in those days, my dear, and loved them, together +with all the ryls and knooks and pixies and nymphs and other beings +that belong to the hordes of immortals. And a fairy tale was a thing +to be wondered at and spoken of in awed whispers; for no one thought of +doubting its truth. +</P> + +<P> +To-day the fairies are shy; for so many curious inventions of men have +come into use that the wonders of Fairyland are somewhat tame beside +them, and even the boys and girls can not be so easily interested or +surprised as in the old days. So the sweet and gentle little immortals +perform their tasks unseen and unknown, and live mostly in their own +beautiful realms, where they are almost unthought of by our busy, +bustling world. +</P> + +<P> +Yet when we come to story-telling the marvels of our own age shrink +into insignificance beside the brave deeds and absorbing experiences of +the days when fairies were better known; and so we go back to "once on +a time" for the tales that we most love--and that children have ever +loved since mankind knew that fairies exist. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +2. The Enchanted Isle +</H3> + +<P> +Once there was an enchanted island in the middle of the sea. It was +called the Isle of Yew. And in it were five important kingdoms ruled +by men, and many woodland dells and forest glades and pleasant meadows +and grim mountains inhabited by fairies. +</P> + +<P> +From the fairies some of the men had learned wonderful secrets, and had +become magicians and sorcerers, with powers so great that the entire +island was reputed to be one of enchantments. Who these men were the +common people did not always know; for while some were kings and +rulers, others lived quietly hidden away in forests or mountains, and +seldom or never showed themselves. Indeed, there were not so many of +these magicians as people thought, only it was so hard to tell them +from common folk that every stranger was regarded with a certain amount +of curiosity and fear. +</P> + +<P> +The island was round--like a mince pie. And it was divided into four +quarters--also like a pie--except that there was a big place in the +center where the fifth kingdom, called Spor, lay in the midst of the +mountains. Spor was ruled by King Terribus, whom no one but his own +subjects had ever seen--and not many of them. For no one was allowed +to enter the Kingdom of Spor, and its king never left his palace. But +the people of Spor had a bad habit of rushing down from their mountains +and stealing the goods of the inhabitants of the other four kingdoms, +and carrying them home with them, without offering any apologies +whatever for such horrid conduct. Sometimes those they robbed tried to +fight them; but they were a terrible people, consisting of giants with +huge clubs, and dwarfs who threw flaming darts, and the stern Gray Men +of Spor, who were most frightful of all. So, as a rule, every one fled +before them, and the people were thankful that the fierce warriors of +Spor seldom came to rob them oftener than once a year. +</P> + +<P> +It was on this account that all who could afford the expense built +castles to live in, with stone walls so thick that even the giants of +Spor could not batter them down. And the children were not allowed to +stray far from home for fear some roving band of robbers might steal +them and make their parents pay large sums for their safe return. +</P> + +<P> +Yet for all this the people of the Enchanted Isle of Yew were happy and +prosperous. No grass was greener, no forests more cool and delightful, +no skies more sunny, no sea more blue and rippling than theirs. +</P> + +<P> +And the nations of the world envied them, but dared not attempt to +conquer an island abounding in enchantments. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +3. The Fairy Bower +</H3> + +<P> +That part of the Enchanted Isle which was kissed by the rising sun was +called Dawna; the kingdom that was tinted rose and purple by the +setting sun was known as Auriel, and the southland, where fruits and +flowers abounded, was the kingdom of Plenta. Up at the north lay Heg, +the home of the great barons who feared not even the men of Spor; and +in the Kingdom of Heg our story opens. +</P> + +<P> +Upon a beautiful plain stood the castle of the great Baron +Merd--renowned alike in war and peace, and second in importance only to +the King of Heg. It was a castle of vast extent, built with thick +walls and protected by strong gates. In front of it sloped a pretty +stretch of land with the sea glistening far beyond; and back of it, but +a short distance away, was the edge of the Forest of Lurla. +</P> + +<P> +One fair summer day the custodian of the castle gates opened a wicket +and let down a draw-bridge, when out trooped three pretty girls with +baskets dangling on their arms. One of the maids walked in front of +her companions, as became the only daughter of the mighty Baron Merd. +She was named Seseley, and had yellow hair and red cheeks and big, blue +eyes. Behind her, merry and laughing, yet with a distinct deference to +the high station of their young lady, walked Berna and Helda--dark +brunettes with mischievous eyes and slender, lithe limbs. Berna was +the daughter of the chief archer, and Helda the niece of the captain of +the guard, and they were appointed play-fellows and comrades of the +fair Seseley. +</P> + +<P> +Up the hill to the forest's edge ran the three, and then without +hesitation plunged into the shade of the ancient trees. There was no +sunlight now, but the air was cool and fragrant of nuts and mosses, and +the children skipped along the paths joyously and without fear. +</P> + +<P> +To be sure, the Forest of Lurla was well known as the home of fairies, +but Seseley and her comrades feared nothing from such gentle creatures +and only longed for an interview with the powerful immortals whom they +had been taught to love as the tender guardians of mankind. Nymphs +there were in Lurla, as well, and crooked knooks, it was said; yet for +many years past no person could boast the favor of meeting any one of +the fairy creatures face to face. +</P> + +<P> +So, gathering a few nuts here and a sweet forest flower there, the +three maidens walked farther and farther into the forest until they +came upon a clearing--formed like a circle--with mosses and ferns for +its carpet and great overhanging branches for its roof. +</P> + +<P> +"How pretty!" cried Seseley, gaily. "Let us eat our luncheon in this +lovely banquet-hall!" +</P> + +<P> +So Berna and Helda spread a cloth and brought from their baskets some +golden platters and a store of food. Yet there was little ceremony +over the meal, you may be sure, and within a short space all the +children had satisfied their appetites and were laughing and chatting +as merrily as if they were at home in the great castle. Indeed, it is +certain they were happier in their forest glade than when facing grim +walls of stone, and the three were in such gay spirits that whatever +one chanced to say the others promptly joined in laughing over. +</P> + +<P> +Soon, however, they were startled to hear a silvery peal of laughter +answering their own, and turning to see whence the sound proceeded, +they found seated near them a creature so beautiful that at once the +three pairs of eyes opened to their widest extent, and three hearts +beat much faster than before. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I must say you DO stare!" exclaimed the newcomer, who was +clothed in soft floating robes of rose and pearl color, and whose eyes +shone upon them like two stars. +</P> + +<P> +"Forgive our impertinence," answered the little Lady Seseley, trying to +appear dignified and unmoved; "but you must acknowledge that you came +among us uninvited, and--and you are certainly rather odd in +appearance." +</P> + +<P> +Again the silvery laughter rang through the glade. +</P> + +<P> +"Uninvited!" echoed the creature, clapping her hands together +delightedly; "uninvited to my own forest home! Why, my dear girls, you +are the uninvited ones--indeed you are--to thus come romping into our +fairy bower." +</P> + +<P> +The children did not open their eyes any wider on hearing this speech, +for they could not; but their faces expressed their amazement fully, +while Helda gasped the words: +</P> + +<P> +"A fairy bower! We are in a fairy bower!" +</P> + +<P> +"Most certainly," was the reply. "And as for being odd in appearance, +let me ask how you could reasonably expect a fairy to appear as mortal +maidens do?" +</P> + +<P> +"A fairy!" exclaimed Seseley. "Are you, then, a real fairy?" +</P> + +<P> +"I regret to say I am," returned the other, more soberly, as she patted +a moss-bank with a silver-tipped wand. +</P> + +<P> +Then for a moment there was silence, while the three girls sat very +still and stared at their immortal companion with evident curiosity. +Finally Seseley asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Why do you regret being a fairy? I have always thought them the +happiest creatures in the world." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps we ought to be happy," answered the fairy, gravely, "for we +have wonderful powers and do much to assist you helpless mortals. And +I suppose some of us really are happy. But, for my part, I am so +utterly tired of a fairy life that I would do anything to change it." +</P> + +<P> +"That is strange," declared Berna. "You seem very young to be already +discontented with your lot." +</P> + +<P> +Now at this the fairy burst into laughter again, and presently asked: +</P> + +<P> +"How old do you think me?" +</P> + +<P> +"About our own age," said Berna, after a glance at her and a moment's +reflection. +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense!" retorted the fairy, sharply. "These trees are hundreds of +years old, yet I remember when they were mere twigs. And I remember +when mortals first came to live upon this island, yes--and when this +island was first created and rose from the sea after a great +earthquake. I remember for many, many centuries, my dears. I have +grown tired of remembering--and of being a fairy continually, without +any change to brighten my life." +</P> + +<P> +"To be sure!" said Seseley, with sympathy. "I never thought of fairy +life in that way before. It must get to be quite tiresome." +</P> + +<P> +"And think of the centuries I must yet live!" exclaimed the fairy in a +dismal voice. "Isn't it an awful thing to look forward to?" +</P> + +<P> +"It is, indeed," agreed Seseley. +</P> + +<P> +"I'd be glad to exchange lives with you," said Helda, looking at the +fairy with intense admiration. +</P> + +<P> +"But you can't do that," answered the little creature quickly. +"Mortals can't become fairies, you know--although I believe there was +once a mortal who was made immortal." +</P> + +<P> +"But fairies can become anything they desire!" cried Berna. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no, they can't. You are mistaken if you believe that," was the +reply. "I could change YOU into a fly, or a crocodile, or a bobolink, +if I wanted to; but fairies can't change themselves into anything else." +</P> + +<P> +"How strange!" murmured Seseley, much impressed. +</P> + +<P> +"But YOU can," cried the fairy, jumping up and coming toward them. +"You are mortals, and, by the laws that govern us, a mortal can change +a fairy into anything she pleases." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" said Seseley, filled with amazement at the idea. +</P> + +<P> +The fairy fell on her knees before the baron's daughter. +"Please--please, dear Seseley," she pleaded, "change me into a mortal!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +4. Prince Marvel +</H3> + +<P> +It is easy to imagine the astonishment of the three girls at hearing +this strange request. They gazed in a bewildered fashion upon the +kneeling fairy, and were at first unable to answer one word. Then +Seseley said--sadly, for she grieved to disappoint the pretty creature: +</P> + +<P> +"We are but mortal children, and have no powers of enchantment at all." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah, that is true, so far as concerns yourselves," replied the fairy, +eagerly; "yet mortals may easily transform fairies into anything they +wish." +</P> + +<P> +"If that is so, why have we never heard of this power before?" asked +Seseley. +</P> + +<P> +"Because fairies, as a rule, are content with their lot, and do not +wish to appear in any form but their own. And, knowing that evil or +mischievous mortals can transform them at will, the fairies take great +care to remain invisible, so they can not be interfered with. Have you +ever," she asked, suddenly, "seen a fairy before?" +</P> + +<P> +"Never," replied Seseley. +</P> + +<P> +"Nor would you have seen me to-day, had I not known you were kind and +pure-hearted, or had I not resolved to ask you to exercise your powers +upon me." +</P> + +<P> +"I must say," remarked Helda, boldly, "that you are foolish to wish to +become anything different from what you are." +</P> + +<P> +"For you are very beautiful NOW," added Berna, admiringly. +</P> + +<P> +"Beautiful!" retorted the fairy, with a little frown; "what does beauty +amount to, if one is to remain invisible?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not much, that is true," agreed Berna, smoothing her own dark locks. +</P> + +<P> +"And as for being foolish," continued the fairy, "I ought to be allowed +to act foolishly if I want to. For centuries past I have not had a +chance to do a single foolish thing." +</P> + +<P> +"Poor dear!" said Helda, softly. +</P> + +<P> +Seseley had listened silently to this conversation. Now she inquired: +</P> + +<P> +"What do you wish to become?" +</P> + +<P> +"A mortal!" answered the fairy, promptly. +</P> + +<P> +"A girl, like ourselves?" questioned the baron's daughter. +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps," said the fairy, as if undecided. +</P> + +<P> +"Then you would be likely to endure many privations," said Seseley, +gently. "For you would have neither father nor mother to befriend you, +nor any house to live in." +</P> + +<P> +"And if you hired your services to some baron, you would be obliged to +wash dishes all day, or mend clothing, or herd cattle," said Berna. +</P> + +<P> +"But I should travel all over the island," said the fairy, brightly, +"and that is what I long to do. I do not care to work." +</P> + +<P> +"I fear a girl would not be allowed to travel alone," Seseley remarked, +after some further thought. "At least," she added, "I have never heard +of such a thing." +</P> + +<P> +"No," said the fairy, rather bitterly, "your men are the ones that roam +abroad and have adventures of all kinds. Your women are poor, weak +creatures, I remember." +</P> + +<P> +There was no denying this, so the three girls sat silent until Seseley +asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Why do you wish to become a mortal?" +</P> + +<P> +"To gain exciting experiences," answered the fairy. "I'm tired of +being a humdrum fairy year in and year out. Of course, I do not wish +to become a mortal for all time, for that would get monotonous, too; +but to live a short while as the earth people do would amuse me very +much." +</P> + +<P> +"If you want variety, you should become a boy," said Helda, with a +laugh, "The life of a boy is one round of excitement." +</P> + +<P> +"Then make me a boy!" exclaimed the fairy eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +"A boy!" they all cried in consternation. And Seseley added: +</P> + +<P> +"Why--you're a GIRL fairy, aren't you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well--yes; I suppose I am," answered the beautiful creature, smiling; +"but as you are going to change me anyway, I may as well become a boy +as a girl." +</P> + +<P> +"Better!" declared Helda, clapping her hands; "for then you can do as +you please." +</P> + +<P> +"But would it be right?" asked Seseley, with hesitation. +</P> + +<P> +"Why not?" retorted the fairy. "I can see nothing wrong in being a +boy. Make me a tall, slender youth, with waving brown hair and dark +eyes. Then I shall be as unlike my own self as possible, and the +adventure will be all the more interesting. Yes; I like the idea of +being a boy very much indeed." +</P> + +<P> +"But I don't know how to transform you; some one will have to show me +the way to do it," protested Seseley, who was getting worried over the +task set her. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, that will be easy enough," returned the little immortal. "Have +you a wand?" +</P> + +<P> +"No." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I'll loan you mine, for I shall not need it. And you must wave +it over my head three times and say: 'By my mortal powers I transform +you into a boy for the space of one year'." +</P> + +<P> +"One year! Isn't that too long?" +</P> + +<P> +"It's a very short time to one who has lived thousands of years as a +fairy." +</P> + +<P> +"That is true," answered the baron's daughter. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, I'll begin by doing a little transforming myself," said the +fairy, getting upon her feet again, "and you can watch and see how I do +it." She brushed a bit of moss from her gauzy skirts and continued: +"If I'm to become a boy I shall need a horse, you know. A handsome, +prancing steed, very fleet of foot." +</P> + +<P> +A moment she stood motionless, as if listening. Then she uttered a low +but shrill whistle. +</P> + +<P> +The three girls, filled with eager interest, watched her intently. +</P> + +<P> +Presently a trampling of footsteps was heard through the brushwood, and +a beautiful deer burst from the forest and fearlessly ran to the fairy. +Without hesitation she waved her wand above the deer's head and +exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"By all my fairy powers I command you to become a war-horse for the +period of one year." +</P> + +<P> +Instantly the deer disappeared, and in its place was a handsome +charger, milk-white in color, with flowing mane and tail. Upon its +back was a saddle sparkling with brilliant gems sewn upon fine dressed +leather. +</P> + +<P> +The girls uttered cries of astonishment and delight, and the fairy said: +</P> + +<P> +"You see, these transformations are not at all difficult. I must now +have a sword." +</P> + +<P> +She plucked a twig from a near-by tree and cast it upon the ground at +her feet. Again she waved her wand--and the twig turned to a gleaming +sword, richly engraved, that seemed to the silent watchers to tremble +slightly in its sheath, as if its heart of steel throbbed with hopes of +battles to come. +</P> + +<P> +"And now I must have shield and armor," said the fairy, gaily. "This +will make a shield,"--and she stripped a sheet of loose bark from a +tree-trunk,--"but for armor I must have something better. Will you +give me your cloak?" +</P> + +<P> +This appeal was made to Seseley, and the baron's daughter drew her +white velvet cloak from her shoulders and handed it to the fairy. A +moment later it was transformed into a suit of glittering armor that +seemed fashioned of pure silver inlaid with gold, while the sheet of +bark at the same time became a handsome shield, with the figures of +three girls graven upon it. Seseley recognized the features as those +of herself and her comrades, and noted also that they appeared sitting +at the edge of a forest, the great trees showing plainly in the +background. +</P> + +<P> +"I shall be your champion, you see," laughed the fairy, gleefully, "and +maybe I shall be able to repay you for the loss of your cloak." +</P> + +<P> +"I do not mind the cloak," returned the child, who had been greatly +interested in these strange transformations. "But it seems impossible +that a dainty little girl like you can ride this horse and carry these +heavy arms." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll not be a girl much longer," said the little creature. "Here, +take my wand, and transform me into a noble youth!" +</P> + +<P> +Again the pretty fairy kneeled before Seseley, her dainty, rounded +limbs of white and rose showing plainly through her gauzy attire. And +the baron's daughter was suddenly inspired to be brave, not wishing to +disappoint the venturous immortal. So she rose and took the magic wand +in her hand, waving it three times above the head of the fairy. +</P> + +<P> +"By my powers as a mortal," she said, marveling even then at the +strange speech, "I command you to become a brave and gallant +youth--handsome, strong, fearless! And such shall you remain for the +space of one year." +</P> + +<P> +As she ceased speaking the fairy was gone, and a slender youth, +dark-eyed and laughing, was holding her hand in his and kissing it +gratefully. +</P> + +<P> +"I thank you, most lovely maiden," he said, in a pleasant voice, "for +giving me a place in the world of mortals. I shall ride at once in +search of adventure, but my good sword is ever at your service." +</P> + +<P> +With this he gracefully arose and began to buckle on his magnificent +armor and to fasten the sword to his belt. +</P> + +<P> +Seseley drew a long, sighing breath of amazement at her own powers, and +turning to Berna and Helda she asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Do I see aright? Is the little fairy really transformed to this +youth?" +</P> + +<P> +"It certainly seems so," returned Helda, who, being unabashed by the +marvels she had beheld, turned to gaze boldly upon the young knight. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you still remember that a moment ago you were a fairy?" she +inquired. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed," said he, smiling; "and I am really a fairy now, being +but changed in outward form. But no one must know this save +yourselves, until the year has expired and I resume my true station. +Will you promise to guard my secret?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes!" they exclaimed, in chorus. For they were delighted, as any +children might well be, at having so remarkable a secret to keep and +talk over among themselves. +</P> + +<P> +"I must ask one more favor," continued the youth: "that you give me a +name; for in this island I believe all men bear names of some sort, to +distinguish them one from another." +</P> + +<P> +"True," said Seseley, thoughtfully. "What were you called as a fairy?" +</P> + +<P> +"That does not matter in the least," he answered, hastily. "I must +have an entirely new name." +</P> + +<P> +"Suppose we call him the Silver Knight," suggested Berna, as she eyed +his glistening armor. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no!--that is no name at all!" declared Helda. "We might better +call him Baron Strongarm." +</P> + +<P> +"I do not like that, either," said the Lady Seseley, "for we do not +know whether his arm is strong or not. But he has been transformed in +a most astonishing and bewildering manner before our very eyes, and I +think the name of Prince Marvel would suit him very well." +</P> + +<P> +"Excellent!" cried the youth, picking up his richly graven shield. +"The name seems fitting in every way. And for a year I shall be known +to all this island as Prince Marvel!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +5. The King of Thieves +</H3> + +<P> +Old Marshelm, the captain of the guard, was much surprised when he saw +the baron's daughter and her playmates approach her father's castle +escorted by a knight in glittering armor. +</P> + +<P> +To be sure it was a rather small knight, but the horse he led by the +bridle was so stately and magnificent in appearance that old Marshelm, +who was an excellent judge of horses, at once decided the stranger must +be a personage of unusual importance. +</P> + +<P> +As they came nearer the captain of the guard also observed the beauty +of the little knight's armor, and caught the glint of jewels set in the +handle of his sword; so he called his men about him and prepared to +receive the knight with the honors doubtless due his high rank. +</P> + +<P> +But to the captain's disappointment the stranger showed no intention of +entering the castle. On the contrary, he kissed the little Lady +Seseley's hand respectfully, waved an adieu to the others, and then +mounted his charger and galloped away over the plains. +</P> + +<P> +The drawbridge was let down to permit the three children to enter, and +the great Baron Merd came himself to question his daughter. +</P> + +<P> +"Who was the little knight?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"His name is Prince Marvel," answered Seseley, demurely. +</P> + +<P> +"Prince Marvel?" exclaimed the Baron. "I have never heard of him. +Does he come from the Kingdom of Dawna, or that of Auriel, or Plenta?" +</P> + +<P> +"That I do not know," said Seseley, with truth. +</P> + +<P> +"Where did you meet him?" continued the baron. +</P> + +<P> +"In the forest, my father, and he kindly escorted us home." +</P> + +<P> +"Hm!" muttered the baron, thoughtfully. "Did he say what adventure +brought him to our Kingdom of Heg?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, father. But he mentioned being in search of adventure." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, he'll find enough to busy him in this wild island, where every man +he meets would rather draw his sword than eat," returned the old +warrior, smiling. "How old may this Prince Marvel be?" +</P> + +<P> +"He looks not over fifteen years of age," said Seseley, uneasy at so +much questioning, for she did not wish to be forced to tell an untruth. +"But it is possible he is much older," she added, beginning to get +confused. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well; I am sorry he did not pay my castle a visit," declared the +baron. "He is very small and slight to be traveling this dangerous +country alone, and I might have advised him as to his welfare." +</P> + +<P> +Seseley thought that Prince Marvel would need no advice from any one as +to his conduct; but she wisely refrained from speaking this thought, +and the old baron walked away to glance through a slit in the stone +wall at the figure of the now distant knight. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel was riding swiftly toward the brow of the hill, and +shortly his great war-horse mounted the ascent and disappeared on its +farther slope. +</P> + +<P> +The youth's heart was merry and light, and he reflected joyously, as he +rode along, that a whole year of freedom and fascinating adventure lay +before him. +</P> + +<P> +The valley in which he now found himself was very beautiful, the soft +grass beneath his horse's feet being sprinkled with bright flowers, +while clumps of trees stood here and there to break the monotony of the +landscape. +</P> + +<P> +For an hour the prince rode along, rejoicing in the free motion of his +horse and breathing in the perfume-laden air. Then he found he had +crossed the valley and was approaching a series of hills. These were +broken by huge rocks, the ground being cluttered with boulders of rough +stone. His horse speedily found a pathway leading through these rocks, +but was obliged to proceed at a walk, turning first one way and then +another as the path zigzagged up the hill. +</P> + +<P> +Presently, being engaged in deep thought and little noting the way, +Prince Marvel rode between two high walls of rock standing so close +together that horse and rider could scarcely pass between the sides. +Having traversed this narrow space some distance the wall opened +suddenly upon a level plat of ground, where grass and trees grew. It +was not a very big place, but was surely the end of the path, as all +around it stood bare walls so high and steep that neither horse nor man +could climb them. In the side of the rocky wall facing the entrance +the traveler noticed a hollow, like the mouth of a cave, across which +was placed an iron gate. And above the gateway was painted in red +letters on the gray stone the following words: +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +WUL-TAKIM<BR> +KING OF THIEVES<BR> +------<BR> +HIS TREASURE HOUSE<BR> +KEEP OUT<BR> +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +Prince Marvel laughed on reading this, and after getting down from his +saddle he advanced to the iron gate and peered through its heavy bars. +</P> + +<P> +"I have no idea who this Wul-Takim is," he said, "for I know nothing at +all of the ways of men outside the forest in which I have always dwelt. +But thieves are bad people, I am quite sure, and since Wul-Takim is the +king of thieves he must be by far the worst man on this island." +</P> + +<P> +Then he saw, through the bars of the gate, that a great cavern lay +beyond, in which were stacked treasures of all sorts: rich cloths, +golden dishes and ornaments, gemmed coronets and bracelets, cleverly +forged armor, shields and battle-axes. Also there were casks and bales +of merchandise of every sort. +</P> + +<P> +The gate appeared to have no lock, so Prince Marvel opened it and +walked in. Then he perceived, perched on the very top of a pyramid of +casks, the form of a boy, who sat very still and watched him with a +look of astonishment upon his face. +</P> + +<P> +"What are you doing up there?" asked the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Nothing," said the boy. "If I moved the least little bit this pile of +casks would topple over, and I should be thrown to the ground." +</P> + +<P> +"Well," returned the prince, "what of it?" +</P> + +<P> +But just then he glanced at the ground and saw why the boy did not care +to tumble down. For in the earth were planted many swords, with their +sharp blades pointing upward, and to fall upon these meant serious +wounds and perhaps death. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, ho!" cried Marvel; "I begin to understand. You are a prisoner." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; as you will also be shortly," answered the boy. "And then you +will understand another thing--that you were very reckless ever to +enter this cave." +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" inquired the prince, who really knew little of the world, and +was interested in everything he saw and heard. +</P> + +<P> +"Because it is the stronghold of the robber king, and when you opened +that gate you caused a bell to ring far down on the hillside. So the +robbers are now warned that an enemy is in their cave, and they will +soon arrive to make you a prisoner, even as I am." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah, I see!" said the prince, with a laugh, "It is a rather clever +contrivance; but having been warned in time I should indeed be foolish +to be caught in such a trap." +</P> + +<P> +With this he half drew his sword, but thinking that robbers were not +worthy to be slain with its untarnished steel, he pushed it back into +the jeweled scabbard and looked around for another weapon. A stout +oaken staff lay upon the ground, and this he caught up and ran with it +from the cave, placing himself just beside the narrow opening that led +into this rock-encompassed plain. For he quickly saw that this was the +only way any one could enter or leave the place, and therefore knew the +robbers were coming up the narrow gorge even as he had himself done. +</P> + +<P> +Soon they were heard stumbling along at a rapid pace, crying to one +another to make haste and catch the intruder. The first that came +through the opening received so sharp a blow upon the head from Prince +Marvel's oak staff that he fell to the ground and lay still, while the +next was treated in a like manner and fell beside his comrade. +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps the thieves had not expected so sturdy an enemy, for they +continued to rush through the opening in the rocks and to fall beneath +the steady blows of the prince's staff until every one of them lay +senseless before the victor. At first they had piled themselves upon +one another very neatly; but the pile got so high at last that the +prince was obliged to assist the last thieves to leap to the top of the +heap before they completely lost their senses. +</P> + +<P> +I have no doubt our prince, feeling himself yet strange in the new form +he had acquired, and freshly transported from the forest glades in +which he had always lived, was fully as much astonished at his deed of +valor as were the robbers themselves; and if he shuddered a little when +looking upon the heap of senseless thieves you must forgive him this +weakness. For he straightway resolved to steel his heart to such +sights and to be every bit as stern and severe as a mortal knight would +have been. +</P> + +<P> +Throwing down his staff he ran to the cave again, and stepping between +the sword points he approached the pile of casks and held out his arms +to the boy who was perched upon the top. +</P> + +<P> +"The thieves are conquered," he cried. "Jump down!" +</P> + +<P> +"I won't," said the boy. +</P> + +<P> +"Why not?" inquired the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Can't you see I'm very miserable?" asked the boy, in return; "don't +you understand that every minute I expect to fall upon those sword +points?" +</P> + +<P> +"But I will catch you," cried the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't want you to catch me," said the boy. "I want to be miserable. +It's the first chance I've ever had, and I'm enjoying my misery very +much." +</P> + +<P> +This speech so astonished Prince Marvel that for a moment he stood +motionless. Then he retorted, angrily: +</P> + +<P> +"You're a fool!" +</P> + +<P> +"If I wasn't so miserable up here, I'd come down and thrash you for +that," said the boy, with a sigh. +</P> + +<P> +This answer so greatly annoyed Prince Marvel that he gave the central +cask of the pyramid a sudden push, and the next moment the casks were +tumbling in every direction, while the boy fell headlong in their midst. +</P> + +<P> +But Marvel caught him deftly in his arms, and so saved him from the +sword points. +</P> + +<P> +"There!" he said, standing the boy upon his feet; "now you are released +from your misery." +</P> + +<P> +"And I should be glad to punish you for your interference," declared +the boy, gloomily eying his preserver, "had you not saved my life by +catching me. According to the code of honor of knighthood I can not +harm one who has saved my life until I have returned the obligation. +Therefore, for the present I shall pardon your insulting speeches and +actions." +</P> + +<P> +"But you have also saved my life," answered Prince Marvel; "for had you +not warned me of the robbers' return they would surely have caught me." +</P> + +<P> +"True," said the boy, brightening up; "therefore our score is now even. +But take care not to affront me again, for hereafter I will show you no +mercy!" +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel looked at the boy with wonder. He was about his own +size, yet strong and well formed, and he would have been handsome +except for the expression of discontent upon his face. Yet his manner +and words were so absurd and unnatural that the prince was more amused +than angered by his new acquaintance, and presently laughed in his face. +</P> + +<P> +"If all the people in this island are like you," he said, "I shall have +lots of fun with them. And you are only a boy, after all." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm bigger than you!" declared the other, glaring fiercely at the +prince. +</P> + +<P> +"How much bigger?" asked Marvel, his eyes twinkling. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, ever so much!" +</P> + +<P> +"Then fetch along that coil of rope, and follow me," said Prince Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"Fetch the rope yourself!" retorted the boy, bluntly. "I'm not your +servant." Then he put his hands in his pockets and coolly walked out of +the cave to look at the pile of senseless robbers. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel made no reply, but taking the coil of rope on his +shoulder he carried it to where the thieves lay and threw it down +beside them. Then he cut lengths from the coil with his sword and +bound the limbs of each robber securely. Within a half-hour he had +laid out a row of thieves extending half way across the grassy plain, +and on counting their number he found he had captured fifty-nine of +them. +</P> + +<P> +This task being accomplished and the robbers rendered helpless, Prince +Marvel turned to the boy who stood watching him. +</P> + +<P> +"Get a suit of armor from the cave, and a strong sword, and then return +here," he said, in a stern voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Why should I do that?" asked the boy, rather impudently. +</P> + +<P> +"Because I am going to fight you for disobeying my orders; and if you +do not protect yourself I shall probably kill you." +</P> + +<P> +"That sounds pleasant," said the boy. "But if you should prove my +superior in skill I beg you will not kill me at once, but let me die a +lingering death." +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" asked the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Because I shall suffer more, and that will be delightful." +</P> + +<P> +"I am not anxious to kill you, nor to make you suffer," said Marvel, +"all that I ask is that you acknowledge me your master." +</P> + +<P> +"I won't!" answered the boy. "I acknowledge no master in all the +world!" +</P> + +<P> +"Then you must fight," declared the prince, gravely. "If you win, I +will promise to serve you faithfully; and if I conquer you, then you +must acknowledge me your master, and obey my commands." +</P> + +<P> +"Agreed!" cried the boy, with sudden energy, and he rushed into the +cave and soon returned clad in armor and bearing a sword and shield. +On the shield was pictured a bolt of lightning. +</P> + +<P> +"Lightning will soon strike those three girls whose champion you seem +to be," he said tauntingly. +</P> + +<P> +"The three girls defy your lightning!" returned the prince with a +smile. "I see you are brave enough." +</P> + +<P> +"Brave! Why should I not be?" answered the boy proudly. "I am the +Lord Nerle, the son of Neggar, the chief baron of Heg!" +</P> + +<P> +The other bowed low. +</P> + +<P> +"I am pleased to know your station," he said. "I am called Prince +Marvel, and this is my first adventure." +</P> + +<P> +"And likely to be your last," exclaimed the boy, sneeringly. "For I am +stronger than you, and I have fought many times with full grown men." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you ready?" asked Prince Marvel, for answer. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes." +</P> + +<P> +Then the swords clashed and sparks flew from the blades. But it was +not for long. Suddenly Nerle's sword went flying through the air and +shattered its blade against a wall of rock. He scowled at Prince +Marvel a moment, who smiled back at him. Then the boy rushed into the +cave and returned with another sword. +</P> + +<P> +Scarcely had the weapons crossed again when with a sudden blow Prince +Marvel snapped Nerle's blade in two, and followed this up with a sharp +slap upon his ear with the flat of his own sword that fairly bewildered +the boy, and made him sit down on the grass to think what had happened +to him. +</P> + +<P> +Then Prince Marvel's merry laugh rang far across the hills, and so +delighted was he at the astonished expression upon Nerle's face that it +was many minutes before he could control his merriment and ask his +foeman if he had had enough fight. +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose I have," replied the boy, rubbing his ear tenderly. "That +blow stings most deliciously. But it is a hard thought that the son of +Baron Neggar should serve Prince Marvel!" +</P> + +<P> +"Do not worry about that," said the prince; "for I assure you my rank +is so far above your own that it is no degradation for the son of +Neggar to serve me. But come, we must dispose of these thieves. What +is the proper fate for such men?" +</P> + +<P> +"They are always hanged," answered Nerle, getting upon his feet. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, there are trees handy," remarked the prince, although his +girlish heart insisted on making him shiver in spite of his resolve to +be manly and stern. "Let us get to work and hang them as soon as +possible. And then we can proceed upon our journey." +</P> + +<P> +Nerle now willingly lent his assistance to his new master, and soon +they had placed a rope around the neck of each thief and were ready to +dangle them all from the limbs of the trees. +</P> + +<P> +But at this juncture the thieves began to regain consciousness, and now +Wul-Takim, the big, red-bearded king of the thieves, sat up and asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Who is our conqueror?" +</P> + +<P> +"Prince Marvel," answered Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"And what army assisted him?" inquired Wul-Takim, curiously gazing upon +the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"He conquered you alone and single-handed," said Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +Hearing this, the big king began to weep bitterly, and the tear-drops +ran down his face in such a stream that Prince Marvel ordered Nerle to +wipe them away with his handkerchief, as the thief's hands were tied +behind his back. +</P> + +<P> +"To think!" sobbed Wul-Takim, miserably; "only to think, that after all +my terrible deeds and untold wickedness, I have been captured by a mere +boy! Oh, boo-hoo! boo-hoo! boo-hoo! It is a terrible disgrace!" +</P> + +<P> +"You will not have to bear it long," said the prince, soothingly. "I +am going to hang you in a few minutes." +</P> + +<P> +"Thanks! Thank you very much!" answered the king, ceasing to weep. "I +have always expected to be hanged some day, and I am glad no one but +you two boys will witness me when my feet begin kicking about." +</P> + +<P> +"I shall not kick," declared another of the thieves, who had also +regained his senses. "I shall sing while I am being hanged." +</P> + +<P> +"But you can not, my good Gunder," protested the king; "for the rope +will cut off your breath, and no man can sing without breath." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I shall whistle," said Gunder, composedly. +</P> + +<P> +The king cast at him a look of reproach, and turning to Prince Marvel +he said: +</P> + +<P> +"It will be a great task to string up so many thieves. You look tired. +Permit me to assist you to hang the others, and then I will climb into +a tree and hang myself from a strong branch, with as little bother as +possible." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I won't think of troubling you," exclaimed Marvel, with a laugh. +"Having conquered you alone, I feel it my duty to hang you without +assistance--save that of my esquire." +</P> + +<P> +"It's no trouble, I assure you; but suit your own convenience," said +the thief, carelessly. Then he cast his eye toward the cave and asked: +"What will you do with all our treasure?" +</P> + +<P> +"Give it to the poor," said Prince Marvel, promptly. +</P> + +<P> +"What poor?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, the poorest people I can find." +</P> + +<P> +"Will you permit me to advise you in this matter?" asked the king of +thieves, politely. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, indeed; for I am a stranger in this land," returned the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I know a lot of people who are so poor that they have no +possessions whatever, neither food to eat, houses to live in, nor any +clothing but that which covers their bodies. They can call no man +friend, nor will any lift a hand to help them. Indeed, good sir, I +verily believe they will soon perish miserably unless you come to their +assistance!" +</P> + +<P> +"Poor creatures!" exclaimed Prince Marvel, with ready sympathy; "tell +me who they are, and I will divide amongst them all your ill-gotten +gains." +</P> + +<P> +"They are ourselves," replied the king of thieves, with a sigh. +</P> + +<P> +Marvel looked at him in amazement, and then burst into joyous laughter. +</P> + +<P> +"Yourselves!" he cried, greatly amused. +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed, yes!" said Wul-Takim, sadly. "There are no poorer people in +all the world, for we have ropes about our necks and are soon to be +hanged. To-morrow we shall not have even our flesh left, for the crows +will pick our bones." +</P> + +<P> +"That is true," remarked Marvel, thoughtfully. "But, if I restore to +you the treasure, how will it benefit you, since you are about to die?" +</P> + +<P> +"Must you really hang us?" asked the thief. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; I have decreed it, and you deserve your fate." +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because you have wickedly taken from helpless people their property, +and committed many other crimes besides." +</P> + +<P> +"But I have reformed! We have all reformed--have we not, brothers?" +</P> + +<P> +"We have!" answered the other thieves, who, having regained their +senses, were listening to this conversation with much interest. +</P> + +<P> +"And, if you will return to us our treasure, we will promise never to +steal again, but to remain honest men and enjoy our wealth in peace," +promised the king. +</P> + +<P> +"Honest men could not enjoy treasures they have stolen," said Prince +Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"True; but this treasure is now yours, having been won by you in fair +battle. And if you present it to us it will no longer be stolen +treasure, but a generous gift from a mighty prince, which we may enjoy +with clear consciences." +</P> + +<P> +"Yet there remains the fact that I have promised to hang you," +suggested Prince Marvel, with a smile, for the king amused him greatly. +</P> + +<P> +"Not at all! Not at all!" cried Wul-Takim. "You promised to hang +fifty-nine thieves, and there is no doubt the fifty-nine thieves +deserved to be hung. But, consider! We have all reformed our ways and +become honest men; so it would be a sad and unkindly act to hang +fifty-nine honest men!" +</P> + +<P> +"What think you, Nerle?" asked the Prince, turning to his esquire. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, the rogue seems to speak truth," said Nerle, scratching his head +with a puzzled air, "yet, if he speaks truth, there is little +difference between a rogue and an honest man. Ask him, my master, what +caused them all to reform so suddenly." +</P> + +<P> +"Because we were about to die, and we thought it a good way to save our +lives," replied the robber king. +</P> + +<P> +"That's an honest answer, anyway," said Nerle. "Perhaps, sir, they +have really reformed." +</P> + +<P> +"And if so, I will not have the death of fifty-nine honest men on my +conscience," declared the prince. Then he turned to Wul-Takim and +added: "I will release you and give you the treasure, as you request. +But you owe me allegiance from this time forth, and if I ever hear of +your becoming thieves again, I promise to return and hang every one of +you." +</P> + +<P> +"Never fear!" answered Wul-Takim, joyfully. "It is hard work to steal, +and while we have so much treasure it is wholly unnecessary. Moreover, +having accepted from you our lives and our fortunes, we shall hereafter +be your devoted servants, and whenever you need our services you have +but to call upon us, and we will support you loyally and gladly." +</P> + +<P> +"I accept your service," answered the prince, graciously. +</P> + +<P> +And then he unbound the fifty-nine honest men and took the ropes from +their necks. As nightfall was fast approaching the new servants set to +work to prepare a great feast in honor of their master. It was laid in +the middle of the grassy clearing, that all might sit around and +celebrate the joyous occasion. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think you can trust these men?" asked Nerle, suspiciously. +</P> + +<P> +"Why not?" replied the prince. "They have been exceedingly wicked, it +is true; but they are now intent upon being exceedingly good. Let us +encourage them in this. If we mistrusted all who have ever done an +evil act there would be fewer honest people in the world. And if it +were as interesting to do a good act as an evil one there is no doubt +every one would choose the good." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +6. The Troubles of Nerle +</H3> + +<P> +That night Prince Marvel slept within the cave, surrounded by the +fifty-nine reformed thieves, and suffered no harm at their hands. In +the morning, accompanied by his esquire, Nerle, who was mounted upon a +spirited horse brought him by Wul-Takim, he charged the honest men to +remember their promises, bade them good by, and set out in search of +further adventure. +</P> + +<P> +As they left the clearing by the narrow passage that led between the +overhanging rocks, the prince looked back and saw that the sign above +the gate of the cave, which had told of the thieves' treasure house, +had been changed. It now read as follows: +</P> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +WUL-TAKIM<BR> +KING OF HONEST MEN<BR> +------<BR> +HIS PLEASURE HOUSE<BR> +WALK IN<BR> +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +"That is much better," laughed the prince. "I accomplished some good +by my adventure, anyway!" +</P> + +<P> +Nerle did not reply. He seemed especially quiet and thoughtful as he +rode by his master's side, and after they had traveled some distance in +silence Prince Marvel said: +</P> + +<P> +"Tell me how you came to be in the cave of thieves, and perched upon +the casks where I found you." +</P> + +<P> +"It is a sad story," returned Nerle, with a sigh; "but since you +request me to tell it, the tale may serve to relieve the tedium of your +journey. +</P> + +<P> +"My father is a mighty baron, very wealthy and with a heart so kind +that he has ever taken pleasure in thrusting on me whatever gift he +could think of. I had not a single desire unsatisfied, for before I +could wish for anything it was given me. +</P> + +<P> +"My mother was much like my father. She and her women were always +making jams, jellies, candies, cakes and the like for me to eat; so I +never knew the pleasure of hunger. My clothes were the gayest satins +and velvets, richly made and sewn with gold and silver braid; so it was +impossible to wish for more in the way of apparel. They let me study +my lessons whenever I felt like it and go fishing or hunting as I +pleased; so I could not complain that I was unable to do just as I +wanted to. All the servants obeyed my slightest wish: if I wanted to +sit up late at night no one objected; if I wished to lie in bed till +noon they kept the house quiet so as not to disturb me. +</P> + +<P> +"This condition of affairs, as you may imagine, grew more and more +tedious and exasperating the older I became. Try as I might, I could +find nothing to complain of. I once saw the son of one of our servants +receive a flogging; and my heart grew light. I immediately begged my +father to flog me, by way of variety; and he, who could refuse me +nothing, at once consented. For this reason there was less +satisfaction in the operation than I had expected, although for the +time being it was a distinct novelty. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, no one could expect a high-spirited boy to put up with such a +life as mine. With nothing to desire and no chance of doing anything +that would annoy my parents, my days were dreary indeed." +</P> + +<P> +He paused to wipe the tears from his eyes, and the prince murmured, +sympathetically: "Poor boy! Poor boy!" +</P> + +<P> +"Ah, you may well say that!" continued Nerle. "But one day a stranger +came to my father's castle with tales of many troubles he had met with. +He had been lost in a forest and nearly starved to death. He had been +robbed and beaten and left wounded and sore by the wayside. He had +begged from door to door and been refused food or assistance. In +short, his story was so delightful that it made me envy him, and I +yearned to suffer as he had done. When I could speak with him alone I +said: 'Pray tell me how I can manage to acquire the misfortunes you +have undergone. Here I have everything that I desire, and it makes me +very unhappy.' +</P> + +<P> +"The stranger laughed at me, at first; and I found some pleasure in the +humiliation I then felt. But it did not last long, for presently he +grew sober and advised me to run away from home and seek adventure. +</P> + +<P> +"'Once away from your father's castle,' said he, 'troubles will fall +upon you thick enough to satisfy even your longings.' +</P> + +<P> +"'That is what I am afraid of!' I answered. 'I don't want to be +satisfied, even with troubles. What I seek is unsatisfied longings.' +</P> + +<P> +"'Nevertheless,' said he, 'I advise you to travel. Everything will +probably go wrong with you, and then you will be happy.' +</P> + +<P> +"I acted upon the stranger's advice and ran away from home the next +day. After journeying a long time I commenced to feel the pangs of +hunger, and was just beginning to enjoy myself when a knight rode by +and gave me a supply of food. At this rebuff I could not restrain my +tears, but while I wept my horse stumbled and threw me over his head. +I hoped at first I had broken my neck, and was just congratulating +myself upon the misfortune, when a witch-woman came along and rubbed +some ointment upon my bruises, in spite of my protests. To my great +grief the pain left me, and I was soon well again. But, as a slight +compensation for my disappointment, my horse had run away; so I began +my journey anew and on foot. +</P> + +<P> +"That afternoon I stepped into a nest of wasps, but the thoughtless +creatures flew away without stinging me. Then I met a fierce tiger, +and my heart grew light and gay. 'Surely this will cause me +suffering!' I cried, and advanced swiftly upon the brute. But the +cowardly tiger turned tail and ran to hide in the bushes, leaving me +unhurt! +</P> + +<P> +"Of course, my many disappointments were some consolation; but not +much. That night I slept on the bare ground, and hoped I should catch +a severe cold; but no such joy was to be mine. +</P> + +<P> +"Yet the next afternoon I experienced my first pleasure. The thieves +caught me, stripped off all my fine clothes and jewels and beat me +well. Then they carried me to their cave, dressed me in rags, and +perched me on the top of the casks, where the slightest movement on my +part would send me tumbling among the sword points. This was really +delightful, and I was quite happy until you came and released me. +</P> + +<P> +"I thought then that I might gain some pleasure by provoking you to +anger; and our fight was the result. That blow on the ear was +exquisite, and by forcing me to become your servant you have made me, +for the first time in my life, almost contented. For I hope in your +company to experience a great many griefs and disappointments." +</P> + +<P> +As Nerle concluded his story Prince Marvel turned to him and grasped +his hand. +</P> + +<P> +"Accept my sympathy!" said he. "I know exactly how you feel, for my +own life during the past few centuries has not been much different." +</P> + +<P> +"The past few centuries!" gasped Nerle. "What do you mean?" +</P> + +<P> +At this the prince blushed, seeing he had nearly disclosed his secret. +But he said, quickly: +</P> + +<P> +"Does it not seem centuries when one is unhappy?" +</P> + +<P> +"It does, indeed!" responded Nerle, earnestly. "But please tell me +your story." +</P> + +<P> +"Not now," said Prince Marvel, with a smile. "It will please you to +desire in vain to hear a tale I will not tell. Yet I promise that on +the day we part company I shall inform you who I am." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +7. The Gray Men +</H3> + +<P> +The adventurers gave no heed to the path they followed after leaving +the cave of the reformed thieves, but their horses accidentally took +the direction of the foot-hills that led into the wild interior Kingdom +of Spor. Therefore the travelers, when they had finished their +conversation and begun to look about them, found themselves in a +rugged, mountainous country that was wholly unlike the green plains of +Heg they had left behind. +</P> + +<P> +Now, as I have before said, the most curious and fearful of the island +people dwelt in this Kingdom of Spor. They held no friendly +communication with their neighbors, and only left their own mountains +to plunder and rob; and so sullen and fierce were they on these +occasions that every one took good care to keep out of their way until +they had gone back home again. +</P> + +<P> +There was much gossip about the unknown king of Spor, who had never yet +been seen by any one except his subjects; and some thought he must be +one of the huge giants of Spor; and others claimed he was a dwarf, like +his tiny but ferocious dart-slingers; and still others imagined him one +of the barbarian tribe, or a fellow to the terrible Gray Men. But, of +course, no one knew positively, and all these guesses were very wide of +the mark. The only certainty about this king was that his giants, +dwarfs, barbarians and Gray Men meekly acknowledged his rule and obeyed +his slightest wish; for though they might be terrible to others, their +king was still more terrible to them. +</P> + +<P> +Into this Kingdom of Spor Prince Marvel and Nerle had now penetrated +and, neither knowing nor caring where they were, continued along the +faintly defined paths the horses had found. Presently, however, they +were startled by a peal of shrill, elfish laughter, and raising their +eyes they beheld a horrid-looking old man seated upon a high rock near +by. +</P> + +<P> +"Why do you laugh?" asked Prince Marvel, stopping his horse. +</P> + +<P> +"Have you been invited? Tell me--have you been invited?" demanded the +old man, chuckling to himself as if much amused. +</P> + +<P> +"Invited where?" inquired the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"To Spor, stupid! To the Kingdom of Spor! To the land of King +Terribus!" shrieked the old man, going into violent peals of laughter. +</P> + +<P> +"We go and come as we please," answered Prince Marvel, calmly. +</P> + +<P> +"Go--yes! Go if you will. But you'll never come back--never! never! +never!" The little old man seemed to consider this such a good joke +that he bent nearly double with laughing, and so lost his balance and +toppled off the rock, disappearing from their view; but they could hear +him laugh long after they had passed on and left him far behind them. +</P> + +<P> +"A strange creature!" exclaimed the prince thoughtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"But perhaps he speaks truth," answered Nerle, "if, in fact, we have +been rash enough to enter the Kingdom of Spor. Even my father, the +bravest baron in Heg, has never dared venture within the borders of +Spor. For all men fear its mysterious king." +</P> + +<P> +"In that case," replied Prince Marvel, "it is time some one +investigated this strange kingdom. People have left King Terribus and +his wild subjects too much to themselves; instead of stirring them up +and making them behave themselves." +</P> + +<P> +Nerle smiled at this speech. +</P> + +<P> +"They are the fiercest people on the Enchanted Island," said he, "and +there are thousands upon thousands who obey this unknown king. But if +you think we dare defy them I am willing to go on. Perhaps our +boldness will lead them into torturing me, or starving me to death; and +at the very least I ought to find much trouble and privation in the +Kingdom of Spor." +</P> + +<P> +"Time will determine that," said the prince, cheerfully. +</P> + +<P> +They had now ridden into a narrow defile of the mountains, the pathway +being lined with great fragments of rock. Happening to look over his +shoulder Prince Marvel saw that as they passed these rocks a man +stepped from behind each fragment and followed after them, their +numbers thus constantly increasing until hundreds were silently +treading in the wake of the travelers. +</P> + +<P> +These men were very peculiar in appearance, their skins being as gray +as the rocks themselves, while their only clothing consisted of gray +cloth tunics belted around the waists with bands of gray fox-hide. +They bore no weapons except that each was armed with a fork, having +three sharp tines six inches in length, which the Gray Men carried +stuck through their fox-hide belts. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle also looked back and saw the silent throng following them, and +the sight sent such a cold shiver creeping up his spine that he smiled +with pleasure. There was no way to avoid the Gray Men, for the path +was so narrow that the horsemen could not turn aside; but Prince Marvel +was not disturbed, and seemed not to mind being followed, so long as no +one hindered his advance. +</P> + +<P> +He rode steadily on, Nerle following, and after climbing upward for a +long way the path began to descend, presently leading them into a +valley of wide extent, in the center of which stood an immense castle +with tall domes that glittered as if covered with pure gold. A broad +roadway paved with white marble reached from the mountain pass to the +entrance of this castle, and on each side of this roadway stood lines +of monstrous giants, armed with huge axes thrust into their belts and +thick oak clubs, studded with silver spikes, which were carried over +their left shoulders. +</P> + +<P> +The assembled giants were as silent as the Gray Men, and stood +motionless while Prince Marvel and Nerle rode slowly up the marble +roadway. But all their brows were scowling terribly and their eyes +were red and glaring--as if they were balls of fire. +</P> + +<P> +"I begin to feel very pleasant," said Nerle, "for surely we shall not +get away from these folks without a vast deal of trouble. They do not +seem to oppose our advance, but it is plain they will not allow us any +chance of retreat." +</P> + +<P> +"We do not wish to retreat," declared the prince. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle cast another glance behind, and saw that the Gray Men had halted +at the edge of the valley, while the giants were closing up as soon as +the horses passed them and now marched in close file in their rear. +</P> + +<P> +"It strikes me," he muttered, softly, "that this is like to prove our +last adventure." But although Prince Marvel might have heard the words +he made no reply, being evidently engaged in deep thought. +</P> + +<P> +As they drew nearer the castle it towered above them like a veritable +mountain, so big and high was it; and the walls cast deep shadows far +around, as if twilight had fallen. They heard the loud blare of a +trumpet sounding far up on the battlements; the portals of the castle +suddenly opened wide, and they entered a vast courtyard paved with +plates of gold. Tiny dwarfs, so crooked that they resembled crabs, +rushed forward and seized the bridles of the horses, while the +strangers slowly dismounted and looked around them. +</P> + +<P> +While the steeds were being led to the stables an old man, clothed in a +flowing robe as white in color as his beard, bowed before Prince Marvel +and said in a soft voice: +</P> + +<P> +"Follow me!" +</P> + +<P> +The prince stretched his arms, yawned as if tired with his ride, and +then glared upon the old man with an expression of haughty surprise. +</P> + +<P> +"I follow no one!" said he, proudly. "I am Prince Marvel, sirrah, and +if the owner of this castle wishes to see me I shall receive him here, +as befits my rank and station." +</P> + +<P> +The man looked surprised, but only bowed lower than before. +</P> + +<P> +"It is the king's command," he answered. +</P> + +<P> +"The king?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes; you are in the castle of King Terribus, the lord and ruler of +Spor." +</P> + +<P> +"That is different," remarked the prince, lightly. "Still, I will +follow no man. Point out the way and I will go to meet his Majesty." +</P> + +<P> +The old man extended a lean and trembling finger toward an archway. +Prince Marvel strode forward, followed by Nerle, and passing under the +arch he threw open a door at the far end and boldly entered the +throne-room of King Terribus. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +8. The Fool-Killer +</H3> + +<P> +The room was round, with a dome at the top. The bare walls were of +gray stone, with square, open windows set full twenty feet from the +floor. Rough gray stone also composed the floor, and in the center of +the room stood one great rock with a seat hollowed in its middle. This +was the throne, and round about it stood a swarm of men and women +dressed in rich satins, velvets and brocades, brilliantly ornamented +with gold and precious stones. The men were of many shapes and +sizes--giants and dwarfs being among them. The women all seemed young +and beautiful. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel cast but a passing glance at this assemblage, for his eye +quickly sought the rude throne on which was seated King Terribus. +</P> + +<P> +The personal appearance of this monster was doubtless the most hideous +known in that age of the world. His head was large and shaped like an +egg; it was bright scarlet in color and no hair whatever grew upon it. +It had three eyes--one in the center of his face, one on the top of his +head and one in the back. Thus he was always able to see in every +direction at the same time. His nose was shaped like an elephant's +trunk, and swayed constantly from side to side. His mouth was very +wide and had no lips at all, two rows of sharp and white teeth being +always plainly visible beneath the swaying nose. +</P> + +<P> +King Terribus, although surrounded by so splendid a court, wore a +simple robe of gray cloth, with no ornament or other finery, and his +strange and fearful appearance was strongly contrasted with the +glittering raiment of his courtiers and the beauty of his ladies in +waiting. +</P> + +<P> +When Prince Marvel, with Nerle marching close behind, entered the great +room, Terribus looked at him sharply a moment, and then bowed. And +when he bowed the eye upon the top of his head also looked sharply at +the intruders. +</P> + +<P> +Then the king spoke, his voice sounding so sweet and agreeable that it +almost shocked Nerle, who had expected to hear a roar like that from a +wild beast. +</P> + +<P> +"Why are you here?" asked Terribus. +</P> + +<P> +"Partly by chance and partly from curiosity," answered Prince Marvel. +"No one in this island, except your own people, had ever seen the king +of Spor; so, finding myself in your country, I decided to come here and +have a look at you." +</P> + +<P> +The faces of the people who stood about the throne wore frightened +looks at the unheard of boldness of this speech to their terrible +monarch. But the king merely nodded and inquired: +</P> + +<P> +"Since you have seen me, what do you think of me?" +</P> + +<P> +"I am sorry you asked that question," returned the prince; "for I must +confess you are a very frightful-looking creature, and not at all +agreeable to gaze upon." +</P> + +<P> +"Ha! you are honest, as well as frank," exclaimed the king. "But that +is the reason I do not leave my kingdom, as you will readily +understand. And that is the reason I never permit strangers to come +here, under penalty of death. So long as no one knows the King of Spor +is a monster people will not gossip about my looks, and I am very +sensitive regarding my personal appearance. You will perhaps +understand that if I could have chosen I should have been born +beautiful instead of ugly." +</P> + +<P> +"I certainly understand that. And permit me to say I wish you were +beautiful. I shall probably dream of you for many nights," added the +prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Not for many," said King Terribus, quietly. "By coming here you have +chosen death, and the dead do not dream." +</P> + +<P> +"Why should I die?" inquired Prince Marvel, curiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Because you have seen me. Should I allow you to go away you would +tell the world about my ugly face. I do not like to kill you, believe +me; but you must pay the penalty of your rashness--you and the man +behind you." +</P> + +<P> +Nerle smiled at this; but whether from pride at being called a man or +in pleasurable anticipation of the sufferings to come I leave you to +guess. +</P> + +<P> +"Will you allow me to object to being killed?" asked the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Certainly," answered the king, courteously. "I expect you to object. +It is natural. But it will do you no good." +</P> + +<P> +Then Terribus turned to an attendant and commanded: +</P> + +<P> +"Send hither the Fool-Killer." +</P> + +<P> +At this Prince Marvel laughed outright. +</P> + +<P> +"The Fool-Killer!" he cried; "surely your Majesty does me little +credit. Am I, then, a fool?" +</P> + +<P> +"You entered my kingdom uninvited," retorted the king, "and you tell me +to my face I am ugly. Moreover, you laugh when I condemn you to death. +From this I conclude the Fool-Killer is the proper one to execute you. +Behold!" +</P> + +<P> +Marvel turned quickly, to find a tall, stalwart man standing behind +him. His features were strong but very grave, and the prince caught a +look of compassion in his eye as their gaze met. His skin was fair and +without blemish, a robe of silver cloth fell from his shoulders, and in +his right hand he bore a gleaming sword. +</P> + +<P> +"Well met!" cried Marvel, heartily, as he bowed to the Fool-Killer. "I +have often heard your name mentioned, but 'tis said in the world that +you are a laggard in your duty." +</P> + +<P> +"Had I my way," answered the Fool-Killer, "my blade would always drip. +It is my master, yonder, who thwarts my duty." And he nodded toward +King Terribus. +</P> + +<P> +"Then you should exercise your right on him, and cleave the ugly head +from his shoulders," declared the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Nay, unless I interfered with the Fool-Killer," said the king, "I +should soon have no subjects left to rule; for at one time or another +they all deserve the blade." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, that may be true enough," replied Prince Marvel. "But I think, +under such circumstances, your Fool-Killer is a needless servant. So I +will rid you of him in a few moments." +</P> + +<P> +With that he whipped out his sword and stood calmly confronting the +Fool-Killer, whose grave face never changed in expression as he +advanced menacingly upon his intended victim. The blades clashed +together, and that of the Fool-Killer broke short off at the hilt. He +took a step backward, stumbled and fell prone upon the rocky floor, +while Prince Marvel sprang forward and pressed the point of his sword +against his opponent's breast. +</P> + +<P> +"Hold!" cried the king, starting to his feet. "Would you slay my +Fool-Killer? Think of the harm you would do the world!" +</P> + +<P> +"But he is laggard and unfaithful to his calling!" answered the prince, +sternly. +</P> + +<P> +"Nevertheless, if he remove but one fool a year he is a benefit to +mankind," declared the king. "Release him, I pray you!" +</P> + +<P> +Then the victor withdrew his sword and stood aside, while the +Fool-Killer slowly got upon his feet and bowed humbly before the king. +</P> + +<P> +"Go!" shouted Terribus, his eye flashing angrily. "You have humiliated +me before my enemy. As an atonement see that you kill me a fool a day +for sixty days." +</P> + +<P> +Hearing this command, many of the people about the throne began to +tremble; but the king paid no attention to their fears, and the +Fool-Killer bowed again before his master and withdrew from the chamber. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +9. The Royal Dragon of Spor +</H3> + +<P> +"Now," said Terribus, regarding the prince gloomily, "I must dispose of +you in another way." +</P> + +<P> +For a moment he dropped his scarlet head in thought. Then he turned +fiercely upon his attendants. +</P> + +<P> +"Let the Wrestler come forward!" he shouted, as loudly as his mild +voice would carry. +</P> + +<P> +Instantly a tall blackamoor advanced from the throng and cast off his +flowing robe, showing a strong figure clad only in a silver loincloth. +</P> + +<P> +"Crack me this fellow's bones!" commanded Terribus. +</P> + +<P> +"I beg your Majesty will not compel me to touch him," said Prince +Marvel, with a slight shudder; "for his skin is greasy, and will soil +my hands. Here, Nerle!" he continued, turning to his esquire, "dispose +of this black man, and save me the trouble." +</P> + +<P> +Nerle laughed pleasantly. The black was a powerfully built man, and +compared with Nerle and the prince, who had but the stature of boys, he +towered like a very giant in size. Nevertheless, Nerle did not +hesitate to spring upon the Wrestler, who with a quick movement sent +the boy crashing against the stone pavement. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle was much bruised by the fall, and as he painfully raised himself +to his feet a great lump was swelling behind his left ear, where his +head had struck the floor, and he was so dizzy that the room seemed +swimming around him in a circle. But he gave a happy little laugh, and +said to the prince, gratefully: +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you very much, my master! The fall is hurting me delightfully. +I almost feel as if I could cry, and that would be joy indeed!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well," answered the prince, with a sigh, "I see I must get my hands +greased after all"--for the black's body had really been greased to +enable him to elude the grasp of his opponents. +</P> + +<P> +But Marvel made a quick leap and seized the Wrestler firmly around the +waist. The next moment, to the astonishment of all, the black man flew +swiftly into the air, plunged through one of the open windows high up +in the wall, and disappeared from view. When the king and his people +again turned their wondering eyes upon the prince he was wiping his +hands carefully upon a silk handkerchief. +</P> + +<P> +At this sight a pretty young girl, who stood near the throne, laughed +aloud, and the sound of her laughter made King Terribus very angry. +</P> + +<P> +"Come here!" he commanded, sternly. The girl stepped forward, her face +now pale and frightened, while tear-drops trembled upon the lashes that +fringed her downcast eyes. "You have dared to laugh at the humiliation +of your king," said Terribus, his horrid face more crimson than ever, +"and as atonement I command that you drink of the poisoned cup." +</P> + +<P> +Instantly a dwarf came near, bearing a beautiful golden goblet in his +crooked hands. +</P> + +<P> +"Drink!" he said, an evil leer upon his face. +</P> + +<P> +The girl well knew this goblet contained a vile poison, one drop of +which on her tongue would cause death; so she hesitated, trembling and +shrinking from the ordeal. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel looked into her sweet face with pitying eyes, and +stepping quickly to her side, took her hand in his. +</P> + +<P> +"Now drink!" he said, smiling upon her; "the poison will not hurt you." +</P> + +<P> +She drank obediently, while the dwarf chuckled with awful glee and the +king looked on eagerly, expecting her to fall dead at his feet. But +instead the girl stood upright and pressed Marvel's hand, looking +gratefully into his face. +</P> + +<P> +"You are a fairy!" she whispered, so low that no one else heard her +voice. "I knew that you would save me." +</P> + +<P> +"Keep my secret," whispered the prince in return, and still holding her +hand he led her back to her former place. +</P> + +<P> +King Terribus was almost wild with rage and disappointment, and his +elephant nose twisted and squirmed horribly. +</P> + +<P> +"So you dare to thwart my commands, do you!" he cried, excitedly. +"Well, we shall soon see which of us is the more powerful. I have +decreed your death--and die you shall!" +</P> + +<P> +For a moment his eye roved around the chamber uncertainly. Then he +shouted, suddenly: +</P> + +<P> +"Ho, there! Keepers of the royal menagerie--appear!" +</P> + +<P> +Three men entered the room and bowed before the king. They were of the +Gray Men of the mountains, who had followed Prince Marvel and Nerle +through the rocky passes. +</P> + +<P> +"Bring hither the Royal Dragon," cried the king, "and let him consume +these strangers before my very eyes!" +</P> + +<P> +The men withdrew, and presently was heard a distant shouting, followed +by a low rumbling sound, with groans, snorts, roars and a hissing like +steam from the spout of a teakettle. +</P> + +<P> +The noise and shouting drew nearer, while the people huddled together +like frightened sheep; and then suddenly the doors flew open and the +Royal Dragon advanced to the center of the room. +</P> + +<P> +This creature was at once the pride and terror of the Kingdom of Spor. +It was more than thirty feet in length and covered everywhere with +large green scales set with diamonds, making the dragon, when it moved, +a very glittering spectacle. Its eyes were as big as pie-plates, and +its mouth--when wide opened--fully as large as a bath-tub. Its tail +was very long and ended in a golden ball, such as you see on the top of +flagstaffs. Its legs, which were as thick as those of an elephant, had +scales which were set with rubies and emeralds. It had two monstrous, +big ears and two horns of carved ivory, and its teeth were also carved +into various fantastic shapes--such as castles, horses' heads, chinamen +and griffins--so that if any of them broke it would make an excellent +umbrella handle. +</P> + +<P> +The Royal Dragon of Spor came crawling into the throne-room rather +clumsily, groaning and moaning with every step and waving its ears like +two blankets flying from a clothesline. +</P> + +<P> +The king looked on it and frowned. +</P> + +<P> +"Why are you not breathing fire and brimstone?" he demanded, angrily. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, I was caught out in a gale the other night," returned the Dragon, +rubbing the back of its ear with its left front paw, as it paused and +looked at the king, "and the wind put out my fire." +</P> + +<P> +"Then why didn't you light it again?" asked Terribus, turning on the +keepers. +</P> + +<P> +"We--we were out of matches, your Majesty!" stammered the trembling +Gray Men. +</P> + +<P> +"So--ho!" yelled the king, and was about to order the keepers beheaded; +but just then Nerle pulled out his match-box, lit one of the matches, +and held it in front of the Dragon's mouth. Instantly the creature's +breath caught fire; and it began to breathe flames a yard in length. +</P> + +<P> +"That's better," sighed the Dragon, contentedly. "I hope your Majesty +is now satisfied." +</P> + +<P> +"No,--I am not satisfied!" declared King Terribus. "Why do you not +lash your tail?" +</P> + +<P> +"Ah, I can't do that!" replied the Dragon. "It's all stiffened up with +rheumatism from the dampness of my cave. It hurts too much to lash it." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, then, gnash your teeth!" commanded the king. +</P> + +<P> +"Tut--tut!" answered the Dragon, mildly; "I can't do that, either; for +since you had them so beautifully carved it makes my teeth ache to +gnash them." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, then, what are you good for?" cried the king, in a fury. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't I look awful? Am I not terrible to gaze on?" inquired the +Dragon, proudly, as it breathed out red and yellow flames and made them +curl in circles around its horns. "I guess there's no need for me to +suggest terror to any one that happens to see me," it added, winking +one of the pie-plate eyes at King Terribus. +</P> + +<P> +The king looked at the monster critically, and it really seemed to him +that it was a frightful thing to behold. So he curbed his anger and +said, in his ordinary sweet voice: +</P> + +<P> +"I have called you here to destroy these two strangers." +</P> + +<P> +"How?" asked the Dragon, looking upon Prince Marvel and Nerle with +interest. +</P> + +<P> +"I am not particular," answered the king. "You may consume them with +your fiery breath, or smash them with your tail, or grind them to atoms +between your teeth, or tear them to pieces with your claws. Only, do +hurry up and get it over with!" +</P> + +<P> +"Hm-m-m!" said the Dragon, thoughtfully, as if it didn't relish the +job; "this one isn't Saint George, is it?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, no!" exclaimed the king, irritably; "it's Prince Marvel. Do get +to work as soon as possible." +</P> + +<P> +"Prince Marvel--Prince Marvel," repeated the Dragon. "Why, there isn't +a prince in the whole world named Marvel! I'm pretty well posted on +the history of royal families, you know. I'm afraid he's Saint George +in disguise." +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't your name Prince Marvel?" inquired the king, turning to the +boyish-looking stranger. +</P> + +<P> +"It is," answered Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, it's mighty strange I've never heard of you," persisted the +Dragon. "But tell me, please, how would you prefer to be killed?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I'm not going to be killed at all," replied the prince, laughing. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you hear that, Terribus?" asked the Dragon, turning to the king; +"he says he isn't going to be killed." +</P> + +<P> +"But I say he is!" cried Terribus. "I have decreed his death." +</P> + +<P> +"But do you suppose I'm going to kill a man against his will?" inquired +the Dragon, in a reproachful voice; "and such a small man, too! Do you +take me for a common assassin--or a murderer?" +</P> + +<P> +"Do you intend to obey my orders?" roared the king. +</P> + +<P> +"No, I don't; and that's flat!" returned the Dragon, sharply. "It's +time for me to take my cough medicine; so if you've nothing more to say +I'll go back to my cave." +</P> + +<P> +"Go, go, go!" shrieked the king, stamping his foot in passion. "You've +outlived your usefulness! You're a coward! You're a traitor! You're +a--a--a--" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm a dragon and a gentleman!" answered the monster, proudly, as the +king paused for lack of a word; "and I believe I know what's proper for +dragons to do and what isn't. I've learned wisdom from my father, who +got into trouble with Saint George, and if I fought with this person +who calls himself Prince Marvel, I'd deserve to be a victim of your +Fool-Killer. Oh, I know my business, King Terribus; and if you knew +yours, you'd get rid of this pretended prince as soon as possible!" +</P> + +<P> +With this speech he winked at Prince Marvel, turned soberly around and +crawled from the room. One of the keepers got too near and the +Dragon's breath set fire to his robe, the flames being with difficulty +extinguished; and the gold ball on the end of the Dragon's tail struck +a giant upon his shins and made him dance and howl in pain. +</P> + +<P> +But, aside from these slight accidents, the monster managed to leave +the throne-room without undue confusion, and every one, including the +king, seemed glad to be rid of him. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +10. Prince Marvel Wins His Fight +</H3> + +<P> +When the door had closed on the Royal Dragon, King Terribus turned +again to Prince Marvel, while his crimson face glowed with +embarrassment, and his front eye rolled with baffled rage as he thought +how vain had been all his efforts to kill this impudent invader of his +domains. +</P> + +<P> +But his powers were by no means exhausted. He was a mighty king--the +mightiest of all in the Enchanted Island, he believed--and ways to +destroy his enemies were numerous. +</P> + +<P> +"Send for a hundred of my Gray Men!" he suddenly cried; and a courtier +ran at once to summon them. The Gray Men would obey his orders without +question, he well knew. They were silent, stubborn, quick, and +faithful to their king. Terribus had but to command and his will would +be obeyed. +</P> + +<P> +They entered the room so quietly that Nerle never knew they were there +until he turned and found the hundred gray ones standing close together +in the center of the hall. Then Prince Marvel came to Nerle's side and +whispered something in his ear. +</P> + +<P> +"Will you obey my orders?" they heard the king ask. And the Gray Men, +with their eyes fixed upon their master, nodded all their hundred heads +and put their hands upon the dangerous three-tined forks that were +stuck in every one of the hundred belts. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel handed one end of a coiled rope to Nerle, and then they +both sprang forward and ran around the spot where the hundred Gray Men +stood huddled together. Then they were pulled closer together than +before--closer, and still closer--for the prince and Nerle had +surrounded them with the rope and were tying the two ends together in a +tight knot. The rope cut into the waists of those on the outside, and +they pressed inward against their fellows until there was scarcely +space to stick a knife-blade between any two of them. When the prince +had tied the rope firmly King Terribus, who had been looking on amazed, +saw that his hundred Gray Men were fastened together like a bundle of +kindling-wood, and were unable to stir hand or foot. +</P> + +<P> +And, while he still gazed open-mouthed at the strange sight, Prince +Marvel tilted the bundle of men up on its edge and rolled it out of the +door. It went rolling swiftly through the courtyard and bounded down +the castle steps, where the rope broke and the men fell sprawling in +all directions on the marble walk. +</P> + +<P> +King Terribus sighed, for such treatment of his Gray Men, whom he +dearly loved, made him very unhappy. +</P> + +<P> +But more than ever was he resolved to kill these impudent strangers, +who, in the very heart of his kingdom where thousands bowed to his +will, dared openly defy his power. So, after a moment's thought, +Terribus beckoned to a dwarf who, robed in gay and glittering apparel, +stood near his throne. +</P> + +<P> +"Summon the royal Dart Slingers!" he said, with a scowl. +</P> + +<P> +The little man bowed and hastened away, to return presently with twenty +curiously crooked dwarfs, each armed with a sling and a quiver full of +slender, sharp-pointed darts. +</P> + +<P> +"Slay me these strangers!" exclaimed the king, in his gruffest voice. +</P> + +<P> +Now Nerle, when he beheld these terrible Dart Slingers, of whom he had +heard many tales in his boyhood, began to shiver and shake with fright, +so that his teeth rattled one upon another. And he reflected: "Soon +shall I be content, for these darts will doubtless pierce every part of +my body." +</P> + +<P> +The dwarfs formed a line at one side of the gloomy throne-room, and +Prince Marvel, who had been earnestly regarding them, caught Nerle by +the arm and led him to the opposite wall. +</P> + +<P> +"Stand close behind me and you will be safe," he whispered to his +esquire. +</P> + +<P> +Then each dwarf fixed a dart in his sling, and at a word from their +chief they all drew back their arms and launched a shower of the sharp +missiles at the strangers. +</P> + +<P> +Swift and true they sped, each dart intended to pierce the body of the +youthful knight who stood so calm before them. Prince Marvel had +raised his right arm, and in his hand was a small leather sack, with a +wide mouth. As the darts flew near him a strange thing happened: they +each and all swerved from their true course and fell rattling into the +leathern sack, to the wonder of the royal slingers and the dismay of +King Terribus himself. +</P> + +<P> +"Again!" screamed the king, his usually mild voice hoarse with anger. +</P> + +<P> +So again the dwarfs cast their darts, and again the leathern sack +caught them every one. Another flight followed, and yet another, till +the magic sack was packed full of the darts and not a dwarf had one +remaining in his quiver. +</P> + +<P> +Amid the awed silence of the beholders of this feat the merry laughter +of Prince Marvel rang loud and clear; for the sight of the puzzled and +terrified faces about him was very comical. Plucking a dart from the +sack he raised his arm and cried: +</P> + +<P> +"Now it is my turn. You shall have back your darts!" +</P> + +<P> +"Hold!" shouted the king, in great fear. "Do not, I beg you, slay my +faithful servants." And with a wave of his hand he dismissed the +dwarfs, who were glad to rush from the room and escape. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle wiped the tears from his eyes, for he was sorely disappointed at +having again escaped all pain and discomfort; but Prince Marvel seated +himself quietly upon a stool and looked at the scowling face of King +Terribus with real amusement. +</P> + +<P> +The monarch of Spor had never before been so foiled and scorned by any +living creature. Defeated and humbled before his own people, he bowed +his crimson head on his hands and sullenly regarded his foe with his +top eye. Then it was that the idea came to him that no ordinary mortal +could have thwarted him so easily, and he began to fear he was +dealing--perhaps unawares--with some great magician or sorcerer. That +a fairy should have assumed a mortal form he never once considered, for +such a thing was until then unheard of in the Enchanted Island of Yew. +But with the knowledge that he had met his master, whoever he might +prove to be, and that further attempts upon the stranger's life might +lead to his own undoing, King Terribus decided to adopt a new line of +conduct, hoping to accomplish by stratagem what he could not do by +force. To be sure, there remained his regiment of Giants, the pride of +his kingdom; but Terribus dreaded to meet with another defeat; and he +was not at all sure, after what had happened, that the giants would +succeed in conquering or destroying the strangers. +</P> + +<P> +"After all," he thought, "my only object in killing them was to prevent +their carrying news of my monstrous appearance to the outside world; so +if I can but manage to keep them forever in my kingdom it will answer +my purpose equally well." +</P> + +<P> +As the result of this thought he presently raised his head and spoke to +Prince Marvel in a quiet and even cheerful voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Enough of these rude and boisterous games," said he, with a smile that +showed his white teeth in a repulsive manner. "They may have seemed to +my people an ill welcome to my good friend, Prince Marvel; yet they +were only designed to show the powers of the mighty magician who has +become my guest. Nay, do not deny it, Prince; from the first I guessed +your secret, and to prove myself right I called my servants to oppose +you, being sure they could not do you an injury. But no more of such +fooling,--and pray forgive my merry game at your expense. Henceforth +we shall be friends, and you are heartily welcome to the best my +kingdom affords." +</P> + +<P> +With this speech Terribus stepped down from his throne and approached +Prince Marvel with outstretched hand. The prince was not at all +deceived, but he was pleased to see how cunningly the king excused his +attempts to kill him. So he laughed and touched the hand Terribus +extended, for this fairy prince seemed to have no anger against any +mortal who ventured to oppose him. +</P> + +<P> +The strangers were now conducted, with every mark of respect, to a +beautiful suite of apartments in the castle, wherein were soft beds +with velvet spreads, marble baths with perfumed waters, and a variety +of silken and brocaded costumes from which they might select a change +of raiment. +</P> + +<P> +No sooner had they bathed and adorned themselves fittingly than they +were summoned to the king's banquet hall, being escorted thither by +twelve young maidens bearing torches with lavender-colored flames. +</P> + +<P> +The night had fallen upon the mountains outside, but the great banquet +hall was brilliant with the glow of a thousand candles, and seated at +the head of the long table was King Terribus. +</P> + +<P> +Yet here, as in the throne-room, the ruler of Spor was dressed in +simplest garments, and his seat was a rough block of stone. All about +him were lords and ladies in gorgeous array; the walls were hung with +rare embroideries; the table was weighted with gold platters and richly +carved goblets filled with sweet nectars. But the king himself, with +his horrid, ugly head, was like a great blot on a fair parchment, and +even Prince Marvel could not repress a shudder as he gazed upon him. +</P> + +<P> +Terribus placed his guest upon his right hand and loaded him with +honors. Nerle stood behind the prince's chair and served him +faithfully, as an esquire should. But the other servants treated Nerle +with much deference, noting in him an air of breeding that marked him +the unusual servant of an unusual master. +</P> + +<P> +Indeed, most curious were the looks cast on these marvelous men who had +calmly walked into the castle of mighty Terribus and successfully +defied his anger; for in spite of his youthful appearance and smiling +face every attendant at the banquet feared Prince Marvel even more than +they feared their own fierce king. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +11. The Cunning of King Terribus +</H3> + +<P> +The days that followed were pleasant ones for Prince Marvel and Nerle, +who were treated as honored guests by both the king and his courtiers. +But the prince seemed to be the favorite, for at all games of skill and +trials at arms he was invariably the victor, while in the evenings, +when the grand ball-room was lighted up and the musicians played sweet +music, none was so graceful in the dance as the fairy prince. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle soon tired of the games and dancing, for he had been accustomed +to them at his father's castle; and moreover he was shy in the society +of ladies; so before many weeks had passed he began to mope and show a +discontented face. +</P> + +<P> +One day the prince noticed his esquire's dismal expression of +countenance, and asked the cause of it. +</P> + +<P> +"Why," said Nerle, "here I have left my home to seek worries and +troubles, and have found but the same humdrum life that existed at my +father's castle. Here our days are made smooth and pleasant, and there +is no excitement or grief, whatever. You have become a carpet-knight, +Prince Marvel, and think more of bright eyes than of daring deeds. So, +if you will release me from your service I will seek further +adventures." +</P> + +<P> +"Nay," returned the prince, "we will go together; for I, too, am tired +of this life of pleasure." +</P> + +<P> +So next morning Marvel sought the presence of King Terribus and said: +</P> + +<P> +"I have come to bid your Majesty adieu, for my esquire and I are about +to leave your dominions." +</P> + +<P> +At first the king laughed, and his long nose began to sway from side to +side. Then, seeing the prince was in earnest, his Majesty frowned and +grew disturbed. Finally he said: +</P> + +<P> +"I must implore you to remain my guests a short time longer. No one +has ever before visited me in my mountain home, and I do not wish to +lose the pleasure of your society so soon." +</P> + +<P> +"Nevertheless, we must go," answered the prince, briefly. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you not contented?" asked Terribus. "Ask whatever you may desire, +and it shall be granted you." +</P> + +<P> +"We desire adventures amid new scenes," said Marvel, "and these you can +not give us except by permission to depart." +</P> + +<P> +Seeing his guest was obstinate the king ceased further argument and +said: +</P> + +<P> +"Very well; go if you wish. But I shall hope to see you return to us +this evening." +</P> + +<P> +The prince paid no heed to this peculiar speech, but left the hall and +hurried to the courtyard of the castle, where Nerle was holding the +horses in readiness for their journey. +</P> + +<P> +Standing around were many rows and files of the Gray Men, and when they +reached the marble roadway they found it lined with motionless forms of +the huge giants. But no one interfered with them in any way, although +both Prince Marvel and Nerle knew that every eye followed them as they +rode forward. +</P> + +<P> +Curiously enough, they had both forgotten from what direction they had +approached the castle; for, whereas they had at that time noticed but +one marble roadway leading to the entrance, they now saw that there +were several of these, each one connecting with a path through the +mountains. +</P> + +<P> +"It really doesn't matter which way we go, so long as we get away from +the Kingdom of Spor," said Prince Marvel; so he selected a path by +chance, and soon they were riding through a mountain pass. +</P> + +<P> +The pleased, expectant look on Nerle's face had gradually turned to one +of gloom. +</P> + +<P> +"I hoped we should have a fight to get away," he said, sadly; "and in +that case I might have suffered considerable injury and pain. But no +one has injured us in any way, and perhaps King Terribus is really glad +to be rid of us." +</P> + +<P> +"With good reason, too, if such is the case," laughed Marvel; "for, +mark you, Nerle, the king has discovered we are more powerful than he +is, and had he continued to oppose us, we might have destroyed his +entire army." +</P> + +<P> +On they rode through the rough hill paths, winding this way and that, +until they lost all sense of the direction in which they were going. +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind," said the prince; "so long as we get farther and farther +away from the ugly Terribus I shall be satisfied." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps we are getting into more serious danger than ever," answered +Nerle, brightening; "one of the giants told me the other day that near +the foot of these mountains is the Kingdom of the High Ki of Twi." +</P> + +<P> +"Who is the High Ki of Twi?" asked Prince Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"No one knows," answered Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"And what is the Kingdom of Twi like?" +</P> + +<P> +"No one knows that," answered Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"Then," returned the prince, with a smile, "if by chance we visit the +place we shall know more than any one else." +</P> + +<P> +At noon they ate luncheon by the wayside, Nerle having filled his pouch +by stealth at the breakfast table. There were great fragments of rock +lying all about them, and the sun beat down so fiercely that the heat +reflected from the rocks was hard to bear. So the travelers did not +linger over their meal, but remounted and rode away as soon as +possible. When the sun began to get lower in the sky the rocks beside +the path threw the riders into shadow, so that their journey became +more pleasant. They rode along, paying little attention to the way, +but talking and laughing merrily together, until it began to grow dark. +</P> + +<P> +"Does this path never end?" asked Prince Marvel, suddenly. "We ought +to reach some place where men dwell before long, else we shall be +obliged to spend the night among these rocks." +</P> + +<P> +"And then perhaps the wolves will attack us," said Nerle, cheerfully, +"and tear us into pieces with their sharp teeth and claws." +</P> + +<P> +But even as he spoke they rode around a turn in the path and saw a +sight that made them pause in astonishment. For just before them rose +the castle of King Terribus, and along both sides of the marble walk +leading up to it were ranged the lines of giants, exactly as they had +stood in the morning. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle turned around in his saddle. Sure enough, there were the Gray +Men in the rear--stepping from behind every boulder and completely +filling the rocky pathway. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, what shall we do?" asked the esquire; "fight?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed!" returned Prince Marvel, laughing at his friend's eager +face. "It appears the path we chose winds around in a circle, and so +has brought us back to our starting-point. So we must make the best of +a bad blunder and spend another night with our ugly friend King +Terribus." +</P> + +<P> +They rode forward through the rows of giants to the castle, where the +ever-courteous servants took their horses and escorted them to their +former handsome apartments with every mark of respect. +</P> + +<P> +No one seemed in the least surprised at their speedy return, and this +fact at first puzzled Nerle, and then made him suspicious. +</P> + +<P> +After bathing and dusting their clothing they descended to the banquet +hall, where King Terribus sat upon his gray stone throne and welcomed +them with quiet courtesy. +</P> + +<P> +The sight of the king's crimson skin and deformed face sent a thrill of +repugnance through Prince Marvel, and under the impulse of a sudden +thought he extended his hand toward Terribus and whispered a magic word +which was unheard by any around him. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle did not notice the prince's swift gesture nor the whispered word; +but he was staring straight at Terribus at the time, and he saw with +surprise the eye on the top of the king's head move down toward his +forehead, and the eye in the center of his forehead slide slightly +toward the left, and the elephant-like nose shrink and shorten at the +same time. Also it seemed to him that the king's skin was not so +crimson in color as before, and that a thin growth of hair had covered +his head. +</P> + +<P> +However, no one else appeared to notice any change--least of all +Terribus--so Nerle seated himself at the table and began to eat. +</P> + +<P> +"It was very kind of you to return so soon to my poor castle," said the +king to Prince Marvel, in his sweet voice. +</P> + +<P> +"We could not help it," laughed the prince, in reply; "for the road +wound right and left until we knew not which way we traveled; and then +it finally circled around again to your castle. But to-morrow we shall +seek a new path and bid you farewell forever." +</P> + +<P> +"Still," remarked the king, gravely, "should you again miss your way, I +shall be glad to welcome your return." +</P> + +<P> +The prince bowed politely by way of reply, and turned to address the +little maiden he had once saved from death by poison. And so in +feasting, dancing and laughter the evening passed pleasantly enough to +the prince, and it was late when he called Nerle to attend him to their +apartment. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +12. The Gift of Beauty +</H3> + +<P> +The following morning Marvel and Nerle once more set out to leave the +Kingdom of Spor and its ugly king. They selected another pathway +leading from the castle and traveled all day, coming at nightfall into +view of the place whence they had started, with its solemn rows of +giants and Gray Men standing ready to receive them. +</P> + +<P> +This repetition of their former experience somewhat annoyed the prince, +while Nerle's usually despondent face wore a smile. +</P> + +<P> +"I see trouble ahead," murmured the esquire, almost cheerfully. "Since +the king can not conquer us by force he intends to do it by sorcery." +</P> + +<P> +Marvel did not reply, but greeted the king quietly, while Terribus +welcomed their return as calmly as if he well knew they could not +escape him. +</P> + +<P> +That evening the prince made another pass toward the king with his hand +and muttered again the magic word. Nerle was watching, and saw the +upper eye of Terribus glide still farther down his forehead and the +other eye move again toward the left. The swaying nose shrank to a few +inches in length, and the skin that had once been so brilliantly +crimson turned to a dull red color. This time the courtiers and ladies +in waiting also noticed the change in the king's features, but were +afraid to speak of it, as any reference to their monarch's personal +appearance was by law punishable by death. Terribus saw the startled +looks directed upon him, and raised his hand to feel of his nose and +eyes; but thinking that if any change in his appearance had taken +place, he must be uglier than before, he only frowned and turned away +his head. +</P> + +<P> +The next day the king's guests made a third attempt to leave his +dominions, but met with no better success than before, for a long and +tedious ride only brought them back to their starting-place in the +evening. +</P> + +<P> +This time Prince Marvel was really angry, and striding into the king's +presence he reproached him bitterly, saying: +</P> + +<P> +"Why do you prevent us from leaving your kingdom? We have not injured +you in any way." +</P> + +<P> +"You have seen ME," returned Terribus, calmly, "and I do not intend you +shall go back to the world and tell people how ugly I am." +</P> + +<P> +The prince looked at him, and could not repress a smile. The two eyes +of the king, having been twice removed from their first position, were +now both in his forehead, instead of below it, and one was much higher +than the other. And the nose, although small when compared to what it +had been, still resembled an elephant's trunk. Other changes had been +made for the better, but Terribus was still exceedingly repulsive to +look upon. +</P> + +<P> +Seeing the prince look at him and smile, the king flew into a fury of +anger and declared that the strangers should never, while they lived, +be permitted to leave his castle again. Prince Marvel became +thoughtful at this, reflecting that the king's enmity all arose from +his sensitiveness about his ugly appearance, and this filled the +youthful knight with pity rather than resentment. +</P> + +<P> +When they had all assembled at the evening banquet the prince, for a +third time, made a mystic pass at the king and whispered a magic word. +And behold! this time the charm was complete. For the two front eyes +of Terribus fell into their proper places, his nose became straight and +well formed, and his skin took on a natural, healthy color. Moreover, +he now had a fine head of soft brown hair, with eyebrows and eyelashes +to match, and his head was shapely and in proportion to his body. As +for the eye that had formerly been in the back of his head, it had +disappeared completely. +</P> + +<P> +So amazed were the subjects of the transformed king--who was now quite +handsome to look upon--that they began to murmur together excitedly, +and something in the new sensations he experienced gave to the king's +face likewise an expression of surprise. Knowing from their pleased +looks that he must have improved in appearance, he found courage to +raise his hand to his nose, and found it well formed. Then he touched +his eyes, and realized they were looking straight out from his face, +like those of other people. +</P> + +<P> +For some moments after making these discoveries the king remained +motionless, a smile of joy gradually spreading over his features. Then +he said, aloud: +</P> + +<P> +"What has happened? Why do you all look so startled?" +</P> + +<P> +"Your Majesty is no longer ugly," replied Marvel, laughingly; "so that +when Nerle and I leave your kingdom we can proclaim nothing less than +praise of your dignified and handsome appearance." +</P> + +<P> +"Is my face indeed pleasing?" demanded the king, eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +"It is!" cried the assembled courtiers and ladies, as with one voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Bring me a mirror!" said the king. "I shall look at my reflection for +the first time in many years." +</P> + +<P> +The mirror being brought King Terribus regarded himself for a long time +with pleased astonishment; and then, his sensitive nature being +overcome by the shock of his good fortune, he burst into a flood of +tears and rushed from the room. +</P> + +<P> +The courtiers and ladies now bestowed many grateful thanks upon Prince +Marvel for his kind deed; for they realized that thereafter their lives +would be safer from the king's anger and much pleasanter in every way. +</P> + +<P> +"Terribus is not bad by nature," said one; "but he brooded upon his +ugliness so much that the least thing served to throw him into a +violent passion, and our lives were never safe from one day to another." +</P> + +<P> +By and by two giants entered the hall and carried away the throne of +gray stone where Terribus had been accustomed to sit; and other slaves +brought a gorgeous throne of gold, studded with precious jewels, which +they put in its place. And after a time the king himself returned to +the room, his simple gray gown replaced by flowing robes of purple, +with rich embroideries, such as he had not worn for many years. +</P> + +<P> +"My people," said he, addressing those present with kindness and +dignity, "it seems to me fitting that a handsome king should be +handsomely attired, and an ugly one clothed simply. For years I have +been so terrible in feature that I dared not even look at my own image +in a mirror. But now, thanks to the gracious magic of my guest, I have +become like other men, and hereafter you will find my rule as kind as +it was formerly cruel. To-night, in honor of this joyous occasion, we +shall feast and make merry, and it is my royal command that you all do +honor and reverence to the illustrious Prince Marvel!" +</P> + +<P> +A loud shout of approval greeted this speech, and the evening was merry +indeed. Terribus joined freely in the revelry, laughing as gaily as +the lightest-hearted damsel present. +</P> + +<P> +It was nearly morning before they all retired, and as they sought their +beds Nerle asked the prince in a voice that sounded like an ill-natured +growl: +</P> + +<P> +"Why did you give the king beauty, after his treatment of us?" +</P> + +<P> +Marvel looked at the reproachful face of his esquire and smiled. "When +you are older," said he, "you will find that often there are many ways +to accomplish a single purpose. The king's ugliness was the bar to our +leaving his country, for he feared our gossip. So the easiest way for +us to compass our escape was to take away his reason for detaining us. +Thus I conquered the king in my own way, and at the same time gained +his gratitude and friendship." +</P> + +<P> +"Will he allow us to depart in the morning?" inquired Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"I think so," said Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +It was late when they rose from their slumbers; but, having +breakfasted, the prince's first act was to seek the king. +</P> + +<P> +"We wish to leave your kingdom," said he. "Will you let us go?" +</P> + +<P> +Terribus grasped the hand of his guest and pressed it with fervor, +while tears of gratitude stood in his eyes. +</P> + +<P> +"I should prefer that you remain with me always, and be my friend," he +answered. "But if you choose to leave me I shall not interfere in any +way with your wishes." +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel looked at him thoughtfully, and then said: "My time on +this island is short. In a few months Prince Marvel will have passed +out of the knowledge of men, and his name will be forgotten. Before +then I hope to visit the Kingdoms of Dawna and Auriel and Plenta; so I +must not delay, but beg you will permit me to depart at once." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," answered Terribus. "Come with me, and I shall show you +the way." +</P> + +<P> +He led the prince and Nerle to a high wall of rock, and placing his +hand upon its rough surface, touched a hidden spring. Instantly an +immense block of stone began to swing backward, disclosing a passage +large enough for a man on horseback to ride through. +</P> + +<P> +"This is the one road that leads out of my kingdom," said Terribus. +"The others all begin and end at the castle. So that unless you know +the secret of this passage you could never escape from Spor." +</P> + +<P> +"But where does this road lead?" asked Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"To the Kingdom of Auriel, which you desire to visit. It is not a +straight road, for it winds around the Land of Twi, so it will carry +you a little out of your way." +</P> + +<P> +"What is the Land of Twi?" inquired the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"A small country hidden from the view of all travelers," said Terribus. +"No one has ever yet found a way to enter the land of Twi; yet there is +a rumor that it is ruled by a mighty personage called the High Ki." +</P> + +<P> +"And does the rumor state what the High Ki of Twi is like?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed," returned the king, smiling, "so it will do you no good to +be curious. And now farewell, and may good luck attend you. Yet bear +in mind the fact that King Terribus of Spor owes you a mighty debt of +gratitude; and if you ever need my services, you have but to call on +me, and I shall gladly come to your assistance." +</P> + +<P> +"I thank you," said Marvel, "but there is small chance of my needing +help. Farewell, and may your future life be pleasant and happy!" +</P> + +<P> +With this he sprang to the saddle of his prancing charger and, followed +by Nerle, rode slowly through the stone arch. The courtiers and ladies +had flocked from the palace to witness their departure, and the giants +and dwarfs and Gray Men were drawn up in long lines to speed the king's +guests. So it was a brilliant sight that Marvel and Nerle looked back +on; but once they were clear of the arch, the great stone rolled back +into its place, shutting them out completely from the Kingdom of Spor, +with its turreted castle and transformed king. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +13. The Hidden Kingdom of Twi +</H3> + +<P> +Knowing that at last they were free to roam according to their desire, +the travelers rode gaily along the paths, taking but scant heed of +their way. +</P> + +<P> +"Our faces are set toward new adventures," remarked the prince. "Let +us hope they will prove more pleasant than the last." +</P> + +<P> +"To be sure!" responded Nerle. "Let us hope, at any rate, that we +shall suffer more privations and encounter more trouble than we did in +that mountainous Kingdom of Spor." Then he added: "For one reason, I +regret you are my master." +</P> + +<P> +"What is that reason?" asked the prince, turning to smile upon his +esquire. +</P> + +<P> +"You have a way of overcoming all difficulties without any trouble +whatsoever, and that deprives me of any chance of coming to harm while +in your company." +</P> + +<P> +"Cheer up, my boy!" cried Marvel. "Did I not say there are new +adventures before us? We may not come through them so easily as we +came through the others." +</P> + +<P> +"That is true," replied Nerle; "it is always best to hope." And then he +inquired: "Why do you stop here, in the middle of the path?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because the path has ended rather suddenly," answered Marvel. "Here +is a thick hedge of prickly briers barring our way." +</P> + +<P> +Nerle looked over his master's shoulder and saw that a great hedge, +high and exceedingly thick, cut off all prospect of their advancing. +</P> + +<P> +"This is pleasant," said he; "but I might try to force our way through +the hedge. The briers would probably prick me severely, and that would +be delightful." +</P> + +<P> +"Try it!" the prince returned, with twinkling eyes. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle sprang from his horse to obey, but at the first contact with the +briers he uttered a howl of pain and held up his hands, which were +bleeding in a dozen places from the wounds of the thorns. +</P> + +<P> +"Ah, that will content you for a time, I trust," said Marvel. "Now +follow me, and we will ride along beside the hedge until we find an +opening. For either it will come to an end or there will prove to be a +way through it to the other side." +</P> + +<P> +So they rode alongside the hedge for hour after hour; yet it did not +end, nor could they espy any way to get through the thickly matted +briers. By and by night fell, and they tethered their horses to some +shrubs, where there were a few scanty blades of grass for them to crop, +and then laid themselves down upon the ground, with bare rocks for +pillows, where they managed to sleep soundly until morning. +</P> + +<P> +They had brought a supply of food in their pouches, and on this they +breakfasted, afterward continuing their journey beside the hedge. +</P> + +<P> +At noon Prince Marvel uttered an exclamation of surprise and stopped +his horse. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it?" asked Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"I have found the handkerchief with which you wiped the blood from your +hands yesterday morning, and then carelessly dropped," replied the +prince. "This proves that we have made a complete circle around this +hedge without finding a way to pass through it." +</P> + +<P> +"In that case," said Nerle, "we had better leave the hedge and go in +another direction." +</P> + +<P> +"Not so," declared Marvel. "The hedge incloses some unknown country, +and I am curious to find out what it is." +</P> + +<P> +"But there is no opening," remonstrated Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"Then we must make one. Wouldn't you like to enjoy a little more pain?" +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you," answered Nerle, "my hands are still smarting very +comfortably from the pricks of yesterday." +</P> + +<P> +"Therefore I must make the attempt myself," said the prince, and +drawing his sword he whispered a queer word to it, and straightway +began slashing at the hedge. +</P> + +<P> +The brambles fell fast before his blade, and when he had cut a big heap +of branches from the hedge Nerle dragged them to one side, and the +prince began again. +</P> + +<P> +It was marvelous how thick the hedge proved. Only a magic sword could +have done this work and remained sharp, and only a fairy arm could have +proved strong enough to hew through the tough wood. But the magic +sword and fairy arm were at work, and naught could resist them. +</P> + +<P> +After a time the last branches were severed and dragged from the path, +and then the travelers rode their horses through the gap into the +unknown country beyond. +</P> + +<P> +They saw at first glance that it was a land of great beauty; but after +that one look both Prince Marvel and Nerle paused and rubbed their +eyes, to assure themselves that their vision was not blurred. +</P> + +<P> +Before them were two trees, exactly alike. And underneath the trees +two cows were grazing--each a perfect likeness of the other. At their +left were two cottages, with every door and window and chimney the +exact counterpart of another. Before these houses two little boys were +playing, evidently twins, for they not only looked alike and dressed +alike, but every motion one made was also made by the other at the same +time and in precisely the same way. When one laughed the other +laughed, and when one stubbed his toe and fell down, the other did +likewise, and then they both sat up and cried lustily at the same time. +</P> + +<P> +At this two women--it was impossible to tell one from the other--rushed +out of the two houses, caught up the two boys, shook and dusted them in +precisely the same way, and led them by their ears back into the houses. +</P> + +<P> +Again the astonished travelers rubbed their eyes, and then Prince +Marvel looked at Nerle and said: +</P> + +<P> +"I thought at first that I saw everything double, but there seems to be +only one of YOU." +</P> + +<P> +"And of you," answered the boy. "But see! there are two hills ahead of +us, and two paths lead from the houses over the hills! How strange it +all is!" +</P> + +<P> +Just then two birds flew by, close together and perfect mates; and the +cows raised their heads and "mooed" at the same time; and two men--also +twins--came over the two hills along the two paths with two +dinner-pails in their hands and entered the two houses. They were met +at the doors by the two women, who kissed them exactly at the same time +and helped them off with their coats with the same motions, and closed +the two doors with two slams at the same instant. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle laughed. "What sort of country have we got into?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Let us find out," replied the prince, and riding up to one of the +houses he knocked on the door with the hilt of his sword. +</P> + +<P> +Instantly the doors of both houses flew open, and both men appeared in +the doorways. Both started back in amazement at sight of the +strangers, and both women shrieked and both little boys began to cry. +Both mothers boxed the children's ears, and both men gasped out: +</P> + +<P> +"Who--who are you?" +</P> + +<P> +Their voices were exactly alike, and their words were spoken in unison. +Prince Marvel replied, courteously: +</P> + +<P> +"We are two strangers who have strayed into your country. But I do not +understand why our appearance should so terrify you." +</P> + +<P> +"Why--you are singular! There is only half of each of you!" exclaimed +the two men, together. +</P> + +<P> +"Not so," said the prince, trying hard not to laugh in their faces. +"We may be single, while you appear to be double; but each of us is +perfect, nevertheless." +</P> + +<P> +"Perfect! And only half of you!" cried the men. And again the two +women, who were looking over their husbands' shoulders, screamed at +sight of the strangers; and again the two boys, who were clinging to +their mothers' dresses in the same positions, began to cry. +</P> + +<P> +"We did not know such strange people existed!" said the two men, both +staring at the strangers and then wiping the beads of perspiration from +their two brows with two faded yellow handkerchiefs. +</P> + +<P> +"Nor did we!" retorted the prince. "I assure you we are as much +surprised as you are." +</P> + +<P> +Nerle laughed again at this, and to hear only one of the strangers +speak and the other only laugh seemed to terrify the double people +anew. So Prince Marvel quickly asked: +</P> + +<P> +"Please tell us what country this is?" +</P> + +<P> +"The Land of Twi," answered both men, together. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! the Land of Twi. And why is the light here so dim?" continued the +prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Dim?" repeated the men, as if surprised; "why, this is twilight, of +course." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course," said Nerle. "I hadn't thought of that. We are in the +long hidden Land of Twi, which all men have heard of, but no man has +found before." +</P> + +<P> +"And who may you be?" questioned the prince, looking from one man to +the other, curiously. +</P> + +<P> +"We are Twis," they answered. +</P> + +<P> +"Twice?" +</P> + +<P> +"Twis--inhabitants of Twi." +</P> + +<P> +"It's the same thing," laughed Nerle. "You see everything twice in +this land." +</P> + +<P> +"Are none of your people single?" asked Prince Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"Single," returned the men, as if perplexed. "We don't understand." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you all double?--or are some of you just one?" said the prince, +who found it difficult to put his question plainly. +</P> + +<P> +"What does 'one' mean?" asked the men. "There is no such word as 'one' +in our language." +</P> + +<P> +"They have no need of such a word," declared Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"We are only poor laborers," explained the men. "But over the hills +lie the cities of Twi, where the Ki and the Ki-Ki dwell, and also the +High Ki." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah!" said Marvel, "I've heard of your High Ki. Who is he?" +</P> + +<P> +The men shook their heads, together and with the same motion. +</P> + +<P> +"We have never seen the glorious High Ki," they answered. "The sight +of their faces is forbidden. None but the Ki and the Ki-Ki has seen +the Supreme Rulers and High Ki." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm getting mixed," said Nerle. "All this about the Ki and the Ki-Ki +and the High Ki makes me dizzy. Let's go on to the city and explore +it." +</P> + +<P> +"That is a good suggestion," replied the prince. "Good by, my +friends," he added, addressing the men. +</P> + +<P> +They both bowed, and although they still seemed somewhat frightened +they answered him civilly and in the same words, and closed their doors +at the same time. +</P> + +<P> +So Prince Marvel and Nerle rode up the double path to the hills, and +the two cows became frightened and ran away with the same swinging +step, keeping an exact space apart. And when they were a safe distance +they both stopped, looked over their right shoulders, and "mooed" at +the same instant. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +14. The Ki and the Ki-Ki +</H3> + +<P> +From the tops of the hills the travelers caught their first glimpse of +the wonderful cities of Twi. Two walls surrounded the cities, and in +the walls were two gates just alike. Within the inclosures stood many +houses, but all were built in pairs, from the poorest huts to the most +splendid palaces. Every street was double, the pavements running side +by side. There were two lamp-posts on every corner, and in the dim +twilight that existed these lamp-posts were quite necessary. If there +were trees or bushes anywhere, they invariably grew in pairs, and if a +branch was broken on one it was sure to be broken on the other, and +dead leaves fell from both trees at identically the same moment. +</P> + +<P> +Much of this Marvel and Nerle learned after they had entered the +cities, but the view from the hills showed plainly enough that the +"double" plan existed everywhere and in every way in this strange land. +</P> + +<P> +They followed the paths down to the gates of the walls, where two pairs +of soldiers rushed out and seized their horses by the bridles. These +soldiers all seemed to be twins, or at least mates, and each one of +each pair was as like the other as are two peas growing in the same +pod. If one had a red nose the other's was red in the same degree, and +the soldiers that held the bridles of Nerle's horse both had their left +eyes bruised and blackened, as from a blow of the same force. +</P> + +<P> +These soldiers, as they looked upon Nerle and the prince, seemed fully +as much astonished and certainly more frightened than their prisoners. +They were dressed in bright yellow uniforms with green buttons, and the +soldiers who had arrested the prince had both torn their left +coat-sleeves and had patches of the same shape upon the seats of their +trousers. +</P> + +<P> +"How dare you stop us, fellows?" asked the prince, sternly. +</P> + +<P> +The soldiers holding his horse both turned and looked inquiringly at +the soldiers holding Nerle's horse; and these turned to look at a +double captain who came out of two doors in the wall and walked up to +them. +</P> + +<P> +"Such things were never before heard of!" said the two captains, their +startled eyes fixed upon the prisoners. "We must take them to the Ki +and the Ki-Ki." +</P> + +<P> +"Why so?" asked Prince Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"Because," replied the officers, "they are our rulers, under grace of +the High Ki, and all unusual happenings must be brought to their +notice. It is our law, you know--the law of the Kingdom of Twi." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said Marvel, quietly; "take us where you will; but if any +harm is intended us you will be made to regret it." +</P> + +<P> +"The Ki and the Ki-Ki will decide," returned the captains gravely, +their words sounding at the same instant. +</P> + +<P> +And then the two pairs of soldiers led the horses through the double +streets, the captains marching ahead with drawn swords, and crowds of +twin men and twin women coming from the double doors of the double +houses to gaze upon the strange sight of men and horses who were not +double. +</P> + +<P> +Presently they came upon a twin palace with twin turrets rising high +into the air; and before the twin doors the prisoners dismounted. +Marvel was escorted through one door and Nerle through another, and +then they saw each other going down a double hallway to a room with a +double entrance. +</P> + +<P> +Passing through this they found themselves in a large hall with two +domes set side by side in the roof. The domes were formed of stained +glass, and the walls of the hall were ornamented by pictures in pairs, +each pair showing identically the same scenes. This, was, of course, +reasonable enough in such a land, where two people would always look at +two pictures at the same time and admire them in the same way with the +same thoughts. +</P> + +<P> +Beneath one of the domes stood a double throne, on which sat the Ki of +Twi--a pair of gray-bearded and bald-headed men who were lean and lank +and stoop-shouldered. They had small eyes, black and flashing, long +hooked noses, great pointed ears, and they were smoking two pipes from +which the smoke curled in exactly the same circles and clouds. +</P> + +<P> +Beneath the other dome sat the Ki-Ki of Twi, also on double thrones, +similar to those of the Ki. The Ki-Ki were two young men, and had +golden hair combed over their brows and "banged" straight across; and +their eyes were blue and mild in expression, and their cheeks pink and +soft. The Ki-Ki were playing softly upon a pair of musical instruments +that resembled mandolins, and they were evidently trying to learn a new +piece of music, for when one Ki-Ki struck a false note the other Ki-Ki +struck the same false note at the same time, and the same expression of +annoyance came over the two faces at the same moment. +</P> + +<P> +When the prisoners entered, the pairs of captains and soldiers bowed +low to the two pairs of rulers, and the Ki exclaimed--both in the same +voice of surprise: +</P> + +<P> +"Great Kika-koo! what have we here?" +</P> + +<P> +"Most wonderful prisoners, your Highnesses," answered the captains. +"We found them at your cities' gates and brought them to you at once. +They are, as your Highnesses will see, each singular, and but half of +what he should be." +</P> + +<P> +"'Tis so!" cried the double Ki, in loud voices, and slapping their +right thighs with their right palms at the same time. "Most +remarkable! Most remarkable!" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see anything remarkable about it," returned Prince Marvel, +calmly. "It is you, who are not singular, but double, that seem +strange and outlandish." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps--perhaps!" said the two old men, thoughtfully. "It is what we +are not accustomed to that seems to us remarkable. Eh, Ki-Ki?" they +added, turning to the other rulers. +</P> + +<P> +The Ki-Ki, who had not spoken a word but continued to play softly, +simply nodded their blond heads carelessly; so the Ki looked again at +the prisoners and asked: +</P> + +<P> +"How did you get here?" +</P> + +<P> +"We cut a hole through the prickly hedge," replied Prince Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"A hole through the hedge! Great Kika-koo!" cried the gray-bearded Ki; +"is there, then, anything or any place on the other side of the hedge?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, of course! The world is there," returned the prince, laughing. +</P> + +<P> +The old men looked puzzled, and glanced sharply from their little black +eyes at their prisoners. +</P> + +<P> +"We thought nothing existed outside the hedge of Twi," they answered, +simply. "But your presence here proves we were wrong. Eh! Ki-Ki?" +</P> + +<P> +This last was again directed toward the pair of musicians, who +continued to play and only nodded quietly, as before. +</P> + +<P> +"Now that you are here," said the twin Ki, stroking their two gray +beards with their two left hands in a nervous way, "it must be evident +to you that you do not belong here. Therefore you must go back through +the hedge again and stay on the other side. Eh, Ki-Ki?" +</P> + +<P> +The Ki-Ki still continued playing, but now spoke the first words the +prisoners had heard from them. +</P> + +<P> +"They must die," said the Ki-Ki, in soft and agreeable voices. +</P> + +<P> +"Die!" echoed the twin Ki, "die? Great Kika-koo! And why so?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because, if there is a world on the other side of the hedge, they +would tell on their return all about the Land of Twi, and others of +their kind would come through the hedge from curiosity and annoy us. +We can not be annoyed. We are busy." +</P> + +<P> +Having delivered this speech both the Ki-Ki went on playing the new +tune, as if the matter was settled. +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense!" retorted the old Ki, angrily. "You are getting more and +more bloodthirsty every day, our sweet and gentle Ki-Ki! But we are +the Ki--and we say the prisoners shall not die!" +</P> + +<P> +"We say they shall!" answered the youthful Ki-Ki, nodding their two +heads at the same time, with a positive motion. "You may be the Ki, +but we are the Ki-Ki, and your superior." +</P> + +<P> +"Not in this case," declared the old men. "Where life and death are +concerned we have equal powers with you." +</P> + +<P> +"And if we disagree?" asked the players, gently. +</P> + +<P> +"Great Kika-koo! If we disagree the High Ki must judge between us!" +roared the twin Ki, excitedly. +</P> + +<P> +"Quite so," answered the Ki-Ki. "The strangers shall die." +</P> + +<P> +"They shall not die!" stormed the old men, with fierce gestures toward +the others, while both pairs of black eyes flashed angrily. +</P> + +<P> +"Then we disagree, and they must be taken to the High Ki," returned the +blond musicians, beginning to play another tune. +</P> + +<P> +The two Ki rose from their thrones, paced two steps to the right and +three steps to the left, and then sat down again. +</P> + +<P> +"Very well!" they said to the captains, who had listened unmoved to the +quarrel of the rulers; "keep these half-men safe prisoners until +to-morrow morning, and then the Ki-Ki and we ourselves will conduct +them to the mighty High Ki." +</P> + +<P> +At this command the twin captains bowed again to both pairs of rulers +and led Prince Marvel and Nerle from the room. Then they were escorted +along the streets to the twin houses of the captains, and here the +officers paused and scratched their left ears with uncertain gestures. +</P> + +<P> +"There being only half of each of you," they said, "we do not know how +to lock each of you in double rooms." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, let us both occupy the same room," said Prince Marvel. "We prefer +it." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," answered the captains; "we must transgress our usual +customs in any event, so you may as well be lodged as you wish." +</P> + +<P> +So Nerle and the prince were thrust into a large and pleasant room of +one of the twin houses, the double doors were locked upon them by twin +soldiers, and they were left to their own thoughts. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +15. The High Ki of Twi +</H3> + +<P> +"Tell me, Prince, are we awake or asleep?" asked Nerle, as soon as they +were alone. +</P> + +<P> +"There is no question of our being awake," replied the prince, with a +laugh. "But what a curious country it is--and what a funny people!" +</P> + +<P> +"We can't call them odd or singular," said the esquire, "for everything +is even in numbers and double in appearance. It makes me giddy to look +at them, and I keep feeling of myself to make sure there is still only +one of me." +</P> + +<P> +"You are but half a boy!" laughed the prince--"at least so long as you +remain in the Land of Twi." +</P> + +<P> +"I'd like to get out of it in double-quick time," answered Nerle; "and +we should even now be on the other side of the hedge were it not for +that wicked pair of Ki-Ki, who are determined to kill us." +</P> + +<P> +"It is strange," said the prince, thoughtfully, "that the +fierce-looking old Ki should be our friends and the gentle Ki-Ki our +enemies. How little one can tell from appearances what sort of heart +beats in a person's body!" +</P> + +<P> +Before Nerle could answer the two doors opened and two pairs of +soldiers entered. They drew two small tables before the prince and two +before Nerle, and then other pairs of twin soldiers came and spread +cloths on the tables and set twin platters of meat and bread and fruit +on each of the tables. When the meal had been arranged the prisoners +saw that there was enough for four people instead of two; and the +soldiers realized this also, for they turned puzzled looks first on the +tables and then on the prisoners. Then they shook all their twin heads +gravely and went away, locking the twin doors behind them. +</P> + +<P> +"We have one advantage in being singular," said Nerle, cheerfully; "and +that is we are not likely to starve to death. For we can eat the +portions of our missing twins as well as our own." +</P> + +<P> +"I should think you would enjoy starving," remarked the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"No; I believe I have more exquisite suffering in store for me, since I +have met that gentle pair of Ki-Ki," said Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +While they were eating the two captains came in and sat down in two +chairs. These captains seemed friendly fellows, and after watching the +strangers for a while they remarked: +</P> + +<P> +"We are glad to see you able to eat so heartily; for to-morrow you will +probably die." +</P> + +<P> +"That is by no means certain," replied Marvel, cutting a piece from one +of the twin birds on a platter before him--to the extreme surprise of +the captains, who had always before seen both birds carved alike at the +same time. "Your gray-bearded old Ki say we shall not die." +</P> + +<P> +"True," answered the captains. "But the Ki-Ki have declared you shall." +</P> + +<P> +"Their powers seem to be equal," said Nerle, "and we are to be taken +before the High Ki for judgment." +</P> + +<P> +"Therein lies your danger," returned the captains, speaking in the same +tones and with the same accents on their words. "For it is well known +the Ki-Ki has more influence with the High Ki than the Ki has." +</P> + +<P> +"Hold on!" cried Nerle; "you are making me dizzy again. I can't keep +track of all these Kis." +</P> + +<P> +"What is the High Ki like?" asked Prince Marvel, who was much +interested in the conversation of the captains. But this question the +officers seemed unable to answer. They shook their heads slowly and +said: +</P> + +<P> +"The High Ki are not visible to the people of Twi. Only in cases of +the greatest importance are the High Ki ever bothered or even +approached by the Ki and the Ki-Ki, who are supposed to rule the land +according to their own judgment. But if they chance to disagree, then +the matter is carried before the High Ki, who live in a palace +surrounded by high walls, in which there are no gates. Only these +rulers have ever seen the other side of the walls, or know what the +High Ki are like." +</P> + +<P> +"That is strange," said the prince. "But we, ourselves, it seems, are +to see the High Ki to-morrow, and whoever they may chance to be, we +hope to remain alive after the interview." +</P> + +<P> +"That is a vain hope," answered the captains, "for it is well known +that the High Ki usually decide in favor of the Ki-Ki, and against the +wishes of the old Ki." +</P> + +<P> +"That is certainly encouraging," said Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +When the captains had gone and left them to themselves, the esquire +confided to his master his expectations in the following speech: +</P> + +<P> +"This High Ki sounds something terrible and fierce in my ears, and as +they are doubtless a pair, they will be twice terrible and fierce. +Perhaps his royal doublets will torture me most exquisitely before +putting me to death, and then I shall feel that I have not lived in +vain." +</P> + +<P> +They slept in comfortable beds that night, although an empty twin bed +stood beside each one they occupied. And in the morning they were +served another excellent meal, after which the captains escorted them +again to the twin palaces of the Ki and the Ki-Ki. +</P> + +<P> +There the two pairs of rulers met them and headed the long procession +of soldiers toward the palace of the High Ki. First came a band of +music, in which many queer sorts of instruments were played in pairs by +twin musicians; and it was amusing to Nerle to see the twin drummers +roll their twin drums exactly at the same time and the twin trumpets +peal out twin notes. After the band marched the double Ki-Ki and the +double Ki, their four bodies side by side in a straight line. The +Ki-Ki had left their musical instruments in the palace, and now wore +yellow gloves with green stitching down the backs and swung gold-headed +canes jauntily as they walked. The Ki stooped their aged shoulders and +shuffled along with their hands in their pockets, and only once did +they speak, and that was to roar "Great Kika-koo!" when the Ki-Ki +jabbed their canes down on the Ki's toes. +</P> + +<P> +Following the Ki-Ki and the Ki came the prince and Nerle, escorted by +the twin captains, and then there were files of twin soldiers bringing +up the rear. +</P> + +<P> +Crowds of twin people, with many twin children amongst them, turned out +to watch the unusual display, and many pairs of twin dogs barked +together in unison and snapped at the heels of the marching twin +soldiers. +</P> + +<P> +By and by they reached the great wall surrounding the High Ki's palace, +and, sure enough, there was never a gate in the wall by which any might +enter. But when the Ki and the Ki-Ki had blown a shrill signal upon +two pairs of whistles, they all beheld two flights of silver steps +begin to descend from the top of the wall, and these came nearer and +nearer the ground until at last they rested at the feet of the Ki. +Then the old men began ascending the steps carefully and slowly, and +the captains motioned to the prisoners to follow. So Prince Marvel +followed one of the Ki up the steps and Nerle the other Ki, while the +two Ki-Ki came behind them so they could not escape. +</P> + +<P> +So to the top of the wall they climbed, where a pair of twin servants +in yellow and green--which seemed to be the royal colors--welcomed them +and drew up the pair of silver steps, afterward letting them down on +the other side of the wall, side by side. +</P> + +<P> +They descended in the same order as they had mounted to the top of the +wall, and now Prince Marvel and Nerle found themselves in a most +beautiful garden, filled with twin beds of twin flowers, with many +pairs of rare shrubs. Also, there were several double statuettes on +pedestals, and double fountains sending exactly the same sprays of +water the same distance into the air. +</P> + +<P> +Double walks ran in every direction through the garden, and in the +center of the inclosure stood a magnificent twin palace, built of +blocks of white marble exquisitely carved. +</P> + +<P> +The Ki and the Ki-Ki at once led their prisoners toward the palace and +entered at its large arched double doors, where several pairs of +servants met them. These servants, they found, were all dumb, so that +should they escape from the palace walls they could tell no tales of +the High Ki. +</P> + +<P> +The prisoners now proceeded through several pairs of halls, winding +this way and that, and at last came to a pair of golden double doors +leading into the throne-room of the mighty High Ki. Here they all +paused, and the Ki-Ki both turned to the prince and Nerle and said: +</P> + +<P> +"You are the only persons, excepting ourselves and the palace servants, +who have ever been permitted to see the High Ki of Twi. As you are +about to die, that does not matter; but should you by any chance be +permitted to live, you must never breathe a word of what you are about +to see, under penalty of a sure and horrible death." +</P> + +<P> +The prisoners made no reply to this speech, and, after the two Ki-Ki +had given them another mild look from their gentle blue eyes, these +officials clapped their twin hands together and the doors of gold flew +open. +</P> + +<P> +A perfect silence greeted them, during which the double Ki and the +double Ki-Ki bent their four bodies low and advanced into the +throne-room, followed by Prince Marvel and Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +In the center of the room stood two thrones of dainty filigree work in +solid gold, and over them were canopies of yellow velvet, the folds of +which were caught up and draped with bands of green ribbon. And on the +thrones were seated two of the sweetest and fairest little maidens that +mortal man had ever beheld. Their lovely hair was fine as a spider's +web; their eyes were kind and smiling, their cheeks soft and dimpled, +their mouths shapely as a cupid's bow and tinted like the petals of a +rose. Upon their heads were set two crowns of fine spun gold, worked +into fantastic shapes and set with glittering gems. Their robes were +soft silks of pale yellow, with strings of sparkling emeralds for +ornament. +</P> + +<P> +Anything so lovely and fascinating as these little maids, who were +precisely alike in every particular, neither Prince Marvel nor Nerle +had ever dreamed could exist. They stood for a time spellbound and +filled with admiration, while the two pairs of rulers bowed again and +again before the dainty and lovable persons of their High Ki. +</P> + +<P> +But it was hard for Nerle to keep quiet for long, and presently he +exclaimed, in a voice loud enough to be heard by all present: +</P> + +<P> +"By the Great Kika-koo of our friends the Ki, these darling High Ki of +Twi are sweet enough to be kissed!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap16"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +16. The Rebellion of the High Ki +</H3> + +<P> +The bold speech of Nerle's made the two damsels laugh at the same time, +and their sweet laughter sounded like rippling strains of harmonious +music. But the two Ki-Ki frowned angrily, and the two Ki looked at the +boy in surprise, as if wondering at his temerity. +</P> + +<P> +"Who are these strangers?" asked the pretty High Ki, speaking together +as all the twins of Twi did; "and why are they not mates, but only half +of each other?" +</P> + +<P> +"These questions, your Supreme Highnesses," said the blond-haired pair +of Ki-Ki, "we are unable to answer." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps, then, the strangers can answer themselves," said the little +maids, smiling first upon the Ki-Ki and then upon the prisoners. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel bowed. +</P> + +<P> +"I am from the great outside world," said he, "and my name is Prince +Marvel. Until now I have never seen people that live in pairs, and +speak in unison, and act in the same way and think the same thoughts. +My world is much bigger than your world, and in it every person is +proud to think and act for himself. You say I am only a 'half,' but +that is not so. I am perfect, without a counterpart; my friend Nerle +is perfect without a counterpart, and it is yourselves who are halved. +For in the Land of Twi no person is complete or perfect without its +other half, and it seems to take two of you to make one man--or one +maid." +</P> + +<P> +The sweet faces of the twin High Ki grew thoughtful at this speech, and +they said: +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed, it may be you are right. But it is our custom in Twi to do +everything double and to live double." Then, turning to the Ki, they +asked: "Why have you brought these strangers here?" +</P> + +<P> +"To ask your Supreme Highnesses to permit them to return again to the +world from whence they came," answered the Ki, both of them regarding +their supreme rulers earnestly. +</P> + +<P> +But here the Ki-Ki spoke up quickly in their mild voices, saying: +</P> + +<P> +"That is not our idea, your Highnesses. We, the Ki-Ki of Twi, think it +best the strangers should be put to death. And we pray your Supreme +Highnesses to favor our wish." +</P> + +<P> +The two little maids looked from the Ki to the Ki-Ki, and frowned and +pouted their rosy lips in evident perplexity. +</P> + +<P> +But Nerle whispered to Prince Marvel: +</P> + +<P> +"It's all up with us! I know very well why her royal doublets always +favors the Ki-Ki. It's because they are young and handsome, while the +Ki are old and ugly. Both of her will condemn us to death--you see if +she don't!" +</P> + +<P> +This seemed somewhat mixed, but Nerle was in earnest, and Prince +Marvel, who had not forgotten his fairy lore, began to weave a silent +spell over the head of the nearest twin High Ki. But just as it was +completed, and before he had time to work the spell on the other twin, +the Ki-Ki grew impatient, and exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"We beg your Highnesses not to keep us waiting. Let us have your +decision at once!" +</P> + +<P> +And the twin maidens raised their fair heads and replied. But the +reply was of such a nature that both the old Ki and both the young +Ki-Ki staggered backward in amazement. For one of the twin High Ki +said: +</P> + +<P> +"They shall die!" +</P> + +<P> +And the other twin High Ki said at the same instant: +</P> + +<P> +"They shall NOT die!" +</P> + +<P> +Had twin thunderbolts fallen through the twin roofs of the twin palaces +and struck the twin Ki and the twin Ki-Ki upon their twin heads it +would have created no more stupendous a sensation than did this remark. +Never before had any two halves of a twin of the Land of Twi thought +differently or spoken differently. Indeed, it startled the two maidens +themselves as much as it did their hearers, for each one turned her +head toward the other and, for the first time in her life, looked into +the other's face! +</P> + +<P> +This act was fully as strange as their speech, and a sudden horrible +thought came into the startled heads of the twin Ki and the twin Ki-Ki: +THE HIGH KI OF TWI WAS NO LONGER ONE, BUT TWO. AND THESE TWO WERE +THINKING AND ACTING EACH INDEPENDENT OF THE OTHER! +</P> + +<P> +It is no wonder the shock rendered them speechless for a time, and they +stood swaying their four bodies, with their eight eyes bulging out like +those of fishes and their four mouths wide open, as if the two pairs +had become one quartet. +</P> + +<P> +The faces of the two maids flushed as they gazed upon each other. +</P> + +<P> +"How DARE you contradict me?" asked one. +</P> + +<P> +"How dare you contradict ME?" demanded the other, and not only were +these questions asked separately, but the accent on the words was +different. And their twin minds seemed to get farther apart every +moment. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm the High Ki of Twi!" said one. +</P> + +<P> +"You're not! I'M the High Ki!" retorted the other. +</P> + +<P> +"The strangers shall die!" snapped one. +</P> + +<P> +"They shall live!" cried the other. "My will is supreme." +</P> + +<P> +"It's not! MY will is supreme," returned the other twin. +</P> + +<P> +The bald heads of the ancient Ki were bobbing in amazement, first to +one maid and then toward the other. The blond hairs of the two Ki-Ki +were standing almost on end, and their eyes stared straight before them +as if stupefied with astonishment. Nerle was bellowing with rude +laughter and holding his sides to keep from getting a stitch in them, +while Prince Marvel stood quietly attentive and smiling with genuine +amusement. For he alone understood what had happened to separate the +twin High Ki. +</P> + +<P> +The girls did not seem to know how to act under their altered +conditions. After a time one of them said: +</P> + +<P> +"We will leave our dispute to be settled by the Ki and the Ki-Ki." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," agreed the other. +</P> + +<P> +"Then I say your half is right," declared the Ki-Ki, both their right +forefingers pointing to the maiden who had condemned the strangers to +death. +</P> + +<P> +"And I decide that your half is right," exclaimed the Ki, both their +trembling forefingers pointing to the maiden who had said the strangers +should live. +</P> + +<P> +"Well?" said one girl. +</P> + +<P> +"Well?" said the other. +</P> + +<P> +"The powers of the Ki and the Ki-Ki are equal," said the first. "We +are no nearer a settlement of our dispute than we were before." +</P> + +<P> +"My dear young ladies," said Prince Marvel, politely, "I beg you will +take time to think the matter over, and see if you can not come to an +agreement. We are in no hurry." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," decided the twins, speaking both together this time. "We +command you all to remain in the palace until we have settled our own +strange dispute. The servants will care for you, and when we are ready +to announce our decision we shall again send for you." +</P> + +<P> +Every one bowed at this command and retired from the room; but Nerle +looked over his shoulder as he went through the doorway, and saw that +the two High Ki had turned in their seats and were facing each other, +and that both their faces wore angry and determined expressions. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap17"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +17. The Separation of the High Ki +</H3> + +<P> +For nearly a week Prince Marvel and Nerle remained confined to the +palace and gardens of the High Ki. Together with the twin Ki, who +seemed to be friendly to them, they occupied one of the twin palaces, +while the Ki-Ki secluded themselves in the other. +</P> + +<P> +The pretty High Ki maidens they did not see at all, nor did they know +what part of the palaces they occupied, not being permitted to wander +away from the rooms allotted to them, except to walk in the garden. +There was no way for them to escape, had they felt inclined to, for the +silver steps had disappeared. +</P> + +<P> +From the garden walks they sometimes caught sight of the solemn heads +of the handsome Ki-Ki looking at them through the twin windows of the +other palace, and although the expression of their faces was always +mild and gentle, Nerle and Marvel well knew the Ki-Ki were only waiting +in the hope of having them killed. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you nervous about the decision of the pretty High Ki?" asked Nerle +one day. +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed," said the prince, laughing; "for I do not expect them to +kill me, in any event." +</P> + +<P> +"If I felt as sure of my safety," returned the boy, "it would destroy +all my pleasure. These are really happy days for me. Every moment I +expect to see the executioner arrive with his ax." +</P> + +<P> +"The executioner is double," said the two old Ki, breaking into the +conversation. "You should say you expect to see the executioners +arrive with their axes." +</P> + +<P> +"Then how will they cut off my head with two axes? For I suppose they +will both chop at the same time, and I have but one neck." +</P> + +<P> +"Wait and see," answered the two Ki, sighing deeply and rubbing their +red noses thoughtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I'll wait," answered the boy; "but as for seeing them cut off my +head, I refuse; for I intend to shut my eyes." +</P> + +<P> +So they sat in their rooms or walked in the gardens, yawning and +waiting, until one day, just as the two clocks on the wall were +striking twenty-four o'clock, the door opened and to their surprise one +of the High Ki twins walked in upon them. +</P> + +<P> +She was as sweet and fair to look upon as when she occupied one of the +beautiful thrones, but at first no one could tell which of the High Ki +she was--their friend or their enemy. Even the Ki were puzzled and +anxious, until the girl said: +</P> + +<P> +"My other half and I have completely separated, for we have agreed to +disagree for all time. And she has gone to ask the Ki-Ki to assist +her, for war is declared between us. And hereafter her color is to be +the green and mine the yellow, and we intend to fight until one of us +conquers and overthrows the other." +</P> + +<P> +This announcement was interesting to Marvel and Nerle, but greatly +shocked the aged Ki, who asked: +</P> + +<P> +"What is to become of our kingdom? Half of a High Ki can not rule it. +It is against the law." +</P> + +<P> +"I will make my own laws when I have won the fight," returned the girl, +with a lovely smile; "so do not let that bother you. And now tell me, +will you help me to fight my battles?" +</P> + +<P> +"Willingly!" exclaimed Nerle and Prince Marvel, almost as if they had +been twins of Twi. And the Ki rubbed their bald heads a moment, and +then sneezed together and wiped their eyes on faded yellow +handkerchiefs, and finally declared they would "stick to her Supreme +Highness through thick and thin!" +</P> + +<P> +"Then go over the wall to the cities, at once, and get together all the +soldiers to fight for me and my cause," commanded the girl. +</P> + +<P> +The twin Ki at once left the room, and the High Ki sat down and began +to ask questions of Prince Marvel and Nerle about the big outside world +from whence they came. Nerle was rather shy and bashful before the +dainty little maiden, whose yellow robe contrasted delightfully with +her pink cheeks and blue eyes and brown flowing locks; but Prince +Marvel did not mind girls at all, so he talked with her freely, and she +in return allowed him to examine the pretty gold crown she wore upon +her brow. +</P> + +<P> +By and by the Ki came back with both faces sad and gloomy. +</P> + +<P> +"Your Highness," they announced, "we have bad news for you. The other +High Ki, who is wearing a green gown, has been more prompt in action +than yourself. She and the Ki-Ki have secured the silver steps and +will allow no others to use them; and already they have sent for the +soldiers of the royal armies to come and aid them. So we are unable to +leave the garden, and presently the army will be here to destroy us." +</P> + +<P> +Then the girl showed her good courage; for she laughed and said: +</P> + +<P> +"Then we must remain here and fight to the last; and if I am unable to +save you, who are my friends, it will be because I can not save myself." +</P> + +<P> +This speech pleased Prince Marvel greatly. He kissed the little maid's +hand respectfully and said: +</P> + +<P> +"Fear nothing, your Highness. My friend and I are not so helpless as +you think. We consider it our privilege to protect and save you, +instead of your saving us; and we are really able to do this in spite +of the other High Ki and her entire army." +</P> + +<P> +So they remained quietly in the palace the rest of that day, and no one +molested them in the least. In the evening the girl played and sang +for them, and the ancient pair of Ki danced a double-shuffle for their +amusement that nearly convulsed them with laughter. For one danced +exactly like the other, and the old men's legs were still very nimble, +although their wrinkled faces remained anxiously grave throughout their +antics. Nerle also sang a song about the King of Thieves whom Prince +Marvel had conquered, and another about the Red Rogue of Dawna, so that +altogether the evening passed pleasantly enough, and they managed to +forget all their uneasy doubts of the morrow. +</P> + +<P> +When at last they separated for the night, Prince Marvel alone did not +seek his bed; there was still some business he wished to transact. So +he shut himself up in his room and summoned before him, by means of his +fairy knowledge, the Prince of the Knooks, the King of the Ryls and the +Governor of the Goblins. These were all three his especial friends, +and he soon told them the story of the quarrel and separation of the +twin High Ki, and claimed their assistance. Then he told them how they +might aid him, and afterward dismissed them. Having thus accomplished +his task, the fairy prince went to bed and slept peacefully the +remainder of the night. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning the blond Ki-Ki and all the army of Twi, which had +been won to their cause, came climbing up the silver steps and over the +wall to the palace of the green High Ki; but what was their amazement +to find the twin palaces separated by a wall so high that no ladders +nor steps they possessed could reach to the top! It had been built in +a single night, and only Prince Marvel and his fairy friends knew how +the work had been done so quickly. +</P> + +<P> +The yellow High Ki, coming downstairs to breakfast with her friends, +found herself securely shut in from her enemies, and the bald-headed +old Ki were so pleased to escape that they danced another jig from pure +joy. +</P> + +<P> +Over the wall could be heard the shouts and threats of the army of Twi, +who were seeking a way to get at the fugitives; but for the present our +friends knew themselves to be perfectly safe, and they could afford to +laugh at the fury of the entire population of Twi. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap18"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +18. The Rescue of the High Ki +</H3> + +<P> +After several days of siege Prince Marvel began to feel less confident +of the safety of his little party. The frantic Ki-Ki had built double +battering-rams and were trying to batter down the high wall; and they +had built several pairs of long ladders with which to climb over the +wall; and their soldiers were digging two tunnels in the ground in +order to crawl under the wall. +</P> + +<P> +Not at once could they succeed, for the wall was strong and it would +take long to batter it down; and Nerle stood on top of the wall and +kicked over the ladders as fast as the soldiers of Twi set them up; and +the gray-bearded Ki stood in the garden holding two big flat boards +with which to whack the heads of any who might come through the tunnels. +</P> + +<P> +But Prince Marvel realized that the perseverance of his foes might win +in the end, unless he took measures to defeat them effectually. So he +summoned swift messengers from among the Sound Elves, who are +accustomed to travel quickly, and they carried messages from him to +Wul-Takim, the King of the Reformed Thieves, and to King Terribus of +Spor, who had both promised him their assistance in case he needed it. +The prince did not tell his friends of this action, but after the +messengers had been dispatched he felt easier in his mind. +</P> + +<P> +The little High Ki remained as sweet and brave and lovable as ever, +striving constantly to cheer and encourage her little band of +defenders. But none of them was very much worried, and Nerle confided +to the maiden in yellow the fact that he expected to suffer quite +agreeably when the Ki-Ki at last got him in their clutches. +</P> + +<P> +Finally a day came when two big holes were battered through the wall, +and then the twin soldiers of Twi poured through the holes and began to +pound on the doors of the palace itself, in which Prince Marvel and +Nerle, the Ki and the yellow High Ki had locked themselves as securely +as possible. +</P> + +<P> +The prince now decided it was high time for his friends to come to +their rescue; but they did not appear, and before long the doors of the +palace gave way and the soldiers rushed upon them in a vast throng. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle wanted to fight, and to slay as many of the Twi people as +possible; but the prince would not let him. +</P> + +<P> +"These poor soldiers are but doing what they consider their duty," he +said, "and it would be cruel to cut them down with our swords. Have +patience, I pray you. Our triumph will come in good time." +</P> + +<P> +The Ki-Ki, who came into the palace accompanied by the green High Ki, +ordered the twin soldiers to bind all the prisoners with cords. So one +pair of soldiers bound the Ki and another pair Nerle and the prince, +using exactly the same motions in the operation. But when it came to +binding the yellow High Ki the scene was very funny. For twin soldiers +tried to do the binding, and there was only one to bind; so that one +soldier went through the same motions as his twin on empty air, and +when his other half had firmly bound the girl, his own rope fell +harmless to the ground. But it seemed impossible for one of the twins +to do anything different from the other, so that was the only way the +act could be accomplished. +</P> + +<P> +Then the green-robed High Ki walked up to the one in yellow and laughed +in her face, saying: +</P> + +<P> +"You now see which of us is the most powerful, and therefore the most +worthy to rule. Had you remained faithful to our handsome Ki-Ki, as I +did, you would not now be defeated and disgraced." +</P> + +<P> +"There is no disgrace in losing one battle," returned the other girl, +proudly. "You are mistaken if you think you have conquered me, and you +are wrong to insult one who is, for the time being, your captive." +</P> + +<P> +The maiden in green looked for an instant confused and ashamed; then +she tossed her pretty head and walked away. +</P> + +<P> +They led all the prisoners out into the garden and then through the +broken wall, and up and down the silver steps, into the great square of +the cities of Twi. And here all the population crowded around them, +for this was the first time any of them had seen their High Ki, or even +known that they were girls; and the news of their quarrel and +separation had aroused a great deal of excitement. +</P> + +<P> +"Let the executioners come forward!" cried the Ki-Ki, gleefully, and in +answer to the command the twin executioners stepped up to the prisoners. +</P> + +<P> +They were big men, these executioners, each having a squint in one eye +and a scar on the left cheek. They polished their axes a moment on +their coat-sleeves, and then said to Prince Marvel and Nerle, who were +to be the first victims: +</P> + +<P> +"Don't dodge, please, or our axes may not strike the right place. And +do not be afraid, for the blows will only hurt you an instant. In the +Land of Twi it is usually considered a pleasure to be executed by us, +we are so exceedingly skillful." +</P> + +<P> +"I can well believe that," replied Nerle, although his teeth were +chattering. +</P> + +<P> +But at this instant a loud shout was heard, and the twin people of Twi +all turned their heads to find themselves surrounded by throngs of +fierce enemies. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel smiled, for he saw among the new-comers the giants and +dwarfs and the stern Gray Men of King Terribus, with their monarch +calmly directing their movements; and on the other side of the circle +were the jolly faces and bushy whiskers of the fifty-nine reformed +thieves, with burly Wul-Takim at their head. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap19"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +19. The Reunion of the High Ki +</H3> + +<P> +The twins of Twi were too startled and amazed to offer to fight with +the odd people surrounding them. Even the executioners allowed their +axes to fall harmlessly to the ground, and the double people, soldiers +and citizens alike, turned to stare at the strangers in wonder. +</P> + +<P> +"We're here, Prince!" yelled Wul-Takim, his bristly beard showing over +the heads of those who stood between. +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you," answered Prince Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"And the men of Spor are here!" added King Terribus, who was mounted on +a fine milk-white charger, richly caparisoned. +</P> + +<P> +"I thank the men of Spor," returned Prince Marvel, graciously. +</P> + +<P> +"Shall we cut your foes into small pieces, or would you prefer to hang +them?" questioned the King of the Reformed Thieves, loudly enough to +set most of his hearers shivering. +</P> + +<P> +But now the little maid in yellow stepped up to Prince Marvel and, +regarding the youthful knight with considerable awe, said sweetly: +</P> + +<P> +"I beg you will pardon my people and spare them. They are usually good +and loyal subjects, and if they fought against me--their lawful High +Ki--it was only because they were misled by my separation from my other +half." +</P> + +<P> +"That is true," replied the prince; "and as you are still the lawful +High Ki of Twi, I will leave you to deal with your own people as you +see fit. For those who have conquered your people are but your own +allies, and are still under your orders, as I am myself." +</P> + +<P> +Hearing this, the green High Ki walked up to her twin High Ki and said, +boldly: +</P> + +<P> +"I am your prisoner. It is now your turn. Do with me as you will." +</P> + +<P> +"I forgive you," replied her sister, in kindly tones. +</P> + +<P> +Then the little maid who had met with defeat gave a sob and turned away +weeping, for she had expected anything but forgiveness. +</P> + +<P> +And now the Ki-Ki came forward and, bowing their handsome blond heads +before the High Ki, demanded: "Are we forgiven also?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said the girl, "but you are no longer fit to be rulers of my +people. Therefore, you are henceforth deprived of your honorable +offices of Ki-Ki, which I shall now bestow upon these good captains +here," and she indicated the good-natured officers who had first +captured the prince and Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +The people of Twi eagerly applauded this act, for the captains were +more popular with them than the former Ki-Ki; but the blond ones both +flushed with humiliation and anger, and said: +</P> + +<P> +"The captains fought against you, even as we did." +</P> + +<P> +"Yet the captains only obeyed your orders," returned the High Ki. "So +I hold them blameless." +</P> + +<P> +"And what is to become of us now?" asked the former Ki-Ki. +</P> + +<P> +"You will belong to the common people, and earn your living playing +tunes for them to dance by," answered the High Ki. And at this retort +every one laughed, so that the handsome youths turned away with twin +scowls upon their faces and departed amidst the jeers of the crowd. +</P> + +<P> +"Better hang 'em to a tree, little one," shouted Wul-Takim, in his big +voice; "they won't enjoy life much, anyhow." +</P> + +<P> +But the maid shook her pretty head and turned to the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Will you stay here and help me to rule my kingdom?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"I can not do that," replied Prince Marvel, "for I am but a wandering +adventurer and must soon continue my travels. But I believe you will +be able to rule your people without my help." +</P> + +<P> +"It is not so easy a task," she answered, sighing. "For I am singular +and my people are all double." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, let us hold a meeting in your palace," said the prince, "and +then we can decide what is best to be done." +</P> + +<P> +So they dismissed the people, who cheered their High Ki +enthusiastically, returning quietly to their daily tasks and the gossip +that was sure to follow such important events as they had witnessed. +</P> + +<P> +The army of King Terribus and the fifty-nine reformed thieves went to +the twin palaces of the Ki and the Ki-Ki and made merry with feasting +and songs to celebrate their conquest. And the High Ki, followed by +the prince, Nerle, King Terribus and Wul-Takim, as well as by the Ki +and the newly-appointed Ki-Ki, mounted the silver steps and passed over +the wall to the royal palaces. The green High Ki followed them, still +weeping disconsolately. +</P> + +<P> +When they had all reached the throne-room, the High Ki seated herself +on one of the beautiful thrones and said: +</P> + +<P> +"By some strange chance, which I am unable to explain, my twin and I +have become separated; so that instead of thinking and acting alike, we +are now individuals--as are all the strange men who have passed through +the hole in the hedge. And, being individuals, we can no longer agree, +nor can one of us lawfully rule over the Kingdom of Twi, where all the +subjects are twins, thinking and acting in unison." +</P> + +<P> +Said Prince Marvel: +</P> + +<P> +"Your Highness, I alone can explain why you became separated from your +twin. By means of a fairy enchantment, which I learned years ago, I +worked upon you a spell, which compelled your brain to work independent +of your sister's brain. It seems to me that it is better each person +should think her own thoughts and live her own life, rather than be +yoked to another person and obliged to think and act as a twin, or +one-half of a complete whole. And since you are now the one High Ki, +and the acknowledged ruler of this country, I will agree to work the +same fairy spell on all your people, so that no longer will there be +twin minds in all this Land of Twi." +</P> + +<P> +"But all the cows and dogs and horses and other animals are double, as +well as the people," suggested the old Ki, blinking their little eyes +in amazement at the thought of being forever separated from each other. +</P> + +<P> +"I can also work the spell upon all the twin animals," said the prince, +after a moment's hesitation. +</P> + +<P> +"And all our houses are built double, with twin doors and windows and +chimneys, to accommodate our twin people," continued the High Ki. "And +the trees and flowers--and even the blades of grass--are all double. +And our roads are double, and--and everything else is double. I alone, +the ruler of this land, am singular!" +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel became thoughtful now, for he did not know how to +separate trees and flowers, and it would be a tedious task to separate +the twin houses. +</P> + +<P> +"Why not leave the country as it is?" asked King Terribus of Spor. +"The High Ki is welcome to come to my castle to live, and then she need +no longer bother about the Land of Twi, which seems to me a poor place, +after all." +</P> + +<P> +"And your sister may come with me to my cave, and be the queen of the +reformed thieves, which is a much more important office than being High +Ki of Twi," added big Wul-Takim, who had placed the maiden in green +upon a cushion at his feet, and was striving to comfort her by gently +stroking her silken hair with his rough hand. +</P> + +<P> +"But I love my country, and do not wish to leave it," answered the +yellow High Ki. "And I love my twin sister, and regret that our minds +have become separated," she continued, sadly. +</P> + +<P> +"I have it!" exclaimed Nerle. "Let the prince reunite you, making you +regular twins of Twi again, and then you can continue to rule the +country as the double High Ki, and everything will be as it was before." +</P> + +<P> +The yellow High Ki clapped her pink hands with delight and looked +eagerly at the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Will you?" she asked. "Will you please reunite us? And then all our +troubles will be ended!" +</P> + +<P> +This really seemed to Marvel the best thing to be done. So he led the +maid in green to the other throne, where she had once sat, and after +replacing the golden crown upon her brow he whispered a fairy spell of +much mystical power. +</P> + +<P> +Then the prince stepped back and regarded the maidens earnestly, and +after a moment both the High Ki smiled upon him in unison and +said--speaking the same words in the same voices and with the same +accents: +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you very much!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap20"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +20. Kwytoffle, the Tyrant +</H3> + +<P> +Having restored the High Ki to their former condition, to the great joy +of the ancient Ki, Prince Marvel led his friends back to the palaces +where his men were waiting. +</P> + +<P> +They were just in time to prevent serious trouble, for the fifty-eight +reformed thieves had been boasting of their prowess to the huge giants +and tiny dwarfs of King Terribus, and this had resulted in a quarrel as +to which were the best fighters. Had not their masters arrived at the +right moment there would certainly have been a fierce battle and much +bloodshed,--and all over something of no importance. +</P> + +<P> +Terribus and Wul-Takim soon restored order, and then they accompanied +the Ki and the Ki-Ki to the public square, where the people were +informed that their Supreme Highnesses, the High Ki, had been reunited +and would thereafter rule them with twin minds as well as twin bodies. +There was great rejoicing at this news, for every twin in Twi was glad +to have his troubles ended so easily and satisfactorily. +</P> + +<P> +That night the ryls and knooks and other invisible friends of Prince +Marvel came and removed the dividing wall between the twin palaces of +the High Ki, repairing speedily all the damage that had been done. And +when our friends called upon the High Ki the next morning they found +the two maids again dressed exactly alike in yellow robes, with strings +of sparkling emeralds for ornament. And not even Prince Marvel could +now tell one of the High Ki from the other. +</P> + +<P> +As for the maids themselves, it seemed difficult to imagine they had +ever existed apart for a single moment. +</P> + +<P> +They were very pleasant and agreeable to their new friends, and when +they heard that Prince Marvel was about to leave them to seek new +adventures they said: +</P> + +<P> +"Please take us with you! It seems to us that we ought to know +something of the big outside world from whence you came. If we see +other kingdoms and people we shall be better able to rule our own +wisely." +</P> + +<P> +"That seems reasonable," answered Marvel, "and I shall be very glad to +have you accompany me. But who will rule the Land of Twi in your +absence?" +</P> + +<P> +"The Ki-Ki shall be the rulers," answered the High Ki, "and we will +take the Ki with us." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I will delay my departure until to-morrow morning," said the +prince, "in order that your Highnesses may have time to prepare for the +journey." +</P> + +<P> +And then he went back to the palaces of the other rulers, where the Ki +expressed themselves greatly pleased at the idea of traveling, and the +new Ki-Ki were proud to learn they should rule for some time the Land +of Twi. +</P> + +<P> +Wul-Takim also begged to join the party, and so also did King Terribus, +who had never before been outside of his own Kingdom of Spor; so Prince +Marvel willingly consented. +</P> + +<P> +The fifty-eight reformed thieves, led by Gunder, returned to their +cave, where they were living comfortably on the treasure Prince Marvel +had given them; and the Gray Men and giants and dwarfs of Spor departed +for their own country. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning Prince Marvel led his own gay cavalcade through the hole +in the hedge, and they rode merrily away in search of adventure. +</P> + +<P> +By his side were the High Ki, mounted upon twin chestnut ponies that +had remarkably slender limbs and graceful, arched necks. The ponies +moved with exactly the same steps, and shook their manes and swished +their tails at exactly the same time. Behind the prince and the High +Ki were King Terribus, riding his great white charger, and Wul-Takim on +a stout horse of jet-black color. The two ancient Ki and Nerle, being +of lesser rank than the others, brought up the rear. +</P> + +<P> +"When we return to our Land of Twi," said the High Ki, "we shall close +up for all time the hole you made in the hedge; for, if we are +different from the rest of the world, it is better that we remain in +seclusion." +</P> + +<P> +"I think it is right you should do that," replied Prince Marvel. "Yet +I do not regret that I cut a hole in your hedge." +</P> + +<P> +"It was the hedge that delayed us in coming more promptly to your +assistance," said Terribus; "for we had hard work to find the hole you +had made, and so lost much valuable time." +</P> + +<P> +"All is well that ends well!" laughed the prince. "You certainly came +in good time to rescue us from our difficulties." +</P> + +<P> +They turned into a path that led to Auriel, which Nerle had heard +spoken of as "the Kingdom of the Setting Sun." +</P> + +<P> +Soon the landscape grew very pleasant to look upon, the meadows being +broad and green, with groups of handsome trees standing about. The +twilight of the Land of Twi was now replaced by bright sunshine, and in +the air was the freshness of the near-by sea. +</P> + +<P> +At evening they came to a large farmhouse, where the owner welcomed +them hospitably and gave them the best his house afforded. +</P> + +<P> +In answer to their questions about the Kingdom of Auriel, he shook his +head sadly and replied: +</P> + +<P> +"It is a rich and beautiful country, but has fallen under great +misfortunes. For when the good king died, about two years ago, the +kingdom was seized by a fierce and cruel sorcerer, named Kwytoffle, who +rules the people with great severity, and makes them bring him all +their money and valuable possessions. So every one is now very poor +and unhappy, and that is a great pity in a country so fair and fertile." +</P> + +<P> +"But why do not the people rebel?" asked Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"They dare not rebel," answered the farmer, "because they fear the +sorcery of Kwytoffle. If they do not obey him he threatens to change +them into grasshoppers and June-bugs." +</P> + +<P> +"Has he ever changed any one into a grasshopper or a June-bug?" asked +Prince Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"No; but the people are too frightened to oppose him, and so he does +not get the opportunity. And he has an army of fierce soldiers, who +are accustomed to beat the people terribly if they do not carry every +bit of their wealth to the sorcerer. So there is no choice but to obey +him." +</P> + +<P> +"We certainly ought to hang this wicked creature!" exclaimed Wul-Takim. +</P> + +<P> +"I wish I had brought my Fool-Killer with me," sighed King Terribus; +"for I could have kept him quite busy in this kingdom." +</P> + +<P> +"Can not something be done to rescue these poor people from their sad +fate?" asked the lovely High Ki, anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"We will make a call upon this Kwytoffle to-morrow," answered Prince +Marvel, "and see what the fellow is like." +</P> + +<P> +"Alas! Alas!" wailed the good farmer, "you will all become +grasshoppers and June-bugs--every one of you!" +</P> + +<P> +But none of the party seemed to fear that, and having passed the night +comfortably with the farmer they left his house and journeyed on into +the Kingdom of Auriel. +</P> + +<P> +Before noon they came upon the edge of a forest, where a poor man was +chopping logs into firewood. Seeing Prince Marvel's party approach, +this man ran toward them waving his hands and shouting excitedly: +</P> + +<P> +"Take the other path! Take the other path!" +</P> + +<P> +"And why should we take the other path?" inquired the prince, reining +in his steed. +</P> + +<P> +"Because this one leads to the castle of the great sorcerer, +Kwytoffle," answered the man. +</P> + +<P> +"But there is where we wish to go," said Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"What! You wish to go there?" cried the man. "Then you will be robbed +and enslaved!" +</P> + +<P> +"Not as long as we are able to fight," laughed the big Wul-Takim. +</P> + +<P> +"If you resist the sorcerer, you will be turned into grasshoppers and +June-bugs," declared the man, staring at them in wonder. +</P> + +<P> +"How do you know that?" asked Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"Kwytoffle says so. He promises to enchant every one who dares defy +his power." +</P> + +<P> +"Has any one ever yet dared defy him?" asked Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"Certainly not!" said the man. "No one wishes to become a June-bug or +a grasshopper. No one dares defy him.". +</P> + +<P> +"I am anxious to see this sorcerer," exclaimed King Terribus. "He +ought to prove an interesting person, for he is able to accomplish his +purposes by threats alone." +</P> + +<P> +"Then let us ride on," said Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"Dear us! Dear us!" remonstrated the bald-headed Ki; "are we to become +grasshoppers, then?" +</P> + +<P> +"We shall see," returned the prince, briefly. +</P> + +<P> +"With your long legs," added the pretty pair of High Ki, laughingly, +"you ought to be able to jump farther than any other grasshopper in the +kingdom." +</P> + +<P> +"Great Kika-koo!" cried the Ki, nervously, "what a fate! what a +terrible fate! And your Highnesses, I suppose, will become June-bugs, +and flutter your wings with noises like buzz-saws!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap21"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +21. The Wonderful Book of Magic +</H3> + +<P> +Whatever their fears might be, none of Prince Marvel's party hesitated +to follow him along the path through the forest in search of the +sorcerer, and by and by they came upon a large clearing. In the middle +of this open space was a big building in such bad repair that its walls +were tumbling down in several places, and all around it the ground was +uncared for and littered with rubbish. A man was walking up and down +in front of this building, with his head bowed low; but when he heard +the sound of approaching horses' hoofs he looked up and stared for a +moment in amazement. Then, with a shout of rage, he rushed toward them +and caught Prince Marvel's horse by the bridle. +</P> + +<P> +"How dare you!" he cried; "how dare you enter my forest?" +</P> + +<P> +Marvel jerked his bridle from the man's grasp and said in return: +</P> + +<P> +"Who are you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Me! Who am I? Why, I am the great and powerful Kwytoffle! So +beware! Beware my sorcery!" +</P> + +<P> +They all looked at the man curiously. He was short and very fat, and +had a face like a puff-ball, with little red eyes and scarcely any nose +at all. He wore a black gown with scarlet grasshoppers and june-bugs +embroidered upon the cloth; and his hat was high and peaked, with an +imitation grasshopper of extraordinary size perched upon its point. In +his right hand he carried a small black wand, and around his neck hung +a silver whistle on a silver cord. +</P> + +<P> +Seeing that the strangers were gazing on him so earnestly, Kwytoffle +thought they were frightened; so he said again, in a big voice: +</P> + +<P> +"Beware my vengeance!" +</P> + +<P> +"Beware yourself!" retorted the prince. "For if you do not treat us +more respectfully, I shall have you flogged." +</P> + +<P> +"What! Flog me!" shouted Kwytoffle, furiously. "For this I will turn +every one of you into grasshoppers--unless you at once give me all the +wealth you possess!" +</P> + +<P> +"Poor man!" exclaimed Nerle; "I can see you are longing for that +flogging. Will you have it now?" and he raised his riding-whip above +his head. +</P> + +<P> +Kwytoffle stumbled backward a few paces and blew shrilly upon his +silver whistle. Instantly a number of soldiers came running from the +building, others following quickly after them until fully a hundred +rough-looking warriors, armed with swords and axes, had formed in +battle array, facing the little party of Prince Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"Arrest these strangers!" commanded Kwytoffle, in a voice like a roar. +"Capture them and bind them securely, and then I will change them all +into grasshoppers!" +</P> + +<P> +"All right," answered the captain of the soldiers; and then he turned +to his men and shouted: "Forward--double-quick--march!" +</P> + +<P> +They came on with drawn swords; at first running, and then gradually +dropping into a walk, as they beheld Nerle, Wul-Takim, King Terribus +and Marvel standing quietly waiting to receive them, weapons in hand +and ready for battle. A few paces off the soldiers hesitated and +stopped altogether, and Kwytoffle yelled at the captain: +</P> + +<P> +"Why don't you go on? Why don't you capture them? Why don't you fight +them?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, they have drawn their swords!" responded the captain, +reproachfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Who cares?" roared the sorcerer. +</P> + +<P> +"We care," said the captain, giving a shudder, as he looked upon the +strangers. "Their swords are sharp, and some of us would get hurt." +</P> + +<P> +"You're cowards!" shrieked the enraged Kwytoffle. "I'll turn you all +into June-bugs!" +</P> + +<P> +At this threat the soldiers dropped their swords and axes, and all fell +upon their knees, trembling visibly and imploring their cruel master +not to change them into june-bugs. +</P> + +<P> +"Bah!" cried Nerle, scornfully; "why don't you fight? If we kill you, +then you will escape being June-bugs." +</P> + +<P> +"The fact is," said the captain, woefully, "we simply can't fight. For +our swords are only tin, and our axes are made of wood, with +silver-paper pasted over them." +</P> + +<P> +"But why is that?" asked Wul-Takim, while all the party showed their +surprise. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, until now we have never had any need to fight," said the captain, +"for every one has quickly surrendered to us or run away the moment we +came near. But you people do not appear to be properly frightened, and +now, alas! since you have drawn upon us the great sorcerer's anger, we +shall all be transformed into June-bugs." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes!" roared Kwytoffle, hopping up and down with anger, "you shall all +be June-bugs, and these strangers I will transform into grasshoppers!" +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said Prince Marvel, quietly; "you can do it now." +</P> + +<P> +"I will! I will!" cried the sorcerer. +</P> + +<P> +"Then why don't you begin?" inquired the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Why don't I begin? Why, I haven't got the enchantments with me, +that's why. Do you suppose we great magicians carry around +enchantments in our pockets?" returned the other, in a milder tone. +</P> + +<P> +"Where do you keep your enchantments?" asked the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"They're in my dwelling," snapped Kwytoffle, taking off his hat and +fanning his fat face with the brim. +</P> + +<P> +"Then go and get them," said Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense! If I went to get the enchantments you would all run away!" +retorted the sorcerer. +</P> + +<P> +"Not so!" protested Nerle, who was beginning to be amused. "My +greatest longing in life is to become a grasshopper." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes! PLEASE let us be grasshoppers!" exclaimed the High Ki maids +in the same breath. +</P> + +<P> +"We want to hop! We want to hop! Please--PLEASE let us hop!" implored +the bald-headed Ki, winking their left eyes at Wul-Takim. +</P> + +<P> +"By all means let us become grasshoppers," said King Terribus, smiling; +and Wul-Takim added: +</P> + +<P> +"I'm sure your soldiers would enjoy being June-bugs, for then they +wouldn't have to work. Isn't that so, boys?" +</P> + +<P> +The bewildered soldiers looked at one another in perplexity, and the +still more bewildered sorcerer gazed on the speakers with staring eyes +and wide-open mouth. +</P> + +<P> +"I insist," said Prince Marvel, "upon your turning us into grasshoppers +and your soldiers into June-bugs, as you promised. If you do not, then +I will flog you--as I promised." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," returned the sorcerer, with a desperate look upon his +face; "I'll go and find the enchantment." +</P> + +<P> +"And we'll go with you," remarked the prince, pleasantly. +</P> + +<P> +So the entire party accompanied Kwytoffle into the house, where they +entered a large room that was in a state of much disorder. +</P> + +<P> +"Let me see," said the sorcerer, rubbing his ears, as if trying to +think; "I wonder if I put them in this cupboard. You see," he +explained, "no one has ever before dared me to transform him into a +June-bug or grasshopper, so I have almost forgotten where I keep my +book of enchantments. No, it's not in the cupboard," he continued, +looking there; "but it surely must be in this chest." +</P> + +<P> +It was not in the chest, either, and so the sorcerer continued to look +in all sorts of queer places for his book of enchantments, without +finding it. Whenever he paused in his search Prince Marvel would say, +sternly: +</P> + +<P> +"Go on! Find the book! Hunt it up. We are all anxious to become +grasshoppers." And then Kwytoffle would set to work again, although +big drops of perspiration were now streaming down his face. +</P> + +<P> +Finally he pulled an old book from underneath the pillow of his bed, +and crying, "Here it is!" carried it to the window. +</P> + +<P> +He turned a few leaves of the book and then said: +</P> + +<P> +"How unfortunate! The compound I require to change you into +grasshoppers must be mixed on the first day of September; and as this +is now the eighth day of September I must wait nearly a year before I +can work the enchantment." +</P> + +<P> +"How about the June-bugs?" asked Nerle. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Ah! The June-bug mixture can only be made at the dark o' the +moon," said the sorcerer, pretending to read, "and that is three weeks +from now." +</P> + +<P> +"Let me read it," said Prince Marvel, suddenly snatching the book from +Kwytoffle's hands. Then he turned to the title-page and read: +</P> + +<P> +"'Lives of Famous Thieves and Impostors.' Why, this is not a book of +enchantments." +</P> + +<P> +"That is what I suspected," said Terribus. +</P> + +<P> +"No one but a sorcerer can read the enchantments in this book," +declared Kwytoffle; but he hung his head with a sheepish look, for he +knew his deception had been well understood. +</P> + +<P> +"Is your own history written in this volume?" inquired Marvel. +</P> + +<P> +"No," answered the sorcerer. +</P> + +<P> +"Then it ought to be," said the prince, "for you are no sorcerer at +all, but merely a thief and an impostor!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap22"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +22. The Queen of Plenta +</H3> + +<P> +The soldiers of Kwytoffle wanted to hang their old master at once, for +he had won their enmity by abusing them in many ways; but Prince Marvel +would not let them do this. However, they tied the false sorcerer to a +post, and the captain gave him a good whipping--one lash for each +letter in the words "grasshopper" and "June-bug." Kwytoffle howled +loudly for mercy, but no one was at all sorry for him. +</P> + +<P> +Wul-Takim tied a rope around the impostor's neck, and when the party +left the castle they journeyed all through the kingdom of Auriel, and +at every town or city they came to the reformed thief would cry out to +the populace: +</P> + +<P> +"Here is the terrible sorcerer Kwytoffle, who threatened to change you +into grasshoppers and june-bugs. But you may see that he is a very +common man, with no powers of sorcery whatever!" +</P> + +<P> +And then the people would laugh and pelt mud at their former tyrant, +and thank Prince Marvel for haying exposed the false and wicked +creature. +</P> + +<P> +And they called the son of their old king back to his lawful throne, +where he ruled wisely and well; and the hoarded wealth of Kwytoffle was +divided among the people again, and soon the country became prosperous +once more. +</P> + +<P> +This adventure was very amusing to the pretty High Ki of Twi. It +afforded them laughter for many days, and none of the party ever saw a +grasshopper or a june-bug afterward without thinking of the terrible +sorcerer Kwytoffle. +</P> + +<P> +They left that disgraced person grooming horses for his board in the +stables of the new king, and proceeded upon their journey. +</P> + +<P> +Without further event they reached the splendid southern Kingdom of +Plenta, which was the most delightfully situated of any dominion in the +Enchanted Island of Yew. It was ruled by a good and generous queen, +who welcomed the strangers to her palace and gave a series of gay +entertainments in their honor. +</P> + +<P> +King Terribus was especially an object of interest, for every one had +heard his name and feared him and his fierce people. But when they +beheld his pleasant countenance and listened to his gentle voice they +began to regard him with much love and respect; and really Terribus was +worthy of their friendship since he had changed from a deformed monster +into an ordinary man, and had forbidden his people ever again to rob +and plunder their weaker neighbors. +</P> + +<P> +But the most popular personages visiting at the court of the Queen of +Plenta were the lovely High Ki of Twi. Although beautiful girls +abounded in this kingdom, none could compare with the royal twins, and +their peculiar condition only served to render them the more +interesting. +</P> + +<P> +Two youths would approach the High Ki at the same time and invite them +to dance, and in united voices they would accept the invitation and go +whirling around the room with exactly the same steps, laughing at the +same instant and enjoying the dance equally. But if one youth asked +his partner a question, both the twins would make answer, and that was +sure to confuse and embarrass the youth. Still, the maids managed very +well to adapt themselves to the ways of people who were singular, +although they sometimes became a little homesick for Twi, where they +were like all the other people. +</P> + +<P> +The bald-headed Ki kept watchful eyes on their youthful rulers, and +served them very cheerfully. But with all their travels and +experiences, the old men could never be convinced it was better to be +singular than double. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel was the real hero of the party, and Nerle received much +attention on account of his master's popularity. He did not seem as +unhappy as usual, and when the prince inquired the reason, his esquire +answered that he believed the excitement of their adventures was fast +curing him of his longing for something he could not have. As for the +pleasure of suffering, he had had some experience of that, too, and it +was not nearly so delightful as he had expected. +</P> + +<P> +Wul-Takim was not a society man, so he stayed around the royal stables +and made friends with the grooms, and traded his big black horse for +two bay ones and a gold neck-chain, and was fairly content with his lot. +</P> + +<P> +And so the party enjoyed several happy weeks at the court of the good +Queen of Plenta, until one day the terrible news arrived that carried +them once more into exciting adventures. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap23"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +23. The Red Rogue of Dawna +</H3> + +<P> +One morning, while they were all standing in the courtyard waiting for +their horses, as they were about to go for a ride, a courier came +galloping swiftly up to the palace and cried: +</P> + +<P> +"Does any one know where Prince Marvel can be found?" +</P> + +<P> +"I am Prince Marvel," replied the young knight, stepping out from among +the others. +</P> + +<P> +"Then have I reached my journey's end!" said the courier, whose horse +was nearly exhausted from long and hard riding. "The Lady Seseley is +in great danger, and sends for you to come and rescue her. The great +Baron Merd, her father, has been killed and his castle destroyed, and +all his people are either captives or have been slain outright." +</P> + +<P> +"And who has done this evil thing?" asked Prince Marvel, looking very +stern and grave. +</P> + +<P> +"The Red Rogue of Dawna," answered the messenger. "He quarreled with +the Baron Merd and sent his savage hordes to tear down his castle and +slay him. I myself barely escaped with my life, and the Lady Seseley +had but time to say, before she was carried off, that if I could find +Prince Marvel he would surely rescue her." +</P> + +<P> +"And so I will!" declared the prince, "if she be still alive." +</P> + +<P> +"Who is this Lady Seseley?" asked Nerle, who had come to his master's +side. +</P> + +<P> +"She is my first friend, to whom I owe my very existence. It is her +image, together with those of her two friends, which is graven on my +shield," answered Prince Marvel, thoughtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"And what will you do?" inquired the esquire. +</P> + +<P> +"I must go to her at once." +</P> + +<P> +When they heard of his mission all the party insisted on accompanying +him. Even the dainty High Ki could not be deterred by any thoughts of +dangers they might encounter; and after some discussion Prince Marvel +allowed them to join him. +</P> + +<P> +So Wul-Takim sharpened his big broadsword, and Nerle carefully prepared +his master's horse, so that before an hour had passed they were +galloping toward the province of the Red Rogue of Dawna. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel knew little concerning this personage, but Nerle had much +to tell of him. The Red Rogue had once been page to a wise scholar and +magician, who lived in a fine old castle in Dawna and ruled over a +large territory. The boy was very small and weak--smaller even than +the average dwarf--and his master did not think it worth while to watch +him. But one evening, while the magician was standing upon the top of +the highest tower of his castle, the boy gave him a push from behind, +and he met death on the sharp rocks below. Then the boy took his +master's book of magic and found a recipe to make one grow. He made +the mixture and swallowed it, and straightway began to grow big and +tall. This greatly delighted him, until he found he was getting much +bigger than the average man and rapidly becoming a giant. So he sought +for a way to arrest the action of the magical draft; but before he +could find it he had grown to enormous proportions, and was bigger than +the biggest giant. There was nothing in the book of magic to make one +grow smaller, so he was obliged to remain as he was--the largest man in +the Enchanted Island. +</P> + +<P> +All this had happened in a single night. The morning after his +master's murder the page announced himself lord of the castle; and, +seeing his enormous size, none dared deny his right to rule. On +account of his bushy hair, which was fiery red in color, and the bushy +red beard that covered his face when he became older, people came to +call him the Red One. And after his evil deeds and quarrelsome temper +had made him infamous throughout the island, people began to call him +the Red Rogue of Dawna. +</P> + +<P> +He had gathered around him a number of savage barbarians, as wicked and +quarrelsome as himself, and so none dared to interfere with him, or +even to meet him, if it were possible to avoid it. +</P> + +<P> +This same Red Rogue it was who had drawn the good Baron Merd into a +quarrel and afterward slain the old knight and his followers, destroyed +his castle, and carried his little daughter Seseley and her girl +friends, Berna and Helda, into captivity, shutting them up in his own +gloomy castle. +</P> + +<P> +The Red Rogue thought he had done a very clever thing, and had no fear +of the consequences until one of his men came running up to the castle +to announce that Prince Marvel and his companions were approaching to +rescue the Lady Seseley. +</P> + +<P> +"How many of them are there?" demanded the Red Rogue. +</P> + +<P> +"There are eight, altogether," answered the man, "but two of them are +girls." +</P> + +<P> +"And they expect to force me to give up my captives?" asked the Red +One, laughing with a noise like the roar of a waterfall. "Why, I shall +make prisoners of every one of them!" +</P> + +<P> +The man looked at his master fearfully, and replied: +</P> + +<P> +"This Prince Marvel is very famous, and all people speak of his bravery +and power. It was he who conquered King Terribus of Spor, and that +mighty ruler is now his friend, and is one of the eight who approach." +</P> + +<P> +The Red Rogue stopped laughing, for the fame of Spor's terrible king +had long ago reached him. And he reflected that any one who could +conquer the army of giants and dwarfs and Gray Men that served Terribus +must surely be one to be regarded seriously. Moreover--and this was a +secret--the Red Rogue had never been able to gain the strength to +correspond with his gigantic size, but had ever remained as weak as +when he was a puny boy. So he was accustomed to rely on his cunning +and on the terror his very presence usually excited to triumph over his +enemies. And he began to be afraid of this prince. +</P> + +<P> +"You say two of the party are girls?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said the man, "but also among them are King Terribus himself, +and the renowned Wul-Takim, formerly king of thieves, who was conquered +by the prince, although accounted a hard fighter, and is now his +devoted servant. And there are two old men who are just alike and have +a very fierce look about them. They are said to come from the hidden +Kingdom of Twi." +</P> + +<P> +By this time the Red Rogue was thoroughly frightened, but he did not +yet despair of defeating his enemies. He knew better than to attempt +to oppose Prince Marvel by force, but he still hoped to conquer him by +trickery and deceit. +</P> + +<P> +Among the wonderful things that the Red Rogue's former master, the wise +scholar and magician, had made were two large enchanted mirrors, which +were set on each side of the great hallway of the castle. Heavy +curtains were drawn over the surfaces of these mirrors, because they +both possessed a dreadful magical power. For whenever any one looked +into one of them his reflection was instantly caught and imprisoned in +the mirror, and his body at the same time became invisible to all +earthly eyes, only the mirror retaining his form. +</P> + +<P> +While considering a way to prevent the prince from freeing the Lady +Seseley, the Red Rogue happened to think of these mirrors, which had +never yet been used. So he went stealthily into the great hall and +drew aside the covering from one of the mirrors. He did not dare look +into the mirror himself, but hurried away to another room, and then +sent a page up a back stairway to summon the Lady Seseley and her two +maids into his presence. +</P> + +<P> +The girls at once obeyed, for they greatly feared the Red Rogue; and of +course they descended the front stairway and walked through the great +hall. At once the large mirror that had been exposed to view caught +the eye of Seseley, and she paused to regard her reflection in the +glass. Her two companions did likewise, and instantly all three girls +became invisible, while the mirror held their reflections fast in its +magic surface. +</P> + +<P> +The Red Rogue was watching them through a crack in the door, and seeing +the girls disappear he gave a joyful laugh and exclaimed: +</P> + +<P> +"Now let Prince Marvel find them if he can!" +</P> + +<P> +The three girls began to wander aimlessly through the castle; for not +only were they invisible to others, but also to themselves and to one +another, and they knew not what to do nor which way to turn. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap24"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +24. The Enchanted Mirrors +</H3> + +<P> +Presently Prince Marvel and his party arrived and paused before the +doors of the castle, where the Red Rogue stood bowing to them with mock +politeness and with an evil grin showing on his red face. +</P> + +<P> +"I come to demand the release of the Lady Seseley and her companions!" +Prince Marvel announced, in a bold voice. "And I also intend to call +you to account for the murder of Baron Merd." +</P> + +<P> +"You must be at the wrong castle," answered the Red One, "for I have +murdered no baron, nor have I any Lady Seseley as prisoner." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you not the Red Rogue of Dawna?" demanded the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"Men call me by that name," acknowledged the other. +</P> + +<P> +"Then you are deceiving me," said the prince. +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed!" answered the Red Rogue, mockingly. "I wouldn't deceive +any one for the world. But, if you don't believe me, you are welcome +to search my castle." +</P> + +<P> +"That I shall do," returned the prince, sternly, "whether I have your +permission or not," and he began to dismount. But Nerle restrained +him, saying: +</P> + +<P> +"Master, I beg you will allow me to search the castle. For this Red +Rogue is playing some trick upon us, I am sure, and if anything +happened to you there would be no one to protect the little High Ki and +our other friends." +</P> + +<P> +"But suppose something should happen to you?" inquired the prince, +anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"In that case," said Nerle, "you can avenge me." +</P> + +<P> +The advice was so reasonable, under the circumstances, that the prince +decided to act upon it. +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said he, "go and search the castle, and I will remain with +our friends. But if anything happens to you, I shall call the Red +Rogue to account." +</P> + +<P> +So Nerle entered the castle, passing by the huge form of its owner, who +only nodded to the boy and grinned with delight. +</P> + +<P> +The esquire found himself in the great hall and began to look around +him, but without seeing any one. Then he advanced a few steps and, to +his surprise, discovered a large mirror, in which were reflected the +faces and forms of three girls, as well as his own. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, here they are!" he attempted to say; but he could not hear his +own voice. He glanced down at himself but could see nothing at +all--for his body had become invisible. His reflection was still in +the glass, and he knew that his body existed the same as before; but +although he yet saw plainly the hall and all that it contained, he +could see neither himself nor any other person of flesh. +</P> + +<P> +After waiting a considerable time for his esquire to reappear Prince +Marvel became impatient. +</P> + +<P> +"What have you done with Nerle?" he asked of the Red Rogue. +</P> + +<P> +"Nothing," was the reply. "I have been here, plainly within your +sight, every moment." +</P> + +<P> +"Let me go and find him!" exclaimed King Terribus, and rushed into the +castle before the prince could reply. But Terribus also encountered +the enchanted mirror, and the prince waited in vain for his return. +</P> + +<P> +Then Wul-Takim volunteered to go in search of the others, and drew his +big, sharp sword before entering the hall. But an hour passed by and +he did not return. +</P> + +<P> +The Red Rogue was overjoyed at the success of his stratagem, and could +scarce refrain from laughing outright at the prince's anxiety. +</P> + +<P> +Marvel was really perplexed. He knew some treachery was afoot, but +could not imagine what it was. And when the pretty High Ki declared +their intention of entering the castle, he used every endeavor to +dissuade them. But the twin girls would not be denied, so great was +their curiosity. So the prince said: +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we will all go together, so that the Ki and I may be able to +protect you." +</P> + +<P> +The Red Rogue gladly granted them admittance, and they passed him and +entered the great hall. +</P> + +<P> +The place appeared to them to be completely empty, so they walked along +and came opposite the mirror. Here all stopped at once, and the twin +High Ki uttered exclamations of surprise, and the twin Ki shouted, +"Great Kika-koo!" +</P> + +<P> +For there in the glass were the reflections of the three girls and +Nerle and King Terribus and Wul-Takim. And there were also the +reflections of the twin High Ki and the twin Ki. Only Prince Marvel's +reflection was missing, and this was because of his fairy origin. For +the glass could reflect and hold only the forms of mortals. +</P> + +<P> +But the prince saw the reflections of all the others, and then made the +discovery that the forms of the Ki and the High Ki had become +invisible. No one except himself appeared to be standing in the great +hall of the Red Rogue's castle! Yet grouped within the glass were the +likenesses of all his friends, as well as those of Lady Seseley and her +companions; and all were staring back at him earnestly, as if imploring +him to save them. +</P> + +<P> +The mystery was now explained, and Prince Marvel rushed from the hall +to find the treacherous Red Rogue. But that clever trickster had +hidden himself in an upper room, and for the present was safely +concealed. +</P> + +<P> +For a time Prince Marvel could not think what to do. Such magic was +all unknown to him, and how to free the imprisoned forms of his friends +was a real problem. He walked around the castle, but no one was in +sight, the Rogue having given orders to all his people to keep away. +Only the tethered horses did he see, and these raised their heads and +whinnied as if in sympathy with his perplexity. +</P> + +<P> +Then he went back into the hall and searched all the rooms of the +castle without finding a single person. On his return he stopped in +front of the mirror and sorrowfully regarded the faces of his friends, +who again seemed to plead for relief. +</P> + +<P> +And while he looked a sudden fit of anger came over him at being +outwitted by this Red Rogue of Dawna. Scarcely knowing what he did, he +seized his sword by the blade and struck the mirror a powerful blow +with the heavy hilt. It shattered into a thousand fragments, which +fell clattering upon the stone floor in every direction. And at once +the charm was broken; each of his friends now became visible. They +appeared running toward him from all parts of the castle, where they +had been wandering in their invisible forms. +</P> + +<P> +They called out joyful greetings to one another, and then all of them +surrounded the prince and thanked him earnestly for releasing them. +</P> + +<P> +The little Lady Seseley and her friends, Berna and Helda, were a bit +shy in the presence of so many strangers; but they alone knew the +prince's secret, and that he was a fairy transformed for a year; so +they regarded him as an old and intimate acquaintance, and after being +introduced by him to the others of his party they became more at ease. +</P> + +<P> +The sweet little High Ki maids at once attracted Seseley, and she loved +them almost at first sight. But it was Nerle who became the little +lady's staunchest friend; for there was something rather mystical and +unnatural to him about the High Ki, who seemed almost like fairies, +while in Seseley he recognized a hearty, substantial girl of his own +rank in life. +</P> + +<P> +While they stood talking and congratulating one another outside of the +castle, the Red Rogue of Dawna appeared among them. He had heard the +noise of the smashing of his great mirror, and had come running +downstairs from his hiding-place to find his cunning had all been for +naught and his captives were free. +</P> + +<P> +A furious anger then took possession of the Rogue, and forgetting his +personal weakness he caught up a huge battle-ax and rushed out to hurl +himself upon Prince Marvel, intending to do him serious injury. +</P> + +<P> +But the prince was not taken unawares. He saw the Red Rogue coming and +met him with drawn sword, striking quickly at the arm that wielded the +big ax. The stroke was as sure as it was quick, and piercing the arm +of the giant caused him to drop the ax with a howl of pain. +</P> + +<P> +Then Prince Marvel seized the Red Rogue by the ear--which he was just +tall enough to reach--and dragged him up the steps and into the castle, +the big fellow crying for mercy at every step and trembling like a leaf +through cowardice. +</P> + +<P> +But down the hall Marvel marched him, seeking some room where the Rogue +might be safely locked in. The great curtain that covered the second +enchanted mirror now caught Prince Marvel's eye, and, still holding his +prisoner by the ear, he reached out his left hand and pulled aside the +drapery. +</P> + +<P> +The Red Rogue looked to see what his captor was doing, and beheld his +own reflection in the magic mirror. Instantly he gave a wild cry and +disappeared, his body becoming absolutely invisible, while his coarse +red countenance stared back from the mirror. +</P> + +<P> +And then Prince Marvel gave a sigh of relief and dropped the curtain +over the surface of the mirror. For he realized that the Red Rogue of +Dawna had at last met with just punishment and was safely imprisoned +for all time. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap25"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +25. The Adventurers Separate +</H3> + +<P> +When Prince Marvel and his friends had ridden away from the castle the +savage followers of the Red One came creeping up to listen for their +master's voice. But silence reigned in every part of the castle, and +after stealing fearfully through the rooms without seeing any one the +fellows became filled with terror and fled from the place, never to +return. +</P> + +<P> +And afterward the neighbors whispered that the castle was haunted by +the spirit of the terrible Red Rogue, and travelers dared not stop in +the neighborhood, but passed by quickly and with averted faces. +</P> + +<P> +The prince and his party rode gaily along toward the Kingdom of Heg, +for Nerle had invited them all to visit his father's castle. They were +very happy over their escape, and only the little Lady Seseley became +sad at times, when she thought of her father's sad fate. +</P> + +<P> +The Baron Neggar, who was Nerle's father, was not only a wealthy +nobleman, but exceedingly kind and courteous; so that every member of +Prince Marvel's party was welcomed to the big castle in a very +hospitable manner. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle was eagerly embraced by both his father and mother, who were +overjoyed to see him return safe and sound after his wanderings and +adventures. +</P> + +<P> +"And have you been cured of your longing for something that you can not +have?" asked the baron, anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Not quite," said Nerle, laughing; "but I am more reconciled to my lot. +For I find wherever I go people are longing for just the things they +can not get, and probably would not want if they had them. So, as it +seems to be the fate of most mortals to live unsatisfied, I shall try +hereafter to be more contented." +</P> + +<P> +These words delighted the good baron, and he gave a rich and +magnificent feast in honor of his son's return. +</P> + +<P> +The High Ki of Twi, after passing several pleasant days at Nerle's +home, now decided that they had seen enough of the world and would be +glad to return to their own kingdom, where all was peaceful and +uneventful, and rule it to the end of their days. So the baron +furnished them an escort of twenty men-at-arms, and these conducted the +High Ki and the aged Ki safely back to the hole in the hedge. +</P> + +<P> +And after they had entered the Land of Twi, the first act of the High +Ki was to order the hedge repaired and the hole blocked up; and I have +never heard that any one, from that time forth, ever succeeded in +gaining admittance to the hidden kingdom. So its subsequent history is +unknown. +</P> + +<P> +King Terribus also bade the prince an affectionate farewell and rode +back to his own kingdom; and burly Wul-Takim accompanied him as far as +the cave, where the fifty-eight reformed thieves awaited him. +</P> + +<P> +Nerle's mother gladly adopted the Lady Seseley and her two companions, +and thereafter they made their home at the baron's castle. And years +afterward, when they had grown to be women, Seseley was married to +Nerle and became the lady of the castle herself. +</P> + +<P> +Prince Marvel enjoyed the feasting and dancing at the castle very much, +but after the party began to break up, and the High Ki and the Ki had +left him, as well as King Terribus and honest Wul-Takim, the young +knight grew thoughtful and sometimes uneasy, and his happy laugh was +less frequently heard. Nerle often regarded his young master with a +feeling of awe, for there occasionally came a look into Marvel's eyes +that reminded him more of the immortals than of any human being. But +the prince treated him with rare kindness and always pressed Nerle's +hand affectionately when he bade him good night, for he had grown fond +of his esquire. Also they had long conversations together, during +which Nerle gleaned a great deal of knowledge and received some advice +that was of much use to him in his later life. +</P> + +<P> +One day Prince Marvel sought out Lady Seseley and said: +</P> + +<P> +"Will you ride with me to the Forest of Lurla?" +</P> + +<P> +"Willingly," she answered; and calling Berna and Helda to attend them, +they mounted their horses and rode swiftly away, for it was a long +distance to Lurla. +</P> + +<P> +By noon the party entered the forest, and although the path they +traversed was unknown to the girls, who had usually entered the forest +from its other side, near to where the Baron Merd's castle had stood, +the prince seemed to have no difficulty in finding his way. +</P> + +<P> +He guided them carefully along the paths, his handsome war-charger +stepping with much grace and dignity, until at length they came to a +clearing. +</P> + +<P> +Here the prince paused abruptly, and Seseley looked around her and at +once recognized the place. +</P> + +<P> +"Why," she exclaimed, in surprise, "it is the Fairy Bower!" +</P> + +<P> +And then she turned to Prince Marvel and asked in a soft voice: +</P> + +<P> +"Is the year ended, Prince?" +</P> + +<P> +His smile was a bit sad as he answered, slowly: +</P> + +<P> +"The year will be ended in five minutes!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap26"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +26. The End of the Year +</H3> + +<P> +The girls sat upon the green moss and waited. Prince Marvel stood +silent beside his horse. The silver armor was as bright as the day he +donned it, nor was there a dent in his untarnished shield. The sword +that had done such good service he held lightly in his hand, and the +horse now and then neighed softly and turned to look at him with +affectionate eyes. +</P> + +<P> +Seseley began to tremble with excitement, and Berna and Helda stared at +the prince with big round eyes. +</P> + +<P> +But, after all, they saw nothing so remarkable as they expected. For +presently--and it all happened in a flash--Prince Marvel was gone from +their midst, and a handsome, slender-limbed deer darted from the bower +and was quickly lost in the thick forest. On the ground lay a sheet of +bark and a twig from a tree, and beside them was Lady Seseley's white +velvet cloak. +</P> + +<P> +Then the three girls each drew a long breath and looked into one +another's eyes, and, while thus engaged, a peal of silvery laughter +sounded in their ears and made them spring quickly to their feet. +</P> + +<P> +Before them stood a tiny and very beautiful fairy, clothed in floating +gossamer robes of rose and pearl color, and with eyes sparkling like +twin stars. +</P> + +<P> +"Prince Marvel!" exclaimed the three, together. +</P> + +<P> +"No, indeed!" cried the fairy, with a pretty little pout. "I am no one +but myself; and, really, I believe I shall now be content to exist for +a few hundred years in my natural form. I have quite enjoyed my year +as a mortal; but after all there are, I find, some advantages in being +a fairy. Good by, my dears!" +</P> + +<P> +And with another ripple of laughter the pretty creature vanished, and +the girls were left alone. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap27"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +27. A Hundred Years Afterward +</H3> + +<P> +About a hundred years after Prince Marvel enjoyed his strange +adventures in the Enchanted Island of Yew an odd thing happened. +</P> + +<P> +A hidden mirror in a crumbling old castle of Dawna broke loose from its +fastenings and fell crashing on the stone pavement of the deserted +hall. And from amid the ruins rose the gigantic form of a man. His +hair and beard were a fiery red, and he gazed at the desolation around +him in absolute amazement. +</P> + +<P> +It was the Red Rogue of Dawna, set free from his imprisonment. +</P> + +<P> +He wandered out and found strange scenes confronting him, for during +the hundred years a great change had taken place in the Enchanted +Island. Great cities had been built and great kingdoms established. +Civilization had won the people, and they no longer robbed or fought or +indulged in magical arts, but were busily employed and leading +respectable lives. +</P> + +<P> +When the Red Rogue tried to tell folks who he was, they but laughed at +him, thinking the fellow crazy. He tried to get together a band of +thieves, as Wul-Takim had done in the old days, but none would join him. +</P> + +<P> +And so, forced to be honest against his will, the Rogue was driven to +earn a living by digging in the garden of a wealthy noble, of whom he +had never before heard. +</P> + +<P> +But often he would pause in his labors and lean on his spade, while +thoughts of the old days of wild adventure passed through his mind in +rapid succession; and then the big man would shake his red head with a +puzzled air and mutter: +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder who that Prince Marvel could have been! And I wonder what +ever became of him!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Enchanted Island of Yew, by L. Frank Baum + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ENCHANTED ISLAND OF YEW *** + +***** This file should be named 518-h.htm or 518-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/518/ + +Produced by John N. White and Dennis Amundson. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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