rinkitink in oz-第10节

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not　wish　to　fail　in　respect　to　so　worthy　a　man　and　so

great　a　King　as　yourself。　This　boat　is　mine；　as　I　have

said；　and　in　my　father's　absence　you　have　become　my

guest；　therefore　I　claim　that　I　am　entitled　to　some

consideration；　as　well　as　you。〃



〃No　doubt　of　it；〃　agreed　Rinkitink。　〃What　is　the

bargain　you　propose；　Inga？〃



〃Let　us　both　get　into　the　boat；　and　you　shall　first

try　to　row　us　to　Gilgad。　If　you　succeed；　I　will

accompany　you　right　willingly；　but　should　you　fail；　I

will　then　row　the　boat　to　Regos；　and　you　must　come　with

me　without　further　protest。〃



〃A　fair　and　just　bargain！〃　cried　the　King；　highly

pleased。　〃Yet；　although　I　am　a　man　of　mighty　deeds；　I

do　not　relish　the　prospect　of　rowing　so　big　a　boat　all

the　way　to　Gilgad。　But　I　will　do　my　best　and　abide　by

the　result。〃



The　matter　being　thus　peaceably　settled；　they

prepared　to　embark。　A　further　supply　of　fruits　was

placed　in　the　boat　and　Inga　also　raked　up　a　quantity　of

the　delicious　oysters　that　abounded　on　the　coast　of

Pingaree　but　which　he　had　before　been　unable　to　reach

for　lack　of　a　boat。　This　was　done　at　the　suggestion　of

the　ever…hungry　Rinkitink；　and　when　the　oysters　had

been　stowed　in　their　shells　behind　the　water　barrel　and

a　plentiful　supply　of　grass　brought　aboard　for　Bilbil；

they　decided　they　were　ready　to　start　on　their　voyage。



It　proved　no　easy　task　to　get　Bilbil　into　the　boat；

for　he　was　a　remarkably　clumsy　goat　and　once；　when

Rinkitink　gave　him　a　push；　he　tumbled　into　the　water

and　nearly　drowned　before　they　could　get　him　out　again。

But　there　was　no　thought　of　leaving　the　quaint　animal

behind。　His　power　of　speech　made　him　seem　almost　human

in　the　eyes　of　the　boy；　and　the　fat　King　was　so

accustomed　to　his　surly　companion　that　nothing　could

have　induced　him　to　part　with　him。　Finally　Bilbil　fell

sprawling　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and　Inga　helped

him　to　get　to　the　front　end；　where　there　was　enough

space　for　him　to　lie　down。



Rinkitink　now　took　his　seat　in　the　silver…lined　craft

and　the　boy　came　last；　pushing　off　the　boat　as　he

sprang　aboard；　so　that　it　floated　freely　upon　the

water。



〃Well；　here　we　go　for　Gilgad！〃　exclaimed　the　King；

picking　up　the　oars　and　placing　them　in　the　row…locks。

Then　he　began　to　row　as　hard　as　he　could；　singing　at

the　same　time　an　odd　sort　of　a　song　that　ran　like　this



〃The　way　to　Gilgad　isn't　bad

For　a　stout　old　King　and　a　brave　young　lad；

For　a　cross　old　goat　with　a　dripping　coat；

And　a　silver　boat　in　which　to　float。

So　our　hearts　are　merry；　light　and　glad

As　we　speed　away　to　fair　Gilgad！〃



〃Don't；　Rinkitink；　please　don't！　It　makes　me

seasick；〃　growled　Bilbil。



Rinkitink　stopped　rowing；　for　by　this　time　he　was　all

out　of　breath　and　his　round　face　was　covered　with　big

drops　of　perspiration。　And　when　he　looked　over　his

shoulder　he　found　to　his　dismay　that　the　boat　had

scarcely　moved　a　foot　from　its　former　position。



Inga　said　nothing　and　appeared　not　to　notice　the

King's　failure。　So　now　Rinkitink；　with　a　serious　look

on　his　fat；　red　face；　took　off　his　purple　robe　and

rolled　up　the　sleeves　of　his　tunic　and　tried　again。



However；　he　succeeded　no　better　than　before　and　when

he　heard　Bilbil　give　a　gruff　laugh　and　saw　a　smile　upon

the　boy　Prince's　face；　Rinkitink　suddenly　dropped　the

oars　and　began　shouting　with　laughter　at　his　own

defeat。　As　he　wiped　his　brow　with　a　yellow　silk

handkerchief　he　sang　in　a　merry　voice：



〃A　sailor　bold　am　I；　I　hold；

But　boldness　will　not　row　a　boat。

So　I　confess　I'm　in　distress

And　just　as　useless　as　the　goat。〃





〃Please　leave　me　out　of　your　verses；〃　said　Bilbil

with　a　snort　of　anger。



〃When　I　make　a　fool　of　myself；　Bilbil；　I'm　a　goat；〃

replied　Rinkitink。



〃Not　so；〃　insisted　Bilbil。　〃Nothing　could　make　you　a

member　of　my　superior　race。〃



〃Superior？　Why；　Bilbil；　a　goat　is　but　a　beast；　while

I　am　a　King！〃



〃I　claim　that　superiority　lies　in　intelligence；〃　said

the　goat。



Rinkitink　paid　no　attention　to　this　remark；　but

turning　to　Inga　he　said：



〃We　may　as　well　get　back　to　the　shore；　for　the　boat

is　too　heavy　to　row　to　Gilgad　or　anywhere　else。　Indeed；

it　will　be　hard　for　us　to　reach　land　again。〃



〃Let　me　take　the　oars；〃　suggested　Inga。　〃You　must　not

forget　our　bargain。〃



〃No；　indeed；〃　answered　Rinkitink。　〃If　you　can　row　us

to　Regos；　or　to　any　other　place；　I　will　go　with　you

without　protest。〃



So　the　King　took　Inga's　place　at　the　stern　of　the

boat　and　the　boy　grasped　the　oars　and　commenced　to　row。

And　now；　to　the　great　wonder　of　Rinkitink　　and　even

to　Inga's　surprise　　the　oars　became　light　as　feathers

as　soon　as　the　Prince　took　hold　of　them。　In　an　instant

the　boat　began　to　glide　rapidly　through　the　water　and；

seeing　this；　the　boy　turned　its　prow　toward　the　north。

He　did　not　know　exactly　where　Regos　and　Coregos　were

located；　but　he　did　know　that　the　islands　lay　to　the

north　of　Pingaree；　so　he　decided　to　trust　to　luck　and

the　guidance　of　the　pearls　to　carry　him　to　them。



Gradually　the　Island　of　Pingaree　became　smaller　to

their　view　as　the　boat　sped　onward；　until　at　the　end　of

an　hour　they　had　lost　sight　of　it　altogether　and　were

wholly　surrounded　by　the　purple　waters　of　the　Nonestic

Ocean。



Prince　Inga　did　not　tire　from　the　labor　of　rowing；

indeed；　it　seemed　to　him　no　labor　at　all。　Once　he

stopped　long　enough　to　place　the　poles　of　the　canopy　in

the　holes　that　had　been　made　for　them；　in　the　edges　of

the　boat；　and　to　spread　the　canopy　of　silver　over　the

poles；　for　Rinkitink　had　complained　of　the　sun's　heat。

But　the　canopy　shut　out　the　hot　rays　and　rendered　the

interior　of　the　boat　cool　and　pleasant。



〃This　is　a　glorious　ride！〃　cried　Rinkitink；　as　he　lay

back　in　the　shade。　〃I　find　it　a　decided　relief　to　be

away　from　that　dismal　island　of　Pingaree。



〃It　may　be　a　relief　for　a　short　time；〃　said　Bilbil；

〃but　you　are　going　to　the　land　of　your　enemies；　who

will　probably　stick　your　fat　body　full　of　spears　and

arrows。〃



〃Oh；　I　hope　not！〃　exclaimed　Inga；　distressed　at　the

thought。



〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　King　calmly；　〃a　man　can　die

but　once；　you　know；　and　when　the　enemy　kills　me　I　shall

beg　him　to　kill　Bilbil；　also；　that　we　may　remain

together　in　death　as　in　life。〃



〃They　may　be　cannibals；　in　which　case　they　will　roast

and　eat　us；〃　suggested　Bilbil；　who　wished　to　terrify

his　master。



〃Who　knows？〃　answered　Rinkitink；　with　a　shudder。　〃But

cheer　up；　Bilbil；　they　may　not　kill　us　after　all；　or

even　capture　us；　so　let　us　not　borrow　trouble。　Do　not

look　so　cross；　my　sprightly　quadruped；　and　I　will　sing

to　amuse　you。〃



〃Your　song　would　make　me　more　cross　than　ever；〃

grumbled　the　goat。



〃Quite　impossible；　dear　Bilbil。　You　couldn't　be　more

surly　if　you　tried。　So　here　is　a　famous　song　for　you。〃



While　the　boy　rowed　steadily　on　and　the　boat　rushed

fast　over　the　water；　the　jolly　King；　who　never　could　be

sad　or　serious　for　many　minutes　at　a　time；　lay　back　on

his　embroidered　cushions　and　sang　as　follows：



〃A　merry　maiden　went　to　sea　



Sing　too…ral…oo…ral…i…do！

She　sat　upon　the　Captain's　knee

And　looked　around　the　sea　to　see

What　she　could　see；　but　she　couldn't　see　me　



Sing　too…ral…oo…ral…i…do！





〃How　do　you　like　that；　Bilbil？〃



〃I　don't　like　it；〃　complained　the　goat。　〃It　reminds

me　of　the　alligator　that　tried　to　whistle。〃



〃Did　he　succeed；　Bilbil？〃　asked　the　King。



〃He　whistled　as　well　as　you　sing。〃



〃Ha；　ha；　ha；　ha；　heek；　keek；　eek！〃　chuckled　the　King。

〃He　must　have　whistled　most　exquisitely；　eh；　my

friend？〃



〃I　am　not　your　friend；〃　returned　the　goat；　wagging

his　ears　in　a　surly　manner。



〃I　am　yours；　however；〃　was　the　King's　cheery　reply；

〃and　to　prove　it　I'll　sing　you　another　verse。〃



〃Don't；　I　beg　of　you！〃



But　the　King　sang　as　follows：





〃The　wind　blew　off　the　maiden's　shoe　

　　Sing　too…ral…oo…ral…i…do！

And　the　shoe　flew　high　to　the　sky　so　blue

And　the　maiden　knew　'twas　a　new　shoe；　too；

But　she　couldn't　pursue　the　shoe；　'tis　true…

　　Sing　too…ral…oo…ral…i…do！





〃Isn't　that　sweet；　my　pretty　goat？〃



〃Sweet；　do　you　ask？〃　retorted　Bilbil。　〃I　consider　it

as　sweet　as　candy　made　from　mustard　and　vinegar。〃



〃But　not　as　sweet　as　your　disposition；　I　admit。　Ah；

Bilbil；　your　temper　would　put　honey　itself　to　shame。〃



〃Do　not　quarrel；　I　beg　of　you；〃　pleaded　Inga。　〃Are　we

not　sad　enough　already？〃



〃But　this　is　a　jolly　quarrel；〃　said　the　King；　〃and　it

is　the　way　Bilbil　and　I　often　amuse　ourselves。　Listen；

now；　to　the　last　verse　of　all：



〃The　maid　who　shied　her　shoe　now　cried　



Sing　too…ral…oo…ral…i…do！

Her　tears　were　fried　for　the　Captain's　bride

Who　ate　with　pride　her　sobs；　beside；

And　gently　sighed　'I'm　satisfied'　



Sing　to…ral…oo…ral…i…do！〃





〃Worse　and　worse！〃　grumbled　Bilbil；　with　much　scorn。

〃I　am　glad　that　is