rinkitink in oz-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



came　to　a　dust…heap　where；　lying　amidst　a　mass　of

rubbish；　was　another　shoe　　the　mate　to　the　one　he　had

before　found。　This　also　he　placed　in　his　pocket；　saying

to　himself：



〃I　have　now　a　fine　pair　of　shoes　for　my　daughter

Zella；　who　will　be　much　pleased　to　find　I　have　brought

her　a　present　from　the　city。〃



And　while　the　charcoal…burner　turned　into　the　forest

and　trudged　along　the　path　toward　his　home；　Inga　and

Rinkitink　were　still　searching　for　the　missing　shoes。

Of　course；　they　could　not　know　that　Nikobob　had　found

them；　nor　did　the　honest　man　think　he　had　taken

anything　more　than　a　pair　of　cast…off　shoes　which

nobody　wanted。



Nikobob　had　several　miles　to　travel　through　the

forest　before　he　could　reach　the　little　log　cabin　where

his　wife；　as　well　as　his　little　daughter　Zella；　awaited

his　return；　but　he　was　used　to　long　walks　and　tramped

along　the　path　whistling　cheerfully　to　beguile　the

time。



Few　people；　as　I　said　before；　ever　passed　through　the

dark　and　tangled　forests　of　Regos；　except　to　go　to　the

mines　in　the　mountain　beyond；　for　many　dangerous

creatures　lurked　in　the　wild　jungles；　and　King　Gos

never　knew；　when　he　sent　a　messenger　to　the　mines；

whether　he　would　reach　there　safely　or　not。



The　charcoal…burner；　however；　knew　the　wild　forest

well；　and　especially　this　part　of　it　lying　between　the

city　and　his　home。　It　was　the　favorite　haunt　of　the

ferocious　beast　Choggenmugger；　dreaded　by　every　dweller

in　the　Island　of　Regos。　Choggenmugger　was　so　old　that

everyone　thought　it　must　have　been　there　since　the

world　was　made；　and　each　year　of　its　life　the　huge

scales　that　covered　its　body　grew　thicker　and　harder

and　its　jaws　grew　wider　and　its　teeth　grew　sharper　and

its　appetite　grew　more　keen　than　ever。



In　former　ages　there　had　been　many　dragons　in　Regos；

but　Choggenmugger　was　so　fond　of　dragons　that　he　had

eaten　all　of　them　long　ago。　There　had　also　been　great

serpents　and　crocodiles　in　the　forest　marshes；　but　all

had　gone　to　feed　the　hunger　of　Choggenmugger。　The

people　of　Regos　knew　well　there　was　no　use　opposing　the

Great　Beast；　so　when　one　unfortunately　met　with　it　he

gave　himself　up　for　lost。



All　this　Nikobob　knew　well；　but　fortune　had　always

favored　him　in　his　journey　through　the　forest；　and

although　he　had　at　times　met　many　savage　beasts　and

fought　them　with　his　sharp　ax；　he　had　never　to　this　day

encountered　the　terrible　Choggenmugger。　Indeed；　he　was

not　thinking　of　the　Great　Beast　at　all　as　he　walked

along；　but　suddenly　he　heard　a　crashing　of　broken　trees

and　felt　a　trembling　of　the　earth　and　saw　the　immense

jaws　of　Choggenmugger　opening　before　him。　Then　Nikobob

gave　himself　up　for　lost　and　his　heart　almost　ceased　to

beat。



He　believed　there　was　no　way　of　escape。　No　one　ever

dared　oppose　Choggenmugger。　But　Nikobob　hated　to　die

without　showing　the　monster；　in　some　way；　that　he　was

eaten　only　under　protest。　So　he　raised　his　ax　and

brought　it　down　upon　the　red；　protruding　tongue　of　the

monster　　and　cut　it　clean　off！



For　a　moment　the　charcoal…burner　scarcely　believed

what　his　eyes　saw；　for　he　knew　nothing　of　the　pearls　he

carried　in　his　pocket　or　the　magic　power　they　lent　his

arm。　His　success；　however；　encouraged　him　to　strike

again；　and　this　time　the　huge　scaly　jaw　of

Choggenmugger　was　severed　in　twain　and　the　beast　howled

in　terrified　rage。



Nikobob　took　off　his　coat；　to　give　himself　more

freedom　of　action；　and　then　he　earnestly　renewed　the

attack。　But　now　the　ax　seemed　blunted　by　the　hard

scales　and　made　no　impression　upon　them　whatever。　The

creature　advanced　with　glaring；　wicked　eyes；　and

Nikobob　seized　his　coat　under　his　arm　and　turned　to

flee。



That　was　foolish；　for　Choggenmugger　could　run　like

the　wind。　In　a　moment　it　overtook　the　charcoal…burner

and　snapped　its　four　rows　of　sharp　teeth　together。　But

they　did　not　touch　Nikobob；　because　he　still　held　the

coat　in　his　grasp；　close　to　his　body；　and　in　the　coat

pocket　were　Inga's　shoes；　and　in　the　points　of　the

shoes　were　the　magic　pearls。　Finding　himself　uninjured；

Nikobob　put　on　his　coat；　again　seized　his　ax；　and　in　a

short　time　had　chopped　Choggenmugger　into　many　small

pieces　　a　task　that　proved　not　only　easy　but　very

agreeable。



〃I　must　be　the　strongest　man　in　all　the　world！〃

thought　the　charcoal…burner；　as　he　proudly　resumed　his

way；　〃for　Choggenmugger　has　been　the　terror　of　Regos

since　the　world　began；　and　I　alone　have　been　able　to

destroy　the　beast。　Yet　it　is　singular'　that　never

before　did　I　discover　how　powerful　a　man　I　am。〃



He　met　no　further　adventure　and　at　midday　reached　a

little　clearing　in　the　forest　where　stood　his　humble

cabin。



〃Great　news！　I　have　great　news　for　you；〃　he　shouted；

as　his　wife　and　little　daughter　came　to　greet　him。

〃King　Gos　has　been　conquered　by　a　boy　Prince　from　the

far　island　of　Pingaree；　and　I　have　this　day　　unaided

　destroyed　Choggenmugger　by　the　might　of　my　strong

arm。



This　was；　indeed；　great　news。　They　brought　Nikobob

into　the　house　and　set　him　in　an　easy　chair　and　made

him　tell　everything　he　knew　about　the　Prince　of

Pingaree　and　the　fat　King　of　Gilgad；　as　well　as　the

details　of　his　wonderful　fight　with　mighty

Choggenmugger。



〃And　now；　my　daughter；〃　said　the　charcoalburner；　when

all　his　news　had　been　related　for　at　least　the　third

time；　〃here　is　a　pretty　present　I　have　brought　you

from　the　city。〃



With　this　he　drew　the　shoes　from　the　pocket　of　his

coat　and　handed　them　to　Zella；　who　gave　him　a　dozen

kisses　in　payment　and　was　much　pleased　with　her　gift。

The　little　girl　had　never　worn　shoes　before；　for　her

parents　were　too　poor　to　buy　her　such　luxuries；　so　now

the　possession　of　these；　which　were　not　much　worn；

filled　the　child's　heart　with　joy。　She　admired　the　red

leather　and　the　graceful　curl　of　the　pointed　toes。　When

she　tried　them　on　her　feet；　they　fitted　as　well　as　if

made　for　her。



All　the　afternoon；　as　she　helped　her　mother　with　the

housework；　Zella　thought　of　her　pretty　shoes。　They

seemed　more　important　to　her　than　the　coming　to　Regos

of　the　conquering　Prince　of　Pingaree；　or　even　the　death

of　Choggenmugger。



When　Zella　and　her　mother　were　not　working　in　the

cabin；　cooking　or　sewing；　they　often　searched　the

neighboring　forest　for　honey　which　the　wild　bees

cleverly　hid　in　hollow　trees。　The　day　after　Nikobob's

return；　as　they　were　starting　out　after　honey；　Zella

decided　to　put　on　her　new　shoes；　as　they　would　keep　the

twigs　that　covered　the　ground　from　hurting　her　feet。

She　was　used　to　the　twigs；　of　course；　but　what　is　the

use　of　having　nice；　comfortable　shoes；　if　you　do　not

wear　them？



So　she　danced　along；　very　happily；　followed　by　her

mother；　and　presently　they　came　to　a　tree　in　which　was

a　deep　hollow。　Zella　thrust　her　hand　and　arm　into　the

space　and　found　that　the　tree　was　full　of　honey；　so　she

began　to　dig　it　out　with　a　wooden　paddle。　Her　mother；

who　held　the　pail；　suddenly　cried　in　warning：



〃Look　out；　Zella；　the　bees　are　coming！〃　and　then　the

good　woman　ran　fast　toward　the　house　to　escape。



Zella；　however；　had　no　more　than　time　to　turn　her

head　when　a　thick　swarm　of　bees　surrounded　her；　angry

because　they　had　caught　her　stealing　their　honey　and

intent　on　stinging　the　girl　as　a　punishment。　She　knew

her　danger　and　expected　to　be　badly　injured　by　the

multitude　of　stinging　bees；　but　to　her　surprise　the

little　creatures　were　unable　to　fly　close　enough　to　her

to　stick　their　dart…like　stingers　into　her　flesh。　They

swarmed　about　her　in　a　dark　cloud；　and　their　angry

buzzing　was　terrible　to　hear；　yet　the　little　girl

remained　unharmed。



When　she　realized　this；　Zella　was　no　longer　afraid

but　continued　to　ladle　out　the　honey　until　she　had

secured　all　that　was　in　the　tree。　Then　she　returned　to

the　cabin；　where　her　mother　was　weeping　and　bemoaning

the　fate　of　her　darling　child；　and　the　good　woman　was

greatly　astonished　to　find　Zella　had　escaped　injury。



Again　they　went　to　the　woods　to　search　for　honey；　and

although　the　mother　always　ran　away　whenever　the　bees

came　near　them；　Zella　paid　no　attention　to　the

creatures　but　kept　at　her　work；　so　that　before　supper

time　came　the　pails　were　again　filled　to　overflowing

with　delicious　honey。



〃With　such　good　fortune　as　we　have　had　this　day；〃

said　her　mother；　〃we　shall　soon　gather　enough　honey　for

you　to　carry　to　Queen　Cor。〃　For　it　seems　the　wicked

Queen　was　very　fond　of　honey　and　it　had　been　Zella's

custom　to　go；　once　every　year；　to　the　City　of　Coregos；

to　carry　the　Queen　a　supply　of　sweet　honey　for　her

table。　Usually　she　had　but　one　pail。



〃But　now；〃　said　Zella；　〃I　shall　be　able　to　carry　two

pailsful　to　the　Queen；　who　will；　I　am　sure；　give　me　a

good　price　for　it。〃



〃True；〃　answered　her　mother；　〃and；　as　the　boy　Prince

may　take　it　into　his　head　to　conquer　Coregos；　as　well

as　Regos；　I　think　it　best　for　yo