rinkitink in oz-第17节

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and　Rinkitink　brought　before　her　and　their　bonds

removed。　They　came　sadly　enough；　knowing　they　were　in

serious　straits　and　at　the　mercy　of　a　cruel　mistress。

Inga　had　taken　counsel　of　the　White　Pearl；　which　had

advised　him　to　bear　up　bravely　under　his　misfortune；

promising　a　change　for　the　better　very　soon。　With　this

promise　to　comfort　him；　Inga　faced　the　Queen　with　a

dignified　bearing　that　indicated　both　pride　and

courage。



〃Well；　youngster；〃　said　she；　in　a　cheerful　tone

because　she　was　pleased　with　her　success；　〃you　played　a

clever　trick　on　my　poor　husband　and　frightened　him

badly；　but　for　that　prank　I　am　inclined　to　forgive　you。

Hereafter　I　intend　you　to　be　my　page；　which　means　that

you　must　fetch　and　carry　for　me　at　my　will。　And　let　me

advise　you　to　obey　my　every　whim　without　question　or

delay；　for　when　I　am　angry　I　become　ugly；　and　when　I　am

ugly　someone　is　sure　to　feel　the　lash。　Do　you

understand　me？〃



Inga　bowed；　but　made　no　answer。　Then　she　turned　to

Rinkitink　and　said：



〃As　for　you；　I　cannot　decide　how　to　make　you　useful

to　me；　as　you　are　altogether　too　fat　and　awkward　to

work　in　the　fields。　It　may　be；　however；　that　I　can　use

you　as　a　pincushion。



〃What！〃　cried　Rinkitink　in　horror；　〃would　you　stick

pins　into　the　King　of　Gilgad？〃



〃Why　not？〃　returned　Queen　Cor。　〃You　are　as　fat　as　a

pincushion；　as　you　must　yourself　admit；　and　whenever　I

needed　a　pin　I　could　call　you　to　me。〃　Then　she　laughed

at　his　frightened　look　and　asked：　〃By　the　way；　are　you

ticklish？〃



This　was　the　question　Rinkitink　had　been　dreading。　He

gave　a　moan　of　despair　and　shook　his　head。



〃I　should　love　to　tickle　the　bottom　of　your　feet　with

a　feather；〃　continued　the　cruel　woman。　〃Please　take　off

your　shoes。〃



〃Oh；　your　Majesty！〃　pleaded　poor　Rinkitink；　〃I　beg

you　to　allow　me　to　amuse　you　in　some　other　way。　I　can

dance；　or　I　can　sing　you　a　song。〃



〃Well；〃　she　answered；　shaking　with　laughter；　〃you　may

sing　a　song　　if　it　be　a　merry　one。　But　you　do　not

seem　in　a　merry　mood。〃



〃I　feel　merry　　indeed；　Your　Majesty；　I　do！〃

protested　Rinkitink；　anxious　to　escape　the　tickling。

But　even　as　he　professed　to　〃feel　merry〃　his　round；　red

face　wore　an　expression　of　horror　and　anxiety　that　was

realty　comical。



〃Sing；　then！〃　commanded　Queen　Cor；　who　was　greatly

amused。



Rinkitink　gave　a　sigh　of　relief　and　after　clearing

his　throat　and　trying　to　repress　his　sobs　he　began　to

sing　this　song…gently；　at　first；　but　finally　roaring　it

out　at　the　top　of　his　voice：



〃Oh！

There　was　a　Baby　Tiger　lived　in　a　men…ag…er…ie　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　　they　wouldn't　set　him　free；

And　ev'rybody　thought　that　he　was　gentle　as　could　be　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　　Ba…by　Ti…ger！



〃Oh！

They　patted　him　upon　his　head　and　shook　him　by　the　paw　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　　he　had　a　bone　to　gnaw；

But　soon　he　grew　the　biggest　Tiger　that　you　ever　saw　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　　what　a　Ti…ger！



〃Oh！

One　day　they　came　to　pet　the　brute　and　he　began　to　fight　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy…how　he　did　scratch　and　bite！

He　broke　the　cage　and　in　a　rage　he　darted　out　of　sight　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　was　a　Ti…ger！〃



〃And　is　there　a　moral　to　the　song？〃　asked　Queen　Cor；

when　King　Rinkitink　had　finished　his　song　with　great

spirit。



〃If　there　is；〃　replied　Rinkitink；　〃it　is　a　warning

not　to　fool　with　tigers。〃



The　little　Prince　could　not　help　smiling　at　this

shrewd　answer；　but　Queen　Cor　frowned　and　gave　the　King

a　sharp　look。



〃Oh；〃　said　she；　〃I　think　I　know　the　difference

between　a　tiger　and　a　lapdog。　But　I'll　bear　the　warning

in　mind；　just　the　same。〃



For；　after　all　her　success　in　capturing　them；　she　was

a　little　afraid　of　these　people　who　had　once　displayed

such　extraordinary　powers。









Chapter　Eleven



Zella　Goes　to　Coregos





The　forest　in　which　Nikobob　lived　with　his　wife　and

daughter　stood　between　the　mountains　and　the　City　of

Regos；　and　a　well…beaten　path　wound　among　the　trees；

leading　from　the　city　to　the　mines。　This　path　was　used

by　the　King's　messengers；　and　captured　prisoners　were

also　sent　by　this　way　from　Regos　to　work　in　the

underground　caverns。



Nikobob　had　built　his　cabin　more　than　a　mile　away

from　this　path；　that　he　might　not　be　molested　by　the

wild　and　lawless　soldiers　of　King　Gos；　but　the　family

of　the　charcoal…burner　was　surrounded　by　many　creatures

scarcely　less　dangerous　to　encounter；　and　often　in　the

night　they　could　hear　savage　animals　growling　and

prowling　about　the　cabin。　Because　Nikobob　minded　his

own　business　and　never　hunted　the　wild　creatures　to

injure　them；　the　beasts　had　come　to　regard　him　as　one

of　the　natural　dwellers　in　the　forest　and　did　not

molest　him　or　his　family。　Still　Zella　and　her　mother

seldom　wandered　far　from　home；　except　on　such　errands

as　carrying　honey　to　Coregos；　and　at　these　times

Nikobob　cautioned　them　to　be　very　careful。



So　when　Zella　set　out　on　her　journey　to　Queen　Cor；

with　the　two　pails　of　honey　in　her　hands；　she　was

undertaking　a　dangerous　adventure　and　there　was　no

certainty　that　she　would　return　safely　to　her　loving

parents。　But　they　were　poor；　and　Queen　Cor's　money；

which　they　expected　to　receive　for　the　honey；　would

enable　them　to　purchase　many　things　that　were　needed；

so　it　was　deemed　best　that　Zella　should　go。　She　was　a

brave　little　girl　and　poor　people　are　often　obliged　to

take　chances　that　rich　ones　are　spared。



A　passing　woodchopper　had　brought　news　to　Nikobob's

cabin　that　Queen　Cor　had　made　a　prisoner　of　the

conquering　Prince　of　Pingaree　and　that　Gos　and　his

warriors　were　again　back　in　their　city　of　Regos；　but

these　struggles　and　conquests　were　matters　which；

however　interesting；　did　not　concern　the　poor　charcoal…

burner　or　his　family。　They　were　more　anxious　over　the

report　that　the　warriors　had　become　more　reckless　than

ever　before；　and　delighted　in　annoying　all　the　common

people；　so　Zella　was　told　to　keep　away　from　the　beaten

path　as　much　as　possible；　that　she　might　not　encounter

any　of　the　King's　soldiers。



〃When　it　is　necessary　to　choose　between　the　warriors

and　the　wild　beasts；〃　said　Nikobob；　〃the　beasts　will　be

found　the　more　merciful。〃



The　little　girl　had　put　on　her　best　attire　for　the

journey　and　her　mother　threw　a　blue　silk　shawl　over　her

head　and　shoulders。　Upon　her　feet　were　the　pretty　red

shoes　her　father　had　brought　her　from　Regos。　Thus

prepared；　she　kissed　her　parents　good…bye　and　started

out　with　a　light　heart；　carrying　the　pails　of　honey　in

either　hand。



It　was　necessary　for　Zella　to　cross　the　path

that　led　from　the　mines　to　the　city；　but　once　on

the　other　side　she　was　not　likely　to　meet　with

anyone；　for　she　had　resolved　to　cut　through　the

forest　and　so　reach　the　bridge　of　boats　without

entering　the　City　of　Regos；　where　she　might　be

interrupted。　For　an　hour　or　two　she　found　the

walking　easy　enough；　but　then　the　forest；　which

in　this　part　was　unknown　to　her；　became　badly

tangled。　The　trees　were　thicker　and　creeping

vines　intertwined　between　them。　She　had　to

turn　this　way　and　that　to　get　through　at　all；　and

finally　she　came　to　a　place　where　a　network　of

vines　and　branches　effectually　barred　her　farther

progress。



Zella　was　dismayed；　at　first；　when　she　encountered

this　obstacle；　but　setting　down　her　pails　she　made　an

endeavor　to　push　the　branches　aside。　At　her　touch　they

parted　as　if　by　magic；　breaking　asunder　like　dried

twigs；　and　she　found　she　could　pass　freely。　At　another

place　a　great　log　had　fallen　across　her　way；　but　the

little　girl　lifted　it　easily　and　cast　it　aside；

although　six　ordinary　men　could　scarcely　have　moved　it。



The　child　was　somewhat　worried　at　this　evidence　of　a

strength　she　had　heretofore　been　ignorant　that　she

possessed。　In　order　to　satisfy　herself　that　it　was　no

delusion；　she　tested　her　new…found　power　in　many　ways；

finding　that　nothing　was　too　big　nor　too　heavy　for　her

to　lift。　And；　naturally　enough；　the　girl　gained　courage

from　these　experiments　and　became　confident　that　she

could　protect　herself　in　any　emergency。　When；

presently；　a　wild　boar　ran　toward　her；　grunting

horribly　and　threatening　her　with　its　great　tusks；　she

did　not　climb　a　tree　to　escape；　as　she　had　always　done

before　on　meeting　such　creatures；　but　stood　still　and

faced　the　boar。　When　it　had　come　quite　close　and　Zella

saw　that　it　could　not　injure　her　　a　fact　that

astonished　both　the　beast　and　the　girl　　she　suddenly

reached　down　and　seizing　it　by　one　ear　threw　the　great

beast　far　off　amongst　the　trees；　where　it　fell　headlong

to　the　earth；　grunting　louder　than　ever　with　surprise

and　fear。



The　girl　laughed　merrily　at　this　incident　and；

picking　up　her　pails；　resumed　her　journey　through　the

forest。　It　is　not　recorded　whether　the　wild　boar　told

his　adventure　to　the　other　beasts　or　they　had　happened

to　witness　his　defeat；　but　certain　it　is　that　Ze