rinkitink in oz-第2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！



queer　characters　of　the　Pingarese　language。



King　Kitticut　was　very　proud　of　his　little　son；　as

well　he　might　be；　and　he　soon　felt　a　high　respect　for

Inga's　judgment　and　thought　that　he　was　worthy　to　be

taken　into　the　confidence　of　his　father　in　many　matters

of　state。　He　taught　the　boy　the　needs　of　the　people　and

how　to　rule　them　justly；　for　some　day　he　knew　that　Inga

would　be　King　in　his　place。　One　day　he　called　his　son

to　his　side　and　said　to　him：



〃Our　island　now　seems　peaceful　enough；　Inga；　and　we

are　happy　and　prosperous；　but　I　cannot　forget　those

terrible　people　of　Regos　and　Coregos。　My　constant　fear

is　that　they　will　send　a　fleet　of　boats　to　search　for

those　of　their　race　whom　we　defeated　many　years　ago；

and　whom　the　sea　afterwards　destroyed。　If　the　warriors

come　in　great　numbers　we　may　be　unable　to　oppose　them；

for　my　people　are　little　trained　to　fighting　at　best；

they　surely　would　cause　us　much　injury　and　suffering。〃



〃Are　we；　then；　less　powerful　than　in　my　grandfather's

day？〃　asked　Prince　Inga。



The　King　shook　his　head　thoughtfully。



〃It　is　not　that；〃　said　he。　〃That　you　may　fully

understand　that　marvelous　battle；　I　must　confide　to；

you　a　great　secret。　I　have　in　my　possession　three　Magic

Talismans；　which　I　have　ever　guarded　with　utmost　care；

keeping　the　knowledge　of　their　existence　from　anyone

else。　But；　lest　I　should　die；　and　the　secret　be　lost；　I

have　decided　to　tell　you　what　these　talismans　are　and

where　they　are　hidden。　Come　with　me；　my　son。



He　led　the　way　through　the　rooms　of　the　palace　until

they　came　to　the　great　banquet　hall。　There；　stopping　in

the　center　of　the　room；　he　stooped　down　and　touched　a

hidden　spring　in　the　tiled　floor。　At　once　one　of　the

tiles　sank　downward　and　the　King　reached　within　the

cavity　and　drew　out　a　silken　bag。



This　bag　he　proceeded　to　open；　showing　Inga　that　it

contained　three　great　pearls；　each　one　as　big　around　as

a　marble。　One　had　a　blue　tint　and　one　was　of　a　delicate

rose　color；　but　the　third　was　pure　white。



〃These　three　pearls；〃　said　the　King；　speaking　in　a

solemn；　impressive　voice；　〃are　the　most　wonderful　the

world　has　ever　known。　They　were　gifts　to　one　of　my

ancestors　from　the　Mermaid　Queen；　a　powerful　fairy　whom

he　once　had　the　good　fortune　to　rescue　from　her

enemies。　In　gratitude　for　this　favor　she　presented　him

with　these　pearls。　Each　of　the　three　possesses　an

astonishing　power；　and　whoever　is　their　owner　may　count

himself　a　fortunate　man。　This　one　having　the　blue　tint

will　give　to　the　person　who　carries　it　a　strength　so

great　that　no　power　can　resist　him。　The　one　with　the

pink　glow　will　protect　its　owner　from　all　dangers　that

may　threaten　him；　no　matter　from　what　source　they　may

come。　The　third　pearl　　this　one　of　pure　white　　can

speak；　and　its　words　are　always　wise　and　helpful。〃



〃What　is　this；　my　father！〃　exclaimed　the　Prince；

amazed；　〃do　you　tell　me　that　a　pearl　can　speak？　It

sounds　impossible。〃



〃Your　doubt　is　due　to　your　ignorance　of　fairy

powers；〃　returned　the　King；　gravely。　〃Listen；　my　son；

and　you　will　know　that　I　speak　the　truth。〃



He　held　the　white　pearl　to　Inga's　ear　and　the　Prince

heard　a　small　voice　say　distinctly：　〃Your　father　is

right。　Never　question　the　truth　of　what　you　fail　to

understand；　for　the　world　is　filled　with　wonders。〃



〃I　crave　your　pardon；　dear　father；〃　said　the　Prince；

〃for　clearly　I　heard　the　pearl　speak；　and　its　words

were　full　of　wisdom。〃



〃The　powers　of　the　other　pearls　are　even　greater；〃

resumed　the　King。　〃Were　I　poor　in　all　else；　these　gems

would　make　me　richer　than　any　other　monarch　the　world

holds。〃



〃I　believe　that；〃　replied　Inga；　looking　at　the

beautiful　pearls　with　much　awe。　〃But　tell　me；　my

father；　why　do　you　fear　the　warriors　of　Regos　and

Coregos　when　these　marvelous　powers　are　yours？〃



〃The　powers　are　mine　only　while　I　have　the　pearls

upon　my　person；〃　answered　King　Kitticut；　〃and　I　dare

not　carry　them　constantly　for　fear　they　might　be　lost。

Therefore；　I　keep　them　safely　hidden　in　this　recess。　My

only　danger　lies　in　the　chance　that　my　watchmen　might

fail　to　discover　the　approach　of　our　enemies　and　allow

the　warrior　invaders　to　seize　me　before　I　could　secure

the　pearls。　I　should；　in　that　case；　be　quite　powerless

to　resist。　My　father　owned　the　magic　pearls　at　the　time

of　the　Great　Fight；　of　which　you　have　so　often　heard；

and　the　pink　pearl　protected　him　from　harm；　while　the

blue　pearl　enabled　him　and　his　people　to　drive　away　the

enemy。　Often　have　I　suspected　that　the　destroying　storm

was　caused　by　the　fairy　mermaids；　but　that　is　a　matter

of　which　I　have　no　proof。〃



〃I　have　often　wondered　how　we　managed　to　win　that

battle；〃　remarked　Inga　thoughtfully。　〃But　the　pearls

will　assist　us　in　case　the　warriors　come　again；　will

they　not？〃



〃They　are　as　powerful　as　ever；〃　declared　the　King。

〃Really；　my　son；　I　have　little　to　fear　from　any　foe。

But　lest　I　die　and　the　secret　be　lost　to　the　next　King；

I　have　now　given　it　into　your　keeping。　Remember　that

these　pearls　are　the　rightful　heritage　of　all　Kings　of

Pingaree。　If　at　any　time　I　should　be　taken　from　you；

Inga；　guard　this　treasure　well　and　do　not　forget　where

it　is　hidden。〃



〃I　shall　not　forget；〃　said　Inga。



Then　the　King　returned　the　pearls　to　their　hiding

place　and　the　boy　went　to　his　own　room　to　ponder　upon

the　wonderful　secret　his　father　had　that　day　confided

to　his　care。











Chapter　Two



The　Coming　of　King　Rinkitink





A　few　days　after　this；　on　a　bright　and　sunny　morning

when　the　breeze　blew　soft　and　sweet　from　the　ocean　and

the　trees　waved　their　leaf…laden　branches；　the　Royal

Watchman；　whose　duty　it　was　to　patrol　the　shore；　came

running　to　the　King　with　news　that　a　strange　boat　was

approaching　the　island。



At　first　the　King　was　sore　afraid　and　made　a　step

toward　the　hidden　pearls；　but　the　next　moment　he

reflected　that　one　boat；　even　if　filled　with　enemies；

would　be　powerless　to　injure　him；　so　he　curbed　his　fear

and　went　down　to　the　beach　to　discover　who　the

strangers　might　be。　Many　of　the　men　of　Pingaree

assembled　there　also；　and　Prince　Inga　followed　his

father。　Arriving　at　the　water's　edge；　they　all　stood

gazing　eagerly　at　the　oncoming　boat。



It　was　quite　a　big　boat；　they　observed；　and　covered

with　a　canopy　of　purple　silk；　embroidered　with　gold。　It

was　rowed　by　twenty　men；　ten　on　each　side。　As　it　came

nearer；　Inga　could　see　that　in　the　stern；　seated　upon　a

high；　cushioned　chair　of　state；　was　a　little　man　who

was　so　very　fat　that　he　was　nearly　as　broad　as　he　was

high　This　man　was　dressed　in　a　loose　silken　robe　of

purple　that　fell　in　folds　to　his　feet；　while　upon　his

head　was　a　cap　of　white　velvet　curiously　worked　with

golden　threads　and　having　a　circle　of　diamonds　sewn

around　the　band。　At　the　opposite　end　of　the　boat　stood

an　oddly　shaped　cage；　and　several　large　boxes　of

sandalwood　were　piled　near　the　center　of　the　craft。



As　the　boat　approached　the　shore　the　fat　little　man

got　upon　his　feet　and　bowed　several　times　in　the

direction　of　those　who　had　assembled　to　greet　him；　and

as　he　bowed　he　flourished　his　white　cap　in　an　energetic

manner。　His　face　was　round　as　an　apple　and　nearly　as

rosy。　When　he　stopped　bowing　he　smiled　in　such　a　sweet

and　happy　way　that　Inga　thought　he　must　be　a　very　jolly

fellow。



The　prow　of　the　boat　grounded　on　the　beach；　stopping

its　speed　so　suddenly　that　the　little　man　was　caught

unawares　and　nearly　toppled　headlong　into　the　sea。　But

he　managed　to　catch　hold　of　the　chair　with　one　hand　and

the　hair　of　one　of　his　rowers　with　the　other；　and　so

steadied　himself。　Then；　again　waving　his　jeweled　cap

around　his　head；　he　cried　in　a　merry　voice：



〃Well；　here　I　am　at　last！〃



〃So　I　perceive；〃　responded　King　Kitticut；　bowing　with

much　dignity。



The　fat　man　glanced　at　all　the　sober　faces　before　him

and　burst　into　a　rollicking　laugh。　Perhaps　I　should　say

it　was　half　laughter　and　half　a　chuckle　of　merriment；

for　the　sounds　he　emitted　were　quaint　and　droll　and

tempted　every　hearer　to　laugh　with　him。



〃Heh；　heh　　ho；　ho；　ho！〃　he　roared。　〃Didn't　expect

me；　I　see。　Keek…eek…eek…eek！　This　is　funny　　it's

really　funny。　Didn't　know　I　was　coming；　did　you？　Hoo；

hoo；　hoo；　hoo！　This　is　certainly　amusing。　But　I'm　here；

just　the　same。〃



〃Hush　up！〃　said　a　deep；　growling　voice。　〃You're

making　yourself　ridiculous。〃



Everyone　looked　to　see　where　this　voice　came　from；

but　none　could　guess　who　had　uttered　the　words　of

rebuke。　The　rowers　of　the　boat　were　all　solemn　and

silent　and　certainly　no　one　on　the　shore　had　spoken。

But　the　little　man　did　not　seem　astonished　in　the

least；　or　even　annoyed。



King　Kitticut　now　addressed　the　stranger；　saying

courteously：



〃You　are　welcome　to　the　Kingdom　of　Pingaree。　Perhaps

you　will　deign　to　come　ashore　and　at　your　convenience

inform　us　whom　w