rinkitink in oz-第3节

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courteously：



〃You　are　welcome　to　the　Kingdom　of　Pingaree。　Perhaps

you　will　deign　to　come　ashore　and　at　your　convenience

inform　us　whom　we　have　the　honor　of　receiving　as　a

guest。〃



〃Thanks；　I　will；〃　returned　the　little　fat　man；

waddling　from　his　place　in　the　boat　and　stepping；　with

some　difficulty；　upon　the　sandy　beach。　〃I　am　King

Rinkitink；　of　the　City　of　Gilgad　in　the　Kingdom　of

Rinkitink；　and　I　have　come　to　Pingaree　to　see　for

myself　the　monarch　who　sends　to　my　city　so　many

beautiful　pearls。　I　have　long　wished　to　visit　this

island；　and　so；　as　I　said　before；　here　I　am！〃



〃I　am　pleased　to　welcome　you；〃　said　King　Kitticut。

〃But　why　has　Your　Majesty　so　few　attendants？　Is　it　not

dangerous　for　the　King　of　a　great　country　to　make

distant　journeys　in　one　frail　boat；　and　with　but　twenty

men？〃



〃Oh；　I　suppose　so；〃　answered　King　Rinkitink；　with　a

laugh。　〃But　what　else　could　I　do？　My　subjects　would　not

allow　me　to　go　anywhere　at　all；　if　they　knew　it。　So　I

just　ran　away。〃



〃Ran　away！〃　exclaimed　King　Kitticut　in　surprise。



〃Funny；　isn't　it？　Heh；　heh；　heh　　woo；　hoo！〃　laughed

Rinkitink；　and　this　is　as　near　as　I　can　spell　with

letters　the　jolly　sounds　of　his　laughter。　〃Fancy　a　King

running　away　from　his　own　ple　　hoo；　hoo　　keek；　eek；

eek；　eek！　But　I　had　to；　don't　you　see！〃



〃Why？〃　asked　the　other　King。



〃They're　afraid　I'll　get　into　mischief。　They　don't

trust　me。　Keek…eek…eek　　Oh；　dear　me！　Don't　trust

their　own　King。　Funny；　isn't　it？〃



〃No　harm　can　come　to　you　on　this　island；〃　said

Kitticut；　pretending　not　to　notice　the　odd　ways　of　his

guest。　〃And；　whenever　it　pleases　you　to　return　to　your

own　country；　I　will　send　with　you　a　fitting　escort　of

my　own　people。　In　the　meantime；　pray　accompany　me　to　my

palace；　where　everything　shall　be　done　to　make　you

comfortable　and　happy。〃



〃Much　obliged；〃　answered　Rinkitink；　tipping　his　white

cap　over　his　left　ear　and　heartily　shaking　the　hand　of

his　brother　monarch。　〃I'm　sure　you　can　make　me

comfortable　if　you've　plenty　to　eat。　And　as　for　being

happy　　ha；　ha；　ha；　ha！　　why；　that's　my　trouble。　I'm

too　happy。　But　stop！　I've　brought　you　some　presents　in

those　boxes。　Please　order　your　men　to　carry　them　up　to

the　palace。〃



〃Certainly；〃　answered　King　Kitticut；　well　pleased；

and　at　once　he　gave　his　men　the　proper　orders。



〃And；　by　the　way；〃　continued　the　fat　little　King；

〃let　them　also　take　my　goat　from　his　cage。〃



〃A　goat！〃　exclaimed　the　King　of　Pingaree。



〃Exactly；　my　goat　Bilbil。　I　always　ride　him　wherever

I　go；　for　I'm　not　at　all　fond　of　walking；　being　a

trifle　stout　　eh；　Kitticut？　　a　trifle　stout！　Hoo；

hoo；　hoo…keek；　eek！〃



The　Pingaree　people　started　to　lift　the　big　cage　out

of　the　boat；　but　just　then　a　gruff　voice　cried：　〃Be

careful；　you　villains！〃　and　as　the　words　seemed　to　come

from　the　goat's　mouth　the　men　were　so　astonished　that

they　dropped　the　cage　upon　the　sand　with　a　sudden　jar。



〃There！　I　told　you　so！〃　cried　the　voice　angrily。

〃You've　rubbed　the　skin　off　my　left　knee。　Why　on　earth

didn't　you　handle　me　gently？〃



〃There；　there；　Bilbil；〃　said　King　Rinkitink

soothingly；　〃don't　scold；　my　boy。　Remember　that　these

are　strangers；　and　we　their　guests。〃　Then　he　turned　to

Kitticut　and　remarked：　〃You　have　no　talking　goats　on

your　island；　I　suppose。〃



〃We　have　no　goats　at　all；〃　replied　the　King；　〃nor

have　we　any　animals；　of　any　sort；　who　are　able　to

talk。〃



〃I　wish　my　animal　couldn't　talk；　either；〃　said

Rinkitink；　winking　comically　at　Inga　and　then　looking

toward　the　cage。　〃He　is　very　cross　at　times；　and

indulges　in　language　that　is　not　respectful。　I　thought；

at　first；　it　would　be　fine　to　have　a　talking　goat；　with

whom　I　could　converse　as　I　rode　about　my　city　on　his

back；　but　　keek…eek…eek…eek！　　the　rascal　treats　me

as　if　I　were　a　chimney　sweep　instead　of　a　King。　Heh；

heh；　heh；　keek；　eek！　A　chimney　sweep…hoo；　hoo；　hoo！　

and　me　a　King！　Funny；　isn't　it？〃　This　last　was

addressed　to　Prince　Inga；　whom　he　chucked　familiarly

under　the　chin；　to　the　boy's　great　embarrassment。



〃Why　do　you　not　ride　a　horse？〃　asked　King　Kitticut。



〃I　can't　climb　upon　his　back；　being　rather　stout；

that's　why。　Kee；　kee；　keek；　eek！　　rather　stout　

hoo；　hoo；　hoo！〃　He　paused　to　wipe　the　tears　of

merriment　from　his　eyes　and　then　added：　〃But　I　can　get

on　and　off　Bilbil's　back　with　ease。〃



He　now　opened　the　cage　and　the　goat　deliberately

walked　out　and　looked　about　him　in　a　sulky　manner。　One

of　the　rowers　brought　from　the　boat　a　saddle　made　of

red　velvet　and　beautifully　embroidered　with　silver

thistles；　which　he　fastened　upon　the　goat's　back。　The

fat　King　put　his　leg　over　the　saddle　and　seated　himself

comfortably；　saying：



〃Lead　on；　my　noble　host；　and　we　will　follow。〃



〃What！　Up　that　steep　hill？〃　cried　the　goat。　〃Get　off

my　back　at　once；　Rinkitink；　or　I　won't　budge　a　step。



〃But…consider；　Bilbil；〃　remonstrated　the　King。　〃How

am　I　to　get　up　that　hill　unless　I　ride？〃



〃Walk！〃　growled　Bilbil。



〃But　I'm　too　fat。　Really；　Bilbil；　I'm　surprised　at

you。　Haven't　I　brought　you　all　this　distance　so　you　may

see　something　of　the　world　and　enjoy　life？　And　now　you

are　so　ungrateful　as　to　refuse　to　carry　me！　Turn　about

is　fair　play；　my　boy。　The　boat　carried　you　to　this

shore；　because　you　can't　swim；　and　now　you　must　carry

me　up　the　hill；　because　I　can't　climb。　Eh；　Bilbil；

isn't　that　reasonable？〃



〃Well；　well；　well；〃　said　the　goat；　surlily；　〃keep

quiet　and　I'll　carry　you。　But　you　make　me　very　tired；

Rinkitink；　with　your　ceaseless　chatter。〃



After　making　this　protest　Bilbil　began　walking

up　the　hill；　carrying　the　fat　King　upon　his　back

with　no　difficulty　whatever。



Prince　Inga　and　his　father　and　all　the　men　of

Pingaree　were　much　astonished　to　overhear　this　dispute

between　King　Rinkitink　and　his　goat；　but　they　were　too

polite　to　make　critical　remarks　in　the　presence　of

their　guests。　King　Kitticut　walked　beside　the　goat　and

the　Prince　followed　after；　the　men　coming　last　with　the

boxes　of　sandalwood。



When　they　neared　the　palace；　the　Queen　and　her

maidens　came　out　to　meet　them　and　the　royal　guest　was

escorted　in　state　to　the　splendid　throne　room　of　the

palace。　Here　the　boxes　were　opened　and　King　Rinkitink

displayed　all　the　beautiful　silks　and　laces　and　jewelry

with　which　they　were　filled。　Every　one　of　the　courtiers

and　ladies　received　a　handsome　present；　and　the　King

and　Queen　had　many　rich　gifts　and　Inga　not　a　few。　Thus

the　time　passed　pleasantly　until　the　Chamberlain

announced　that　dinner　was　served。



Bilbil　the　goat　declared　that　he　preferred　eating　of

the　sweet；　rich　grass　that　grew　abundantly　in　the

palace　grounds；　and　Rinkitink　said　that　the　beast　could

never　bear　being　shut　up　in　a　stable；　so　they　removed

the　saddle　from　his　back　and　allowed　him　to　wander

wherever　he　pleased。



During　the　dinner　Inga　divided　his　attention　between

admiring　the　pretty　gifts　he　had　received　and　listening

to　the　jolly　sayings　of　the　fat　King；　who　laughed　when

he　was　not　eating　and　ate　when　he　was　not　laughing　and

seemed　to　enjoy　himself　immensely。



〃For　four　days　I　have　lived　in　that　narrow　boat；〃

said　he；　〃with　no　other　amusement　than　to　watch　the

rowers　and　quarrel　with　Bilbil；　so　I　am　very　glad　to　be

on　land　again　with　such　friendly　and　agreeable　people。〃



〃You　do　us　great　honor；〃　said　King　Kitticut；　with　a

polite　bow。



〃Not　at　all　　not　at　all；　my　brother。　This　Pingaree

must　be　a　wonderful　island；　for　its　pearls　are　the

admiration　of　all　the　world；　nor　will　I　deny　the　fact

that　my　kingdom　would　be　a　poor　one　without　the　riches

and　glory　it　derives　from　the　trade　in　your　pearls。　So

I　have　wished　for　many　years　to　come　here　to　see　you；

but　my　people　said：　'No！　Stay　at　home　and　behave

yourself；　or　we'll　know　the　reason　why。'〃



〃Will　they　not　miss　Your　Majesty　from　your

palace　at　Gilgad？〃　inquired　Kitticut。



〃I　think　not；〃　answered　Rinkitink。　〃You　see；　one　of

my　clever　subjects　has　written　a　parchment　entitled

'How　to　be　Good；'　and　I　believed　it　would　benefit　me　to

study　it；　as　I　consider　the　accomplishment　of　being

good　one　of　the　fine　arts。　I　had　just　scolded　severely

my　Lord　High　Chancellor　for　coming　to　breakfast　without

combing　his　eyebrows；　and　was　so　sad　and　regretful　at

having　hurt　the　poor　man's　feelings　that　I　decided　to

shut　myself　up　in　my　own　room　and　study　the　scroll

until　I　knew　how　to　be　good　　hee；　heek；　keek；　eek；

eek！　to　be　good！　Clever　idea；　that；　wasn't　it？　Mighty

clever！　And　I　issued　a　decree　that　no　one　should　enter

my　room；　under　pain　of　my　royal　displeasure；　until　I

was　ready　to　come　out。　They're　awfully　afraid　of　my

royal　displeasure；　although　not　a　bit　afraid　of　me。

Then　I　put　the　parchment　in　my　pocket　and　escaped

through　the　back　door　to　my　boat　　and　here　I　am。　Oo；

hoo…hoo；　keek…eek！　Imagine　the　fuss　there　would　be　in

Gilgad　if　m