rinkitink in oz-第5节

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return　to　the　boy　Prince；　who；　when　the　fog　lifted　and

the　sun　came　out；　wakened　from　his　sleep　and　began　to

climb　down　from　his　perch　in　the　tree。　But　the

terrifying　cries　of　the　people；　mingled　with　the　shouts

of　the　rude　warriors；　caused　him　to　pause　and　listen

eagerly。



Then　he　climbed　rapidly　up　the　tree；　far　above　his

platform；　to　the　topmost　swaying　branches。　This　tree；

which　Inga　called　his　own；　was　somewhat　taller　than　the

other　trees　that　surrounded　it；　and　when　he　had　reached

the　top　he　pressed　aside　the　leaves　and　saw　a　great

fleet　of　boats　upon　the　shore　　strange　boats；　with

banners　that　he　had　never　seen　before。　Turning　to　look

upon　his　father's　palace；　he　found　it　surrounded　by　a

horde　of　enemies。　Then　Inga　knew　the　truth：　that　tile

island　had　been　invaded　by　the　barbaric　warriors　from

the　north。　He　grew　so　faint　from　the　terror　of　it　all

that　he　might　have　fallen　had　he　not　wound　his　arms

around　a　limb　and　clung　fast　until　the　dizzy　feeling

passed　away。　Then　with　his　sash　he　bound　himself　to　the

limb　and　again　ventured　to　look　out　through　the　leaves。



The　warriors　were　now　engaged　in　carrying　King

Kitticut　and　Queen　Garee　and　all　their　other　captives

down　to　the　boats；　where　they　were　thrown　in　and

chained　one　to　another。　It　was　a　dreadful　sight　for　the

Prince　to　witness；　but　he　sat　very　still；　concealed

from　the　sight　of　anyone　below　by　the　bower　of　leafy

branches　around　him。　Inga　knew　very　well　that　he　could

do　nothing　to　help　his　beloved　parents；　and　that　if　he

came　down　he　would　only　be　forced　to　share　their　cruel

fate。



Now　a　procession　of　the　Northmen　passed　between　the

boats　and　the　palace；　bearing　the　rich　furniture；

splendid　draperies　and　rare　ornaments　of　which　the

royal　palace　had　been　robbed；　together　with　such　food

and　other　plunder　as　they　could　lay　their　hands　upon。

After　this；　the　men　of　Regos　and　Coregos　threw　ropes

around　the　marble　domes　and　towers　and　hundreds　of

warriors　tugged　at　these　ropes　until　the　domes　and

towers　toppled　and　fell　in　ruins　upon　the　ground。　Then

the　walls　themselves　were　torn　down；　till　little

remained　of　the　beautiful　palace　but　a　vast　heap　of

white　marble　blocks　tumbled　and　scattered　upon　the

ground。



Prince　Inga　wept　bitter　tears　of　grief　as　he　watched

the　ruin　of　his　home；　yet　he　was　powerless　to　avert　the

destruction。　When　the　palace　had　been　demolished；　some

of　the　warriors　entered　their　boats　and　rowed　along　the

coast　of　the　island；　while　the　others　marched　in　a

great　body　down　the　length　of　the　island　itself。　They

were　so　numerous　that　they　formed　a　line　stretching

from　shore　to　shore　and　they　destroyed　every　house　they

came　to　and　took　every　inhabitant　prisoner。



The　pearl　fishers　who　lived　at　the　lower　end　of　the

island　tried　to　escape　in　their　boats；　but　they　were

soon　overtaken　and　made　prisoners；　like　the　others。　Nor

was　there　any　attempt　to　resist　the　foe；　for　the　sharp

spears　and　pikes　and　swords　of　the　invaders　terrified

the　hearts　of　the　defenseless　people　of　Pingaree；　whose

sole　weapons　were　their　oyster　rakes。



When　night　fell　the　whole　of　the　Island　of　Pingaree

had　been　conquered　by　the　men　of　the　North；　and　all　its

people　were　slaves　of　the　conquerors。　Next　morning　the

men　of　Regos　and　Coregos；　being　capable　of　no　further

mischief；　departed　from　the　scene　of　their　triumph；

carrying　their　prisoners　with　them　and　taking　also

every　boat　to　be　found　upon　the　island。　Many　of　the

boats　they　had　filled　with　rich　plunder；　with　pearls

and　silks　and　velvets；　with　silver　and　gold　ornaments

and　all　the　treasure　that　had　made　Pingaree　famed　as

one　of　the　richest　kingdoms　in　the　world。　And　the

hundreds　of　slaves　they　had　captured　would　be　set　to

work　in　the　mines　of　Regos　and　the　grain　fields　of

Coregos。



So　complete　was　the　victory　of　the　Northmen　that　it

is　no　wonder　the　warriors　sang　songs　of　triumph　as　they

hastened　back　to　their　homes。　Great　rewards　were

awaiting　them　when　they　showed　the　haughty　King　of

Regos　and　the　terrible　Queen　of　Coregos　the　results　of

their　ocean　raid　and　conquest。









Chapter　Four



The　Deserted　Island





All　through　that　terrible　night　Prince　Inga　remained

hidden　in　his　tree。　In　the　morning　he　watched　the　great

fleet　of　boats　depart　for　their　own　country；　carrying

his　parents　and　his　countrymen　with　them；　as　well　as

everything　of　value　the　Island　of　Pingaree　had

contained。



Sad；　indeed；　were　the　boy's　thoughts　when　the　last　of

the　boats　had　become　a　mere　speck　in　the　distance；　but

Inga　did　not　dare　leave　his　perch　of　safety　until　all

of　the　craft　of　the　invaders　had　disappeared　beyond　the

horizon。　Then　he　came　down；　very　slowly　and　carefully；

for　he　was　weak　from　hunger　and　the　long　and　weary

watch；　as　he　had　been　in　the　tree　for　twenty…four　hours

without　food。



The　sun　shone　upon　the　beautiful　green　isle　as

brilliantly　as　if　no　ruthless　invader　had　passed　and

laid　it　in　ruins。　The　birds　still　chirped　among　the

trees　and　the　butterflies　darted　from　flower　to　flower

as　happily　as　when　the　land　was　filled　with　a

prosperous　and　contented　people。



Inga　feared　that　only　he　was　left　of　all　his　nation。

Perhaps　he　might　be　obliged　to　pass　his　life　there

alone。　He　would　not　starve；　for　the　sea　would　give　him

oysters　and　fish；　and　the　trees　fruit；　yet　the　life

that　confronted　him　was　far　from　enticing。



The　boy's　first　act　was　to　walk　over　to　where　the

palace　had　stood　and　search　the　ruins　until　he　found

some　scraps　of　food　that　had　been　overlooked　by　the

enemy。　He　sat　upon　a　block　of　marble　and　ate　of　this；

and　tears　filled　his　eyes　as　he　gazed　upon　the

desolation　around　him。　But　Inga　tried　to　bear　up

bravely；　and　having　satisfied　his　hunger　he　walked　over

to　the　well；　intending　to　draw　a　bucket　of　drinking

water。



Fortunately；　this　well　had　been　overlooked　by　the

invaders　and　the　bucket　was　still　fastened　to　the　chain

that　wound　around　a　stout　wooden　windlass。　Inga　took

hold　of　the　crank　and　began　letting　the　bucket　down

into　the　well；　when　suddenly　he　was　startled　by　a

muffled　voice　crying　out：



〃Be　careful；　up　there！〃



The　sound　and　the　words　seemed　to　indicate　that　the

voice　came　from　the　bottom　of　the　well；　so　Inga　looked

down。　Nothing　could　be　seen；　on　account　of　the

darkness。



〃Who　are　you？〃　he　shouted。



〃It's　I　　Rinkitink；〃　came　the　answer；　and　the

depths　of　the　well　echoed：　〃Tink…i…tink…i…tink！〃　in　a

ghostly　manner。



〃Are　you　in　the　well？〃　asked　the　boy；　greatly

surprised。



〃Yes；　and　nearly　drowned。　I　fell　in　while　running

from　those　terrible　warriors；　and　I've　been　standing　in

this　damp　hole　ever　since；　with　my　head　just　above　the

water。　It's　lucky　the　well　was　no　deeper；　for　had　my

head　been　under　water；　instead　of　above　it　　hoo；　hoo；

hoo；　keek；　eek！　　under　instead　of　over；　you　know　

why；　then　I　wouldn't　be　talking　to　you　now！　Ha；　hoo；

hee！〃　And　the　well　dismally　echoed：　〃Ha；　hoo；　hee！〃

which　you　must　imagine　was　a　laugh　half　merry　and　half

sad。



〃I'm　awfully　sorry；〃　cried　the　boy；　in　answer。　〃I

wonder　you　have　the　heart　to　laugh　at　all。　But　how　am　I

to　get　you　out？〃



〃I've　been　considering　that　all　night；〃　said

Rinkitink；　〃and　I　believe　the　best　plan　will　be　for　you

to　let　down　the　bucket　to　me；　and　I'll　hold　fast　to　it

while　you　wind　up　the　chain　and　so　draw　me　to　the　top。〃



〃I　will　try　to　do　that；〃　replied　Inga；　and　he　let　the

bucket　down　very　carefully　until　he　heard　the　King　call

out：



〃I've　got　it！　Now　pull　me　up　　slowly；　my　boy；

slowly　　so　I　won't　rub　against　the　rough　sides。〃



Inga　began　winding　up　the　chain；　but　King　Rinkitink

was　so　fat　that　he　was　very　heavy　and　by　the　time　the

boy　had　managed　to　pull　him　halfway　up　the　well　his

strength　was　gone。　He　clung　to　the　crank　as　long　as

possible；　but　suddenly　it　slipped　from　his　grasp　and

the　next　minute　he　heard　Rinkitink　fall　〃plump！〃　into

the　water　again。



〃That's　too　bad！〃　called　Inga；　in　real　distress；　〃but

you　were　so　heavy　I　couldn't　help　it。〃



〃Dear　me！〃　gasped　the　King；　from　the　darkness　below；

as　he　spluttered　and　coughed　to　get　the　water　out　of

his　mouth。　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　you　were　going　to

let　go？〃



〃I　hadn't　time；〃　said　Inga；　sorrowfully。



〃Well；　I'm　not　suffering　from　thirst；〃　declared　the

King；　〃for　there's　enough　water　inside　me　to　float　all

the　boats　of　Regos　and　Coregos　or　at　least　it　feels

that　way。　But　never　mind！　So　long　as　I'm　not　actually

drowned；　what　does　it　matter？〃



〃What　shall　we　do　next？〃　asked　the　boy　anxiously。



〃Call　someone　to　help　you；〃　was　the　reply。



〃There　is　no　one　on　the　island　but　myself；〃　said　the

boy；　〃　excepting　you；〃　he　added；　as　an　afterthought。



〃I'm　not　on　it　　more's　the　pity！　　but　in　it；〃

responded　Rinkitink。　〃Are　the　warriors　all　gone？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Inga；　〃and　they　have　taken　my　father　and