rinkitink in oz-第7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！



exhausted　were　they　by　the　day's　anxieties　and　griefs

that　their　troubles　soon　faded　into　the　mists　of

dreamland。　Beast　and　King　and　boy　slumbered　peacefully

together　until　wakened　by　the　singing　of　the　birds

which　greeted　the　dawn　of　a　new　day。









Chapter　Five



The　Three　Pearls





When　King　Rinkitink　and　Prince　Inga　had　bathed

themselves　in　the　sea　and　eaten　a　simple　breakfast；

they　began　wondering　what　they　could　do　to　improve

their　condition。



〃The　poor　people　of　Gilgad；〃　said　Rinkitink

cheerfully；　〃are　little　likely　ever　again　to　behold

their　King　in　the　flesh；　for　my　boat　and　my　rowers　are

gone　with　everything　else。　Let　us　face　the　fact　that　we

are　imprisoned　for　life　upon　this　island；　and　that　our

lives　will　be　short　unless　we　can　secure　more　to　eat

than　is　in　this　small　sack。〃



〃I'll　not　starve；　for　I　can　eat　grass；〃　remarked　the

goat　in　a　pleasant　tone　　or　a　tone　as　pleasant　as

Bilbil　could　assume。



〃True；　quite　true；〃　said　the　King。　Then　he　seemed

thoughtful　for　a　moment　and　turning　to　Inga　he　asked：

〃Do　you　think；　Prince；　that　if　the　worst　comes；　we

could　eat　Bilbil？〃



The　goat　gave　a　groan　and　cast　a　reproachful　look　at

his　master　as　he　said：



〃Monster！　Would　you；　indeed；　eat　your　old　friend　and

servant？〃



〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；　Bilbil；〃　answered　the　King

pleasantly。　〃You　would　make　a　remarkably　tough　morsel；

and　my　teeth　are　not　as　good　as　they　once　were。



While　this　talk　was　in　progress　Inga　suddenly

remembered　the　three　pearls　which　his　father　had　hidden

under　the　tiled　floor　of　the　banquet　hall。　Without

doubt　King　Kitticut　had　been　so　suddenly　surprised　by

the　invaders　that　he　had　found　no　opportunity　to　get

the　pearls；　for　otherwise　the　fierce　warriors　would

have　been　defeated　and　driven　out　of　Pingaree。　So　they

must　still　be　in　their　hiding　place；　and　Inga　believed

they　would　prove　of　great　assistance　to　him　and　his

comrades　in　this　hour　of　need。　But　the　palace　was　a

mass　of　ruins；　perhaps　he　would　be　unable　now　to　find

the　place　where　the　pearls　were　hidden。



He　said　nothing　of　this　to　Rinkitink；　remembering

that　his　father　had　charged　him　to　preserve　the　secret

of　the　pearls　and　of　their　magic　powers。　Nevertheless；

the　thought　of　securing　the　wonderful　treasures　of　his

ancestors　gave　the　boy　new　hope。



He　stood　up　and　said　to　the　King：



〃Let　us　return　to　the　other　end　of　Pingaree。　It　is

more　pleasant　than　here　in　spite　of　the　desolation　of

my　father's　palace。　And　there；　if　anywhere；　we　shall

discover　a　way　out　of　our　difficulties。〃



This　suggestion　met　with　Rinkitink's　approval　and　the

little　party　at　once　started　upon　the　return　journey。

As　there　was　no　occasion　to　delay　upon　the　way；　they

reached　the　big　end　of　the　island　about　the　middle　of

the　day　and　at　once　began　searching　the　ruins　of　the

palace。



They　found；　to　their　satisfaction；　that　one　room　at

the　bottom　of　a　tower　was　still　habitable；　although　the

roof　was　broken　in　and　the　place　was　somewhat　littered

with　stones。　The　King　was；　as　he　said；　too　fat　to　do

any　hard　work；　so　he　sat　down　on　a　block　of　marble　and

watched　Inga　clear　the　room　of　its　rubbish。　This　done；

the　boy　hunted　through　the　ruins　until　he　discovered　a

stool　and　an　armchair　that　had　not　been　broken　beyond

use。　Some　bedding　and　a　mattress　were　also　found；　so

that　by　nightfall　the　little　room　had　been　made　quite

comfortable



The　following　morning；　while　Rinkitink　was　still

sound　asleep　and　Bilbil　was　busily　cropping　the　dewy

grass　that　edged　the　shore；　Prince　Inga　began　to　search

the　tumbled　heaps　of　marble　for　the　place　where　the

royal　banquet　hall　had　been。　After　climbing　over　the

ruins　for　a　time　he　reached　a　flat　place　which　he

recognized；　by　means　of　the　tiled　flooring　and　the

broken　furniture　scattered　about；　to　be　the　great　hall

he　was　seeking。　But　in　the　center　of　the　floor；

directly　over　the　spot　where　the　pearls　were　hidden；

lay　several　large　and　heavy　blocks　of　marble；　which　had


been　torn　from　the　dismantled　walls。



This　unfortunate　discovery　for　a　time　discouraged　the

boy；　who　realized　how　helpless　he　was　to　remove　such

vast　obstacles；　but　it　was　so　important　to　secure　the

pearls　that　he　dared　not　give　way　to　despair　until

every　human　effort　had　been　made；　so　he　sat　him　down　to

think　over　the　matter　with　great　care。



Meantime　Rinkitink　had　risen　from　his　bed　and　walked

out　upon　the　lawn；　where　he　found　Bilbil　reclining　at

ease　upon　the　greensward。



〃Where　is　Inga？〃　asked　Rinkitink；　rubbing　his　eyes

with　his　knuckles　because　their　vision　was　blurred　with

too　much　sleep。



〃Don't　ask　me；〃　said　the　goat；　chewing　with　much

satisfaction　a　cud　of　sweet　grasses。



〃Bilbil；〃　said　the　King；　squatting　down　beside　the

goat　and　resting　his　fat　chin　upon　his　hands　and　his

elbows　on　his　knees；　〃allow　me　to　confide　to　you　the

fact　that　I　am　bored；　and　need　amusement。　My　good

friend　Kitticut　has　been　kidnapped　by　the　barbarians

and　taken　from　me；　so　there　is　no　one　to　converse　with

me　intelligently。　I　am　the　King　and　you　are　the　goat。

Suppose　you　tell　me　a　story。



〃Suppose　I　don't；〃　said　Bilbil；　with　a　scowl；　for　a

goat's　face　is　very　expressive。



〃If　you　refuse；　I　shall　be　more　unhappy　than　ever；

and　I　know　your　disposition　is　too　sweet　to　permit

that。　Tell　me　a　story；　Bilbil。〃



The　goat　looked　at　him　with　an　expression　of　scorn。

Said　he：



〃One　would　think　you　are　but　four　years　old；

Rinkitink！　But　there　　I　will　do　as　you　command。

Listen　carefully；　and　the　story　may　do　you　some　good　

although　I　doubt　if　you　understand　the　moral。〃



〃I　am　sure　the　story　will　do　me　good；〃　declared　the

King；　whose　eyes　were　twinkling。



〃Once　on　a　time；〃　began　the　goat。



〃When　was　that；　Bilbil？〃　asked　the　King　gently。



〃Don't　interrupt；　it　is　impolite。　Once　on　a　time

there　was　a　King　with　a　hollow　inside　his　head；　where

most　people　have　their　brains；　and　〃



〃Is　this　a　true　story；　Bilbil？〃



〃And　the　King　with　a　hollow　head　could　chatter　words；

which　had　no　sense；　and　laugh　in　a　brainless　manner　at

senseless　things。　That　part　of　the　story　is　true

enough；　Rinkitink。〃



〃Then　proceed　with　the　tale；　sweet　Bilbil。　Yet　it　is

hard　to　believe　that　any　King　could　be　brainless　

unless；　indeed；　he　proved　it　by　owning　a　talking　goat。〃



Bilbil　glared　at　him　a　full　minute　in　silence。

Then　he　resumed　his　story：



〃This　empty…headed　man　was　a　King　by　accident；　having

been　born　to　that　high　station。　Also　the　King　was

empty…headed　by　the　same　chance；　being　born　without

brains。〃



〃Poor　fellow！〃　quoth　the　King。　〃Did　he　own　a　talking

goat？〃



〃He　did；〃　answered　Bilbil。



〃Then　he　was　wrong　to　have　been　born　at　all。　Cheek…

eek…eek…eek；　oo；　hoo！〃　chuckled　Rinkitink；　his　fat　body

shaking　with　merriment。　〃But　it's　hard　to　prevent

oneself　from　being　born；　there's　no　chance　for　protest；

eh；　Bilbil？〃



〃Who　is　telling　this　story；　I'd　like　to　know；〃

demanded　the　goat；　with　anger。



〃Ask　someone　with　brains；　my　boy；　I'm　sure　I　can't

tell；〃　replied　the　King；　bursting　into　one　of　his　merry

fits　of　laughter。



Bilbil　rose　to　his　hoofs　and　walked　away　in　a

dignified　manner；　leaving　Rinkitink　chuckling　anew　at

the　sour　expression　of　the　animal's　face。



〃Oh；　Bilbil；　you'll　be　the　death　of　me；　some　day　

I'm　sure　you　will！〃　gasped　the　King；　taking　out　his

lace　handkerchief　to　wipe　his　eyes；　for；　as　he　often

did；　he　had　laughed　till　the　tears　came。



Bilbil　was　deeply　vexed　and　would　not　even　turn　his

head　to　look　at　his　master。　To　escape　from　Rinkitink　he

wandered　among　the　ruins　of　the　palace；　where　he　came

upon　Prince　Inga。



〃Good　morning；　Bilbil；〃　said　the　boy。　〃I　was　just

going　to　find　you；　that　I　might　consult　you　upon　an

important　matter。　If　you　will　kindly　turn　back　with　me

I　am　sure　your　good　judgment　will　be　of　great

assistance。〃



The　angry　goat　was　quite　mollified　by　the　respectful

tone　in　which　he　was　addressed；　but　he　immediately

asked：



〃Are　you　also　going　to　consult　that　empty…headed　King

over　yonder？〃



〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　you　speak　of　your　kind　master　in

such　a　way；〃　said　the　boy　gravely。　〃All　men　are

deserving　of　respect；　being　the　highest　of　living

creatures；　and　Kings　deserve　respect　more　than　others；

for　they　are　set　to　rule　over　many　people。〃



〃Nevertheless；〃　said　Bilbil　with　conviction；

〃Rinkitink's　head　is　certainly　empty　of　brains。〃



〃That　I　am　unwilling　to　believe；〃　insisted　Inga。　〃But

anyway　his　heart　is　kind　and　gentle　and　that　is　better

than　being　wise。　He　is　merry　in　spite　of　misfortunes

that　would　cause　others　to　weep　and　he　never　speaks

harsh　words　that　wound　the　feelings　of　his　friends。〃



〃Still；〃　growled　Bilbil；　〃he　is　〃



〃Let　us　forget　everything　but　his　good　nature；　which

puts　new　heart　into　us　when　we　are　sad；〃　advised　the

b