rinkitink in oz-第8节

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〃Let　us　forget　everything　but　his　good　nature；　which

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

boy。〃



〃But　he　is　〃



〃Come　with　me；　please；〃　interrupted　Inga；　〃for　the

matter　of　which　I　wish　to　speak　is　very　important。〃



Bilbil　followed　him；　although　the　boy　still　heard　the

goat　muttering　that　the　King　had　no　brains。　Rinkitink；

seeing　them　turn　into　the　ruins；　also　followed；　and

upon　joining　them　asked　for　his　breakfast。



Inga　opened　the　sack　of　food　and　while　he　and　the

King　ate　of　it　the　boy　said：



〃If　I　could　find　a　way　to　remove　some　of　the　blocks

of　marble　which　have　fallen　in　the　banquet　hall；　I

think　I　could　find　means　for　us　to　escape　from　this

barren　island。〃



〃Then；〃　mumbled　Rinkitink；　with　his　mouth　full；　〃let

us　move　the　blocks　of　marble。〃



〃But　how？〃　inquired　Prince　Inga。　〃They　are　very

heavy。〃



〃Ah；　how；　indeed？〃　returned　the　　King；　smacking　his

lips　contentedly。　〃That　is　a　serious　question。　But　　I

have　it！　Let　us　see　what　my　famous　parchment　says　about

it。〃　He　wiped　his　fingers　upon　a　napkin　and　then；

taking　the　scroll　from　a　pocket　inside　his　embroidered

blouse；　he　unrolled　it　and　read　the　following　words：

'Never　step　on　another　man's　toes。'



The　goat　gave　a　snort　of　contempt；　Inga　was　silent；

the　King　looked　from　one　to　the　other　inquiringly。



〃That's　the　idea；　exactly！〃　declared　Rinkitink。



〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Bilbil　scornfully；　〃it　tells　us

exactly　how　to　move　the　blocks　of　marble。〃



〃Oh；　does　it？〃　responded　the　King；　and　then　for　a

moment　he　rubbed　the　top　of　his　bald　head　in　a

perplexed　manner。　The　next　moment　he　burst　into　a　peal

of　joyous　laughter。　The　goat　looked　at　Inga　and　sighed。



〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　asked　the　creature。　〃Was　I

right；　or　was　I　wrong？〃



〃This　scroll；〃　said　Rinkitink；　〃is　indeed　a

masterpiece。　Its　advice　is　of　tremendous　value。　'Never

step　on　another　man's　toes。'　Let　us　think　this　over。

The　inference　is　that　we　should　step　upon　our　own　toes；

which　were　given　us　for　that　purpose。　Therefore；　if　I

stepped　upon　another　man's　toes；　I　would　be　the　other

man。　Hoo；　hoo；　hoo！　　the　other　man　　hee；　hee；　heek…

keek…eek！　Funny；　isn't　it？〃



〃Didn't　I　say　〃　began　Bilbil。



〃No　matter　what　you　said；　my　boy；〃　roared　the　King。

〃No　fool　could　have　figured　that　out　as　nicely　as　I

did。〃



〃We　have　still　to　decide　how　to　remove　the　blocks　of

marble；〃　suggested　Inga　anxiously。



　〃Fasten　a　rope　to　them；　and　pull；〃　said　Bilbil。

〃Don't　pay　any　more　attention　to　Rinkitink；　for　he　is

no　wiser　than　the　man　who　wrote　that　brainless　scroll。

Just　get　the　rope；　and　we'll　fasten　Rinkitink　to　one

end　of　it　for　a　weight　and　I'll　help　you　pull。〃



〃Thank　you；　Bilbil；〃　replied　the　boy。　〃I'll　get　the

rope　at　once。



Bilbil　found　it　difficult　to　climb　over　the　ruins　to

the　floor　of　the　banquet　hall；　but　there　are　few　places

a　goat　cannot　get　to　when　it　makes　the　attempt；　so

Bilbil　succeeded　at　last；　and　even　fat　little　Rinkitink

finally　joined　them；　though　much　out　of　breath。



Inga　fastened　one　end　of　the　rope　around　a　block　of

marble　and　then　made　a　loop　at　the　other　end　to　go　over

Bilbil's　head。　When　all　was　ready　the　boy　seized　the

rope　and　helped　the　goat　to　pull；　yet；　strain　as　they

might；　the　huge　block　would　not　stir　from　its　place。

Seeing　this；　King　Rinkitink　came　forward　and　lent　his

assistance；　the　weight　of　his　body　forcing　the　heavy

marble　to　slide　several　feet　from　where　it　had　lain。



But　it　was　hard　work　and　all　were　obliged　to　take　a

long　rest　before　undertaking　the　removal　of　the　next

block。



〃Admit；　Bilbil；〃　said　the　King；　〃that　I　am　of　some

use　in　the　world。〃



〃Your　weight　was　of　considerable　help；〃　acknowledged

the　goat；　〃but　if　your　head　were　as　well　filled　as

your　stomach　the　task　would　be　still　easier。〃



When　Inga　went　to　fasten　the　rope　a　second　time　he

was　rejoiced　to　discover　that　by　moving　one　more　block

of　marble　he　could　uncover　the　tile　with　the　secret

spring。　So　the　three　pulled　with　renewed　energy　and　to

their　joy　the　block　moved　and　rolled　upon　its　side；

leaving　Inga　free　to　remove　the　treasure　when　he

pleased。



But　the　boy　had　no　intention　of　allowing　Bilbil　and

the　King　to　share　the　secret　of　the　royal　treasures　of

Pingaree；　so；　although　both　the　goat　and　its　master

demanded　to　know　why　the　marble　blocks　had　been　moved；

and　how　it　would　benefit　them；　Inga　begged　them　to　wait

until　the　next　morning；　when　he　hoped　to　be　able　to

satisfy　them　that　their　hard　work　had　not　been　in　vain。



Having　little　confidence　in　this　promise　of　a　mere

boy；　the　goat　grumbled　and　the　King　laughed；　but　Inga

paid　no　heed　to　their　ridicule　and　set　himself　to　work

rigging　up　a　fishing　rod；　with　line　and　hook。　During

the　afternoon　he　waded　out　to　some　rocks　near　the　shore

and　fished　patiently　until　he　had　captured　enough

yellow　perch　for　their　supper　and　breakfast。



〃Ah；〃　said　Rinkitink；　looking　at　the　fine　catch　when

Inga　returned　to　the　shore；　〃these　will　taste　delicious

when　they　are　cooked；　but　do　you　know　how　to　cook

them？〃



〃No；〃　was　the　reply。　I　have　often　caught　fish；　but

never　cooked　them。　Perhaps　Your　Majesty　understands

cooking。〃



〃Cooking　and　majesty　are　two　different　things；〃

laughed　the　little　King。　〃I　could　not　cook　a　fish　to

save　me　from　starvation。〃



〃For　my　part；〃　said　Bilbil；　〃I　never　eat　fish；　but　I

can　tell　you　how　to　cook　them；　for　I　have　often　watched

the　palace　cooks　at　their　work。〃　And　so；　with　the

goat's　assistance；　the　boy　and　the　King　managed　to

prepare　the　fish　and　cook　them；　after　which　they　were

eaten　with　good　appetite。



That　night；　after　Rinkitink　and　Bilbil　were　both　fast

asleep；　Inga　stole　quietly　through　the　moonlight　to　the

desolate　banquet　hall。　There；　kneeling　down；　he　touched

the　secret　spring　as　his　father　had　instructed　him　to

do　and　to　his　joy　the　tile　sank　downward　and　disclosed

the　opening。　You　may　imagine　how　the　boy's　heart

throbbed　with　excitement　as　he　slowly　thrust　his　hand

into　the　cavity　and　felt　around　to　see　if　the　precious

pearls　were　still　there。　In　a　moment　his　fingers

touched　the　silken　bag　and；　without　pausing　to　close

the　recess；　he　pressed　the　treasure　against　his　breast

and　ran　out　into　the　moonlight　to　examine　it。　When　he

reached　a　bright　place　he　started　to　open　the　bag；　but

he　observed　Bilbil　lying　asleep　upon　the　grass　near　by。

So；　trembling　with　the　fear　of　discovery；　he　ran　to

another　place；　and　when　he　paused　he　heard　Rinkitink

snoring　lustily。　Again　he　fled　and　made　his　way　to　the

seashore；　where　he　squatted　under　a　bank　and　began　to

untie　the　cords　that　fastened　the　mouth　of　the　bag。　But

now　another　fear　assailed　him。



〃If　the　pearls　should　slip　from　my　hand；〃　he　thought；

〃and　roll　into　the　water；　they　might　be　lost　to　me

forever。　I　must　find　some　safer　place。〃



Here　and　there　he　wandered；　still　clasping　the　silken

bag　in　both　hands；　and　finally　he　went　to　the　grove　and

climbed　into　the　tall　tree　where　he　had　made　his

platform　and　seat。　But　here　it　was　pitch　dark；　so　he

found　he　must　wait　patiently　until　morning　before　he

dared　touch　the　pearls。　During　those　hours　of　waiting

he　had　time　for　reflection　and　reproached　himself　for

being　so　frightened　by　the　possession　of　his　father's

treasures。



〃These　pearls　have　belonged　to　our　family　for

generations；〃　he　mused；　〃yet　no　one　has　ever　lost　them。

If　I　use　ordinary　care　I　am　sure　I　need　have　no　fears

for　their　safety。〃



When　the　dawn　came　and　he　could　see　plainly；　Inga

opened　the　bag　and　took　out　the　Blue　Pearl。　There　was

no　possibility　of　his　being　observed　by　others；　so　he

took　time　to　examine　it　wonderingly；　saying　to　himself：

〃This　will　give　me　strength。〃



Taking　off　his　right　shoe　he　placed　the　Blue　Pearl

within　it；　far　up　in　the　pointed　toe。　Then　he　tore　a

piece　from　his　handkerchief　and　stuffed　it　into　the

shoe　to　hold　the　pearl　in　place。　Inga's　shoes　were　long

and　pointed；　as　were　all　the　shoes　worn　in　Pingaree；

and　the　points　curled　upward；　so　that　there　was　quite　a

vacant　space　beyond　the　place　where　the　boy's　toes

reached　when　the　shoe　was　upon　his　foot。



After　he　had　put　on　the　Shoe　and　laced　it　up　he

opened　the　bag　and　took　out　the　Pink　Pearl。　〃This　will

protect　me　from　danger；〃　said　Inga；　and　removing　the

shoe　from　his　left　foot　he　carefully　placed　the　pearl

in　the　hollow　toe。　This；　also；　he　secured　in　place　by

means　of　a　strip　torn　from　his　handkerchief。



Having　put　on　the　second　shoe　and　laced　it　up；　the

boy　drew　from　the　silken　bag　the　third　pearl　　that

which　was　pure　white　　and　holding　it　to　his　ear　he

asked。



〃Will　you　advise　me　what　to　do；　in　this　my　hour　of

misfortune？〃



Clearly　the　small　voice　of　the　pearl　made　answer：



〃I　advise　you　to　go　to　the　Islands　of　Regos　and

Coregos；　where　you　may　liberate　your　parents　from

slavery。〃