rinkitink in oz-第10部分

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！





Sing　to…ral…oo…ral…i…do！〃





〃Worse　and　worse！〃　grumbled　Bilbil；　with　much　scorn。

〃I　am　glad　that　is　the　last　verse；　for　another　of　the

same　kind　might　cause　me　to　faint。〃



〃I　fear　you　have　no　ear　for　music；〃　said　the　King。



〃I　have　heard　no　music；　as　yet；〃　declared　the　goat。

〃You　must　have　a　strong　imagination；　King　Rinkitink；　if

you　consider　your　songs　music。　Do　you　remember　the

story　of　the　bear　that　hired　out　for　a　nursemaid？〃



〃I　do　not　recall　it　just　now；〃　said　Rinkitink；　with　a

wink　at　Inga。



〃Well；　the　bear　tried　to　sing　a　lullaby　to　put　the

baby　to　sleep。〃



〃And　then？〃　said　the　King。



〃The　bear　was　highly　pleased　with　its　own　voice；　but

the　baby　was　nearly　frightened　to　death。〃



〃Heh；　heb；　heh；　heh；　whoo；　hoo；　hoo！　You　are　a　merry

rogue；　Bilbil；〃　laughed　the　King；　〃a　merry　rogue　in

spite　of　your　gloomy　features。　However；　if　I　have　not

amused　you；　I　have　at　least　pleased　myself；　for　I　am

exceedingly　fond　of　a　good　song。　So　let　us　say　no　more

about　it。〃



All　this　time　the　boy　Prince　was　rowing。　the　boat。　He

was　not　in　the　least　tired；　for　the　oars　he　held　seemed

to　move　of　their　own　accord。　He　paid　little　heed　to　the

conversation　of　Rinkitink　and　the　goat；　but　busied　his

thoughts　with　plans　of　what　he　should　do　when　he

reached　the　islands　of　Regos　and　Coregos　and　confronted

his　enemies。　When　the　others　finally　became　silent；

Inga　inquired。



〃Can　you　fight；　King　Rinkitink？〃



〃I　have　never　tried；〃　was　the　answer。　〃In　time　of

danger　I　have　found　it　much　easier　to　run　away　than　to

face　the　foe。〃



〃But　could　you　fight？〃　asked　the　boy。



〃I　might　try；　if　there　was　no　chance　to　escape　by

running。　Have　you　a　proper　weapon　for　me　to　fight

with？〃



〃I　have　no　weapon　at　all；〃　confessed　Inga。



〃Then　let　us　use　argument　and　persuasion　instead　of

fighting。　For　instance；　if　we　could　persuade　the

warriors　of　Regos　to　lie　down；　and　let　me　step　on　them；

they　would　be　crushed　with　ease。



Prince　Inga　had　expected　little　support　from　the

King；　so　he　was　not　discouraged　by　this　answer。　After

all；　he　reflected；　a　conquest　by　battle　would　be　out　of

the　question；　yet　the　White　Pearl　would　not　have

advised　him　to　go　to　Regos　and　Coregos　had　the　mission

been　a　hopeless　one。　It　seemed　to　him；　on　further

reflection；　that　he　must　rely　upon　circumstances　to

determine　his　actions　when　he　reached　the　islands　of

the　barbarians。



By　this　time　Inga　felt　perfect　confidence　in　the

Magic　Pearls。　It　was　the　White　Pearl　that　had　given　him

the　boat；　and　the　Blue　Pearl　that　had　given　him

strength　to　row　it。　He　believed　that　the　Pink　Pearl

would　protect　him　from　any　danger　that　might　arise；　so

his　anxiety　was　not　for　himself；　but　for　his

companions。　King　Rinkitink　and　the　goat　had　no　magic　to

protect　them；　so　Inga　resolved　to　do　all　in　his　power

to　keep　them　from　harm。



For　three　days　and　three　nights　the　boat　with　the

silver　lining　sped　swiftly　over　the　ocean。　On　the

morning　of　the　fourth　day；　so　quickly　had　they

traveled；　Inga　saw　before　him　the　shores　of　the　two

great　islands　of　Regos　and　Coregos。



〃The　pearls　have　guided　me　aright！〃　he　whispered　to

himself。　〃Now；　if　I　am　wise；　and　cautious；　and　brave；　I

believe　I　shall　be　able　to　rescue　my　father　and　mother

and　my　people。〃









Chapter　Seven



The　Twin　Islands





The　Island　of　Regos　was　ten　miles　wide　and　forty　miles

long　and　it　was　ruled　by　a　big　and　powerful　King　named

Gos。　Near　to　the　shores　were　green　and　fertile　fields；

but　farther　back　from　the　sea　were　rugged　hills　and

mountains；　so　rocky　that　nothing　would　grow　there。　But

in　these　mountains　were　mines　of　gold　and　silver；　which

the　slaves　of　the　King　were　forced　to　work；　being

confined　in　dark　underground　passages　for　that　purpose。

In　the　course　of　time　huge　caverns　had　been　hollowed

out　by　the　slaves；　in　which　they　lived　and　slept；　never

seeing　the　light　of　day。　Cruel　overseers　with　whips

stood　over　these　poor　people；　who　had　been　captured　in

many　countries　by　the　raiding　parties　of　King　Cos；　and

the　overseers　were　quite　willing　to　lash　the　slaves

with　their　whips　if　they　faltered　a　moment　in　their

work。



Between　the　green　shores　and　the　mountains　were

forests　of　thick；　tangled　trees；　between　which　narrow

paths　had　been　cut　to　lead　up　to　the　caves　of　the

mines。　It　was　on　the　level　green　meadows；　not　far　from

the　ocean；　that　the　great　City　of　Regos　had　been　built；

wherein　was　located　the　palace　of　the　King。　This　city

was　inhabited　by　thousands　of　the　fierce　warriors　of

Gos；　who　frequently　took　to　their　boats　and　spread　over

the　sea　to　the　neighboring　islands　to　conquer　and

pillage；　as　they　had　done　at　Pingaree。　When　they　were

not　absent　on　one　of　these　expeditions；　the　City　of

Regos　swarmed　with　them　and　so　became　a　dangerous　place

for　any　peaceful　person　to　live　in；　for　the　warriors

were　as　lawless　as　their　King。



The　Island　of　Coregos　lay　close　beside　the　Island　of

Regos；　so　close；　indeed；　that　one　might　have　thrown　a

stone　from　one　shore　to　another。　But　Coregos　was　only

half　the　size　of　Regos　and　instead　of　being　mountainous

it　was　a　rich　and　pleasant　country；　covered　with　fields

of　grain。　The　fields　of　Coregos　furnished　food　for　the

warriors　and　citizens　of　both　countries；　while　the

mines　of　Regos　made　them　all　rich。



Coregos　was　ruled　by　Queen　Cor；　who　was　wedded　to

King　Gos；　but　so　stern　and　cruel　was　the　nature　of　this

Queen　that　the　people　could　not　decide　which　of　their

sovereigns　they　dreaded　most。



Queen　Cor　lived　in　her　own　City　of　Coregos；　which　lay

on　that　side　of　her　island　facing　Regos；　and　her

slaves；　who　were　mostly　women；　were　made　to　plow　the

land　and　to　plant　and　harvest　the　grain。



From　Regos　to　Coregos　stretched　a　bridge　of　boats；

set　close　together；　with　planks　laid　across　their　edges

for　people　to　walk　upon。　In　this　way　it　was　easy　to

pass　from　one　island　to　the　other　and　in　times　of

danger　the　bridge　could　be　quickly　removed。



The　native　inhabitants　of　Regos　and　Coregos　consisted

of　the　warriors；　who　did　nothing　but　fight　and　ravage；

and　the　trembling　servants　who　waited　on　them。　King　Gos

and　Queen　Cor　were　at　war　with　all　the　rest　of　the

world。　Other　islanders　hated　and　feared　them；　for　their

slaves　were　badly　treated　and　absolutely　no　mercy　was

shown　to　the　weak　or　ill。



When　the　boats　that　had　gone　to　Pingaree　returned

loaded　with　rich　plunder　and　a　host　of　captives；　there

was　much　rejoicing　in　Regos　and　Coregos　and　the　King

and　Queen　gave　a　fine　feast　to　the　warriors　who　had

accomplished　so　great　a　conquest。　This　feast　was　set

for　the　warriors　in　the　grounds　of　King　Gos's　palace；

while　with　them　in　the　great　throne　room　all　the

captains　and　leaders　of　the　fighting　men　were　assembled

with　King　Gos　and　Queen　Cor；　who　had　come　from　her

island　to　attend　the　ceremony。　Then　all　the　goods　that

had　been　stolen　from　the　King　of　Pingaree　were　divided

according　to　rank；　the　King　and　Queen　taking　half；　the

captains　a　quarter；　and　the　rest　being　divided　amongst

the　warriors。



The　day　following　the　feast　King　Gos　sent　King

Kitticut　and　all　the　men　of　Pingaree　to　work　in　his

mines　under　the　mountains；　having　first　chained　them

together　so　they　could　not　escape。　The　gentle　Queen　of

Pingaree　and　all　her　women；　together　with　the　captured

children；　were　given　to　Queen　Cor；　who　set　them　to　work

in　her　grain　fields。



Then　the　rulers　and　warriors　of　these　dreadful

islands　thought　they　had　done　forever　with　Pingaree。

Despoiled　of　all　its　wealth；　its　houses　torn　down；　its

boats　captured　and　all　its　people　enslaved；　what

likelihood　was　there　that　they　might　ever　again　hear　of

the　desolated　island？　So　the　people　of　Regos　and

Coregos　were　surprised　and　puzzled　when　one　morning

they　observed　approaching　their　shores　from　the

direction　of　the　south　a　black　boat　containing　a　boy；　a

fat　man　and　a　goat。　The　warriors　asked　one　another　who

these　could　be；　and　where　they　had　come　from？　No　one

ever　came　to　those　islands　of　their　own　accord；　that

was　certain。



Prince　Inga　guided　his　boat　to　the　south　end　of　the

Island　of　Regos；　which　was　the　landing　place　nearest　to

the　city；　and　when　the　warriors　saw　this　action　they

went　down　to　the　shore　to　meet　him；　being　led　by　a　big

captain　named　Buzzub。



〃Those　people　surely　mean　us　no　good；〃　said　Rinkitink

uneasily　to　the　boy。　〃Without　doubt　they　intend　to

capture　us　and　make　us　their　slaves。〃



〃Do　not　fear；　sir；〃　answered　Inga；　in　a　calm　voice。

〃Stay　quietly　in　the　boat　with　Bilbil　until　I　have

spoken　with　these　men。〃



He　stopped　the　boat　a　dozen　feet　from　the　shore；　and

standing　up　in　his　place　made　a　grave　bow　to　the

multitude　confronting　him。　Said　the　big　Captain　Buzzub

in　a　gruff　voice：



〃Well；　little　one；　who　may　you　be？　And　how　dare　you

come；　uninvited　and　all　alone；　to　the　Island　of　Regos？〃



〃I　am　Inga；　Prince　of　Pingaree；〃　returned　the　boy；

〃and　I　have　come　here　to　free　my　parents　and　my　people；

whom　you　have　wrongfully　enslaved。〃



When　they　heard　this　bold　speech　a　mighty　laugh　arose

from　the　band　of　warriors；　and　when　it　had　subsided　the

captain　said：



〃You　love　to　jest；　my　baby　Prince；　and　the　joke　is

fairly　good。　But　why　did　you　willingly　thrust　your　head

into　the　lion's　mouth？　When　you　were　free；　why　did　you

not　stay　free？　We　did　not　know　we　had　left　a　single

person　in　Pingaree！　But　since　you　managed　to　escape　us

then；　it　is　really　kind　of　you　to　come　here　of　your　own

free　will；　to　be　our　slave。　Who　is　the　funny　fat　person

with　you？〃



〃It　is　His　Majesty；　King　Rinkitink；　of　the　great　City

of　Gilgad。　He　has　accompanied　me　to　see　that　you　render

full　restitution　for　all　you　have　stolen　from

Pingaree。〃



〃Better　yet！〃　laughed　Buzzub。　〃He　will　make　a　fine

slave　for　Queen　Cor；　who　loves　to　tickle　fat　me