rinkitink in oz-第13部分

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down　the　staircase；　closely　followed　by　Rinkitink。　But

although　they　looked　on　both　sides　of　the　palace　wall

and　in　every　possible　crack　and　corner　where　a　shoe

might　lodge；　they　failed　to　find　it。



After　a　half　hour's　careful　search　the　boy　said

sorrowfully：



〃Someone　must　have　passed　by；　as　we　slept；　and　taken

the　precious　shoe；　not　knowing　its　value。　To　us；　King

Rinkitink；　this　will　be　a　dreadful　misfortune；　for　we

are　surrounded　by　dangers　from　which　we　have　now　no

protection。　Luckily　I　have　the　other　shoe　left；　within

which　is　the　magic　power　that　gives　me　strength；　so　all

is　not　lost。〃



Then　he　told　Rinkitink；　in　a　few　words；　the　secret　of

the　wonderful　pearls；　and　how　he　had　recovered　them

from　the　ruins　and　hidden　them　in　his　shoes；　and　how

they　had　enabled　him　to　drive　King　Gos　and　his　men　from

Regos　and　to　capture　the　city。　The　King　was　much

astonished；　and　when　the　story　was　concluded　he　said　to

Inga：



〃What　did　you　do　with　the　other　shoe？〃



〃Why；　I　left　it　in　our　bedroom；〃　replied　the　boy。



〃Then　I　advise　you　to　get　it　at　once；〃　continued

Rinkitink；　〃for　we　can　ill　afford　to　lose　the　second

shoe；　as　well　as　the　one　I　threw　at　the　cat。〃



〃You　are　right！〃　cried　Inga；　and　they　hastened　back

to　their　bedchamber。



On　entering　the　room　they　found　an　old　woman　sweeping

and　raising　a　great　deal　of　dust。



〃Where　is　my　shoe？〃　asked　the　Prince；　anxiously。



The　old　woman　stopped　sweeping　and　looked　at　him　in　a

stupid　way；　for　she　was　not　very　intelligent。



〃Do　you　mean　the　one　odd　shoe　that　was　lying　on　the

floor　when　I　came　in？〃　she　finally　asked。



〃Yes　　yes！〃　answered　the　boy。　〃Where　is　it？　Tell　me

where　it　is！〃



〃Why；　I　threw　it　on　the　dust…heap；　outside　the　back

gate；〃　said　she；　〃for；　it　being　but　a　single　shoe；　with

no　mate；　it　can　be　of　no　use　to　anyone。〃



〃Show　us　the　way　to　the　dust…heap　　at　once！〃

commanded　the　boy；　sternly；　for　he　was　greatly

frightened　by　this　new　misfortune　which　threatened　him。



The　old　woman　hobbled　away　and　they　followed　her；

constantly　urging　her　to　hasten；　but　when　they　reached

the　dust…heap　no　shoe　was　to　be　seen。



〃This　is　terrible！〃　wailed　the　young　Prince；　ready　to

weep　at　his　loss。　〃We　are　now　absolutely　ruined；　and　at

the　mercy　of　our　enemies。　Nor　shall　I　be　able　to

liberate　my　dear　father　and　mother。〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Rinkitink；　leaning　against　an　old

barrel　and　looking　quite　solemn；　〃the　thing　is

certainly　unlucky；　any　way　we　look　at　it。　I　suppose

someone　has　passed　along　here　and；　seeing　the　shoe　upon

the　dust…heap；　has　carried　it　away。　But　no　one　could

know　the　magic　power　the　shoe　contains　and　so　will　not

use　it　against　us。　I　believe；　Inga；　we　must　now　depend

upon　our　wits　to　get　us　out　of　the　scrape　we　are　in。



With　saddened　hearts　they　returned　to　the　palace；　and

entering　a　small　room　where　no　one　could　observe　them

or　overhear　them；　the　boy　took　the　White　Pearl　from　its

silken　bag　and　held　it　to　his　ear；　asking：



〃What　shall　I　do　now？〃



〃Tell　no　one　of　your　loss；〃　answered　the　Voice　of　the

Pearl。　〃If　your　enemies　do　not　know　that　you　are

powerless；　they　will　fear　you　as　much　as　ever。　Keep

your　secret；　be　patient；　and　fear　not！〃



Inga　heeded　this　advice　and　also　warned　Rinkitink　to

say　nothing　to　anyone　of　the　loss　of　the　shoes　and　the

powers　they　contained。　He　sent　for　the　shoemaker　of

King　Gos；　who　soon　brought　him　a　new　pair　of　red

leather　shoes　that　fitted　him　quite　well。　When　these

had　been　put　upon　his　feet；　the　Prince；　accompanied　by


the　King；　started　to　walk　through　the　city。



Wherever　they　went　the　people　bowed　low　to　the

conqueror；　although　a　few；　remembering　Inga's　terrible

strength；　ran　away　in　fear　and　trembling。　They　had　been

used　to　severe　masters　and　did　not　yet　know　how　they

would　be　treated　by　King　Gos's　successor。　There　being

no　occasion　for　the　boy　to　exercise　the　powers　he　had

displayed　the　previous　day；　his　present　helplessness

was　not　suspected　by　any　of　the　citizens　of　Regos；　who

still　considered　him　a　wonderful　magician。



Inga　did　not　dare　to　fight　his　way　to　the　mines；　at

present；　nor　could　he　try　to　conquer　the　Island　of

Coregos；　where　his　mother　was　enslaved；　so　he　set　about

the　regulation　of　the　City　of　Regos；　and　having

established　himself　with　great　state　in　the　royal

palace　he　began　to　govern　the　people　by　kindness；

having　consideration　for　the　most　humble。



The　King　of　Regos　and　his　followers　sent　spies　across

to　the　island　they　had　abandoned　in　their　flight；　and

these　spies　returned　with　the　news　that　the　terrible

boy　conqueror　was　still　occupying　the　city。　Therefore

none　of　them　ventured　to　go　back　to　Regos　but　continued

to　live　upon　the　neighboring　island　of　Coregos；　where

they　passed　the　days　in　fear　and　trembling　and　sought

to　plot　and　plan　ways　how　they　might　overcome　the

Prince　of　Pingaree　and　the　fat　King　of　Gilgad。









Chapter　Nine



A　Present　for　Zella





Now　it　so　happened　that　on　the　morning　of　that　same　day

when　the　Prince　of　Pingaree　suffered　the　loss　of　his

priceless　shoes；　there　chanced　to　pass　along　the　road

that　wound　beside　the　royal　palace　a　poor　charcoal…

burner　named　Nikobob；　who　was　about　to　return　to　his

home　in　the　forest。



Nikobob　carried　an　ax　and　a　bundle　of　torches　over

his　shoulder　and　he　walked　with　his　eyes　to　the　ground；

being　deep　in　thought　as　to　the　strange　manner　in　which

the　powerful　King　Gos　and　his　city　had　been　conquered

by　a　boy　Prince　who　had　come　from　Pingaree。



Suddenly　the　charcoal…burner　espied　a　shoe　lying　upon

the　ground；　just　beyond　the　high　wall　of　the　palace　and

directly　in　his　path。　He　picked　it　up　and；　seeing　it

was　a　pretty　shoe；　although　much　too　small　for　his　own

foot；　he　put　it　in　his　pocket。



Soon　after；　on　turning　a　corner　of　the　wall；　Nikobob

came　to　a　dust…heap　where；　lying　amidst　a　mass　of

rubbish；　was　another　shoe　　the　mate　to　the　one　he　had

before　found。　This　also　he　placed　in　his　pocket；　saying

to　himself：



〃I　have　now　a　fine　pair　of　shoes　for　my　daughter

Zella；　who　will　be　much　pleased　to　find　I　have　brought

her　a　present　from　the　city。〃



And　while　the　charcoal…burner　turned　into　the　forest

and　trudged　along　the　path　toward　his　home；　Inga　and

Rinkitink　were　still　searching　for　the　missing　shoes。

Of　course；　they　could　not　know　that　Nikobob　had　found

them；　nor　did　the　honest　man　think　he　had　taken

anything　more　than　a　pair　of　cast…off　shoes　which

nobody　wanted。



Nikobob　had　several　miles　to　travel　through　the

forest　before　he　could　reach　the　little　log　cabin　where

his　wife；　as　well　as　his　little　daughter　Zella；　awaited

his　return；　but　he　was　used　to　long　walks　and　tramped

along　the　path　whistling　cheerfully　to　beguile　the

time。



Few　people；　as　I　said　before；　ever　passed　through　the

dark　and　tangled　forests　of　Regos；　except　to　go　to　the

mines　in　the　mountain　beyond；　for　many　dangerous

creatures　lurked　in　the　wild　jungles；　and　King　Gos

never　knew；　when　he　sent　a　messenger　to　the　mines；

whether　he　would　reach　there　safely　or　not。



The　charcoal…burner；　however；　knew　the　wild　forest

well；　and　especially　this　part　of　it　lying　between　the

city　and　his　home。　It　was　the　favorite　haunt　of　the

ferocious　beast　Choggenmugger；　dreaded　by　every　dweller

in　the　Island　of　Regos。　Choggenmugger　was　so　old　that

everyone　thought　it　must　have　been　there　since　the

world　was　made；　and　each　year　of　its　life　the　huge

scales　that　covered　its　body　grew　thicker　and　harder

and　its　jaws　grew　wider　and　its　teeth　grew　sharper　and

its　appetite　grew　more　keen　than　ever。



In　former　ages　there　had　been　many　dragons　in　Regos；

but　Choggenmugger　was　so　fond　of　dragons　that　he　had

eaten　all　of　them　long　ago。　There　had　also　been　great

serpents　and　crocodiles　in　the　forest　marshes；　but　all

had　gone　to　feed　the　hunger　of　Choggenmugger。　The

people　of　Regos　knew　well　there　was　no　use　opposing　the

Great　Beast；　so　when　one　unfortunately　met　with　it　he

gave　himself　up　for　lost。



All　this　Nikobob　knew　well；　but　fortune　had　always

favored　him　in　his　journey　through　the　forest；　and

although　he　had　at　times　met　many　savage　beasts　and

fought　them　with　his　sharp　ax；　he　had　never　to　this　day

encountered　the　terrible　Choggenmugger。　Indeed；　he　was

not　thinking　of　the　Great　Beast　at　all　as　he　walked

along；　but　suddenly　he　heard　a　crashing　of　broken　trees

and　felt　a　trembling　of　the　earth　and　saw　the　immense

jaws　of　Choggenmugger　opening　before　him。　Then　Nikobob

gave　himself　up　for　lost　and　his　heart　almost　ceased　to

beat。



He　believed　there　was　no　way　of　escape。　No　one　ever

dared　oppose　Choggenmugger。　But　Nikobob　hated　to　die

without　showing　the　monster；　in　some　way；　that　he　was

eaten　only　under　protest。　So　he　raised　his　ax　and

brought　it　down　upon　the　red；　protruding　tongue　of　the

monster　　and　cut　it　clean　off！



For　a　moment　the　charcoal…burner　scarcely　believed

what　his　eyes　saw；　for　he　knew　nothing　of　the　pearls　he

carried　in　his　pocket　or　the　magic　power　they　lent　his

arm。　His　success；　however；　encouraged　him　to　strike

again；　and　this　time　the　huge　scaly　jaw　of

Choggenmugger　was　severed　in　twain　and　the　beast　howled

in　terrified　rage。



Nikobob　took　off　his　coat；　to　give　himself　more

freedom　of　action；　and　then　he　earnestly　renewed　the

attack。　But　now　the　ax　seemed　blunted　by　the　hard

scales　and　made　no　impression　upon　them　whatever。　The

creature　advanced　with　glaring；　wicked　eyes；　and

Nikobob　seized　his　coat　under　his　arm　and　turned　to

flee。



That　was　foolish；　for　Choggenmugger　could　run　like

the　wind。　In　a　moment　it　overtook　the　charcoal…burner

and　snapped　its　four　rows　of　sharp　teeth　together。　But

they　did　not　touch　Nikobob；　because　he　still　held　the

coat　in　his　grasp；　close　to　his　body；　and　in　the　coat

pocket　were　Inga's　shoes；　and　in　the