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

pocket　were　Inga's　shoes；　and　in　the　points　of　the

shoes　were　the　magic　pearls。　Finding　himself　uninjured；

Nikobob　put　on　his　coat；　again　seized　his　ax；　and　in　a

short　time　had　chopped　Choggenmugger　into　many　small

pieces　　a　task　that　proved　not　only　easy　but　very

agreeable。



〃I　must　be　the　strongest　man　in　all　the　world！〃

thought　the　charcoal…burner；　as　he　proudly　resumed　his

way；　〃for　Choggenmugger　has　been　the　terror　of　Regos

since　the　world　began；　and　I　alone　have　been　able　to

destroy　the　beast。　Yet　it　is　singular'　that　never

before　did　I　discover　how　powerful　a　man　I　am。〃



He　met　no　further　adventure　and　at　midday　reached　a

little　clearing　in　the　forest　where　stood　his　humble

cabin。



〃Great　news！　I　have　great　news　for　you；〃　he　shouted；

as　his　wife　and　little　daughter　came　to　greet　him。

〃King　Gos　has　been　conquered　by　a　boy　Prince　from　the

far　island　of　Pingaree；　and　I　have　this　day　　unaided

　destroyed　Choggenmugger　by　the　might　of　my　strong

arm。



This　was；　indeed；　great　news。　They　brought　Nikobob

into　the　house　and　set　him　in　an　easy　chair　and　made

him　tell　everything　he　knew　about　the　Prince　of

Pingaree　and　the　fat　King　of　Gilgad；　as　well　as　the

details　of　his　wonderful　fight　with　mighty

Choggenmugger。



〃And　now；　my　daughter；〃　said　the　charcoalburner；　when

all　his　news　had　been　related　for　at　least　the　third

time；　〃here　is　a　pretty　present　I　have　brought　you

from　the　city。〃



With　this　he　drew　the　shoes　from　the　pocket　of　his

coat　and　handed　them　to　Zella；　who　gave　him　a　dozen

kisses　in　payment　and　was　much　pleased　with　her　gift。

The　little　girl　had　never　worn　shoes　before；　for　her

parents　were　too　poor　to　buy　her　such　luxuries；　so　now

the　possession　of　these；　which　were　not　much　worn；

filled　the　child's　heart　with　joy。　She　admired　the　red

leather　and　the　graceful　curl　of　the　pointed　toes。　When

she　tried　them　on　her　feet；　they　fitted　as　well　as　if

made　for　her。



All　the　afternoon；　as　she　helped　her　mother　with　the

housework；　Zella　thought　of　her　pretty　shoes。　They

seemed　more　important　to　her　than　the　coming　to　Regos

of　the　conquering　Prince　of　Pingaree；　or　even　the　death

of　Choggenmugger。



When　Zella　and　her　mother　were　not　working　in　the

cabin；　cooking　or　sewing；　they　often　searched　the

neighboring　forest　for　honey　which　the　wild　bees

cleverly　hid　in　hollow　trees。　The　day　after　Nikobob's

return；　as　they　were　starting　out　after　honey；　Zella

decided　to　put　on　her　new　shoes；　as　they　would　keep　the

twigs　that　covered　the　ground　from　hurting　her　feet。

She　was　used　to　the　twigs；　of　course；　but　what　is　the

use　of　having　nice；　comfortable　shoes；　if　you　do　not

wear　them？



So　she　danced　along；　very　happily；　followed　by　her

mother；　and　presently　they　came　to　a　tree　in　which　was

a　deep　hollow。　Zella　thrust　her　hand　and　arm　into　the

space　and　found　that　the　tree　was　full　of　honey；　so　she

began　to　dig　it　out　with　a　wooden　paddle。　Her　mother；

who　held　the　pail；　suddenly　cried　in　warning：



〃Look　out；　Zella；　the　bees　are　coming！〃　and　then　the

good　woman　ran　fast　toward　the　house　to　escape。



Zella；　however；　had　no　more　than　time　to　turn　her

head　when　a　thick　swarm　of　bees　surrounded　her；　angry

because　they　had　caught　her　stealing　their　honey　and

intent　on　stinging　the　girl　as　a　punishment。　She　knew

her　danger　and　expected　to　be　badly　injured　by　the

multitude　of　stinging　bees；　but　to　her　surprise　the

little　creatures　were　unable　to　fly　close　enough　to　her

to　stick　their　dart…like　stingers　into　her　flesh。　They

swarmed　about　her　in　a　dark　cloud；　and　their　angry

buzzing　was　terrible　to　hear；　yet　the　little　girl

remained　unharmed。



When　she　realized　this；　Zella　was　no　longer　afraid

but　continued　to　ladle　out　the　honey　until　she　had

secured　all　that　was　in　the　tree。　Then　she　returned　to

the　cabin；　where　her　mother　was　weeping　and　bemoaning

the　fate　of　her　darling　child；　and　the　good　woman　was

greatly　astonished　to　find　Zella　had　escaped　injury。



Again　they　went　to　the　woods　to　search　for　honey；　and

although　the　mother　always　ran　away　whenever　the　bees

came　near　them；　Zella　paid　no　attention　to　the

creatures　but　kept　at　her　work；　so　that　before　supper

time　came　the　pails　were　again　filled　to　overflowing

with　delicious　honey。



〃With　such　good　fortune　as　we　have　had　this　day；〃

said　her　mother；　〃we　shall　soon　gather　enough　honey　for

you　to　carry　to　Queen　Cor。〃　For　it　seems　the　wicked

Queen　was　very　fond　of　honey　and　it　had　been　Zella's

custom　to　go；　once　every　year；　to　the　City　of　Coregos；

to　carry　the　Queen　a　supply　of　sweet　honey　for　her

table。　Usually　she　had　but　one　pail。



〃But　now；〃　said　Zella；　〃I　shall　be　able　to　carry　two

pailsful　to　the　Queen；　who　will；　I　am　sure；　give　me　a

good　price　for　it。〃



〃True；〃　answered　her　mother；　〃and；　as　the　boy　Prince

may　take　it　into　his　head　to　conquer　Coregos；　as　well

as　Regos；　I　think　it　best　for　you　to　start　on　your

journey　to　Queen　Cor　tomorrow　morning。　Do　you　not　agree

with　me；　Nikobob？〃　she　added；　turning　to　her　husband；

the　charcoal…burner；　who　was　eating　his　supper。



〃I　agree　with　you；〃　he　replied。　〃If　Zella　must　go　to

the　City　of　Coregos；　she　may　as　well　start　to…morrow

morning。〃









Chapter　Ten



The　Cunning　of　Queen　Cor





You　may　be　sure　the　Queen　of　Coregos　was　not　well

pleased　to　have　King　Gos　and　all　his　warriors　living　in

her　city　after　they　had　fled　from　their　own。　They　were

savage　natured　and　quarrelsome　men　at　all　times；　and

their　tempers　had　not　improved　since　their　conquest　by

the　Prince　of　Pingaree。　Moreover；　they　were　eating　up

Queen　Cor's　provisions　and　crowding　the　houses　of　her

own　people；　who　grumbled　and　complained　until　their

Queen　was　heartily　tired。



〃Shame　on　you！〃　she　said　to　her　husband；　King　Gos；

〃to　be　driven　out　of　your　city　by　a　boy；　a　roly…poly

King　and　a　billy　goat！　Why　do　you　not　go　back　and　fight

them？〃



〃No　human　can　fight　against　the　powers　of　magic；〃

returned　the　King　in　a　surly　voice。　〃That　boy　is　either

a　fairy　or　under　the　protection　of　fairies。　We　escaped

with　our　lives　only　because　we　were　quick　to　run　away；

but；　should　we　return　to　Regos；　the　same　terrible　power

that　burst　open　the　city　gates　would　crush　us　all　to

atoms。〃



〃Bah！　you　are　a　coward；〃　cried　the　Queen；　tauntingly。



〃I　am　not　a　coward；〃　said　the　big　King。　〃I　have

killed　in　battle　scores　of　my　enemies；　by　the　might　of

my　sword　and　my　good　right　arm　I　have　conquered　many

nations；　all　my　life　people　have　feared　me。　But　no　one

would　dare　face　the　tremendous　power　of　the　Prince　of

Pingaree；　boy　though　he　is。　It　would　not　be　courage；　it

would　be　folly；　to　attempt　it。〃



〃Then　meet　his　power　with　cunning；〃　suggested　the

Queen。　〃Take　my　advice；　and　steal　over　to　Regos　at

night；　when　it　is　dark；　and　capture　or　destroy　the　boy

while　he　sleeps。〃



〃No　weapon　can　touch　his　body；〃　was　the　answer。　〃He

bears　a　charmed　life　and　cannot　be　injured。〃



〃Does　the　fat　King　possess　magic　powers；　or　the

goat？〃　inquired　Cor。



〃I　think　not；〃　said　Gos。　〃We　could　not　injure　them；

indeed；　any　more　than　we　could　the　boy；　but　they　did

not　seem　to　have　any　unusual　strength；　although　the

goat's　head　is　harder　than　a　battering…ram。〃



〃Well；〃　mused　the　Queen；　〃there　is　surely　some　way　to

conquer　that　slight　boy。　If　you　are　afraid　to　undertake

the　job；　I　shall　go　myself。　By　some　stratagem　I　shall

manage　to　make　him　my　prisoner。　He　will　not　dare　to

defy　a　Queen；　and　no　magic　can　stand　against　a　woman's

cunning。〃



〃Go　ahead；　if　you　like；〃　replied　the　King；　with　an

evil　grin；　〃and　if　you　are　hung　up　by　the　thumbs　or

cast　into　a　dungeon；　it　will　serve　you　right　for

thinking　you　can　succeed　where　a　skilled　warrior　dares

not　make　the　attempt。〃



〃I'm　not　afraid；〃　answered　the　Queen。　〃It　is　only

soldiers　and　bullies　who　are　cowards。〃



In　spite　of　this　assertion；　Queen　Cor　was　not　so

brave　as　she　was　cunning。　For　several　days　she　thought

over　this　plan　and　that；　and　tried　to　decide　which　was

most　likely　to　succeed。　She　had　never　seen　the　boy

Prince　but　had　heard　so　many　tales　of　him　from　the

defeated　warriors；　and　especially　from　Captain　Buzzub；

that　she　had　learned　to　respect　his　power。



Spurred　on　by　the　knowledge　that　she　would　never　get

rid　of　her　unwelcome　guests　until　Prince　Inga　was

overcome　and　Regos　regained　for　King　Gos；　the　Queen　of

Coregos　finally　decided　to　trust　to　luck　and　her　native

wit　to　defeat　a　simple…minded　boy；　however　powerful　he

might　be。　Inga　could　not　suspect　what　she　was　going　to

do；　because　she　did　not　know　herself。　She　intended　to

act　boldly　and　trust　to　chance　to　win。



It　is　evident　that　had　the　cunning　Queen　known　that

Inga　had　lost　all　his　magic；　she　would　not　have　devoted

so　much　time　to　the　simple　matter　of　capturing　him；　but

like　all　others　she　was　impressed　by　the　marvelous

exhibition　of　power　he　had　shown　in　capturing　Regos；

and　had　no　reason　to　believe　the　boy　was　less　powerful

now。



One　morning　Queen　Cor　boldly　entered　a　boat；　and；

taking　four　men　with　her　as　an　escort　and　bodyguard；

was　rowed　across　the　narrow　channel　to　Regos。　Prince

Inga　was　sitting　in　the　palace　playing　checkers　with

King　Rinkitink　when　a　servant　came　to　him；　saying　that

Queen　Cor　had　arrived　and　desired　an　audience　with　him。



With　many　misgivings　lest　the　wicked　Queen　discover

that　he　had　now　lost　his　magic　powers；　the　boy　ordered

her　to　be　admitted；　and　she　soon　entered　the　room　and

bowed　low　before　him；　in　mock　respect。



Cor　was　a　big　woman；　almost　as　tall　as　King　Gos。　She

had　flashing　black　eyes　and　the　dark　complexion　you　see

on　gypsies。　Her　temper；　when　irritated；　was　something

dreadful；　and　her　face　wore　an　evil　expression　which

she　tried　to　cover　by　smiling　sweetly　　often　when　she

mea