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The　twenty　rowers　lived　on　the　small　end　of　the

island；　with　the　pearl　fishers；　and　seemed　not　to　care

whether　they　ever　returned　to　the　Kingdom　of　Rinkitink

or　not。　Bilbil　the　goat　wandered　over　the　grassy

slopes；　or　among　the　trees；　and　passed　his　days　exactly

as　he　pleased。　His　master　seldom　cared　to　ride　him。

Bilbil　was　a　rare　curiosity　to　the　islanders；　but　since

there　was　little　pleasure　in　talking　with　the　goat　they

kept　away　from　him。　This　pleased　the　creature；　who

seemed　well　satisfied　to　be　left　to　his　own　devices。



Once　Prince　Inga；　wishing　to　be　courteous；　walked　up

to　the　goat　and　said：　〃Good　morning；　Bilbil。〃



〃It　isn't　a　good　morning；〃　answered　Bilbil　grumpily。

〃It　is　cloudy　and　damp；　and　looks　like　rain。〃



〃I　hope　you　are　contented　in　our　kingdom；〃　continued

the　boy；　politely　ignoring　the　other's　harsh　words。



〃I'm　not；〃　said　Bilbil。　〃I'm　never　contented；　so　it

doesn't　matter　to　me　whether　I'm　in　your　kingdom　or　in

some　other　kingdom。　Go　away　　will　you？〃



〃Certainly；〃　answered　the　Prince；　and　after　this

rebuff　he　did　not　again　try　to　make　friends　with

Bilbil。



Now　that　the　King；　his　father；　was　so　much　occupied

with　his　royal　guest；　Inga　was　often　left　to　amuse

himself；　for　a　boy　could　not　be　allowed　to　take　part　in

the　conversation　of　two　great　monarchs。　He　devoted

himself　to　his　studies；　therefore；　and　day　after　day　he

climbed　into　the　branches　of　his　favorite　tree　and　sat

for　hours　in　his　〃tree…top　rest；〃　reading　his　father's

precious　manuscripts　and　thinking　upon　what　he　read。



You　must　not　think　that　Inga　was　a　molly…coddle　or　a

prig；　because　he　was　so　solemn　and　studious。　Being　a

King's　son　and　heir　to　a　throne；　he　could　not　play　with

the　other　boys　of　Pingaree；　and　he　lived　so　much　in　the

society　of　the　King　and　Queen；　and　was　so　surrounded　by

the　pomp　and　dignity　of　a　court；　that　he　missed　all　the

jolly　times　that　boys　usually　have。　I　have　no　doubt

that　had　he　been　able　to　live　as　other　boys　do；　he

would　have　been　much　like　other　boys；　as　it　was；　he　was

subdued　by　his　surroundings；　and　more　grave　and

thoughtful　than　one　of　his　years　should　be。



Inga　was　in　his　tree　one　morning　when；　without

warning；　a　great　fog　enveloped　the　Island　of　Pingaree。

The　boy　could　scarcely　see　the　tree　next　to　that　in

which　he　sat；　but　the　leaves　above　him　prevented　the

dampness　from　wetting　him；　so　he　curled　himself　up　in

his　seat　and　fell　fast　asleep。



All　that　forenoon　the　fog　continued。　King　Kitticut；

who　sat　in　his　palace　talking　with　his　merry　visitor；

ordered　the　candles　lighted；　that　they　might　be　able　to

see　one　another。　The　good　Queen；　Inga's　mother；　found

it　was　too　dark　to　work　at　her　embroidery；　so　she

called　her　maidens　together　and　told　them　wonderful

stories　of　bygone　days；　in　order　to　pass　away　the

dreary　hours。



But　soon　after　noon　the　weather　changed。　The　dense

fog　rolled　away　like　a　heavy　cloud　and　suddenly　the　sun

shot　his　bright　rays　over　the　island。



〃Very　good！〃　exclaimed　King　Kitticut。　〃We　shall　have

a　pleasant　afternoon；　I　am　sure；〃　and　he　blew　out　the

candles。



Then　he　stood　a　moment　motionless；　as　if　turned　to

stone；　for　a　terrible　cry　from　without　the　palace

reached　his　ears　　a　cry　so　full　of　fear　and　horror

that　the　King's　heart　almost　stopped　beating。

Immediately　there　was　a　scurrying　of　feet　as　every　one

in　the　palace；　filled　with　dismay；　rushed　outside　to

see　what　had　happened。　even　fat　little　Rinkitink　sprang


from　his　chair　and　followed　his　host　and　the　others

through　the　arched　vestibule。



After　many　years　the　worst　fears　of　King　Kitticut

were　realized。



Landing　upon　the　beach；　which　was　but　a　few　steps

from　the　palace　itself；　were　hundreds　of　boats；　every

one　filled　with　a　throng　of　fierce　warriors。　They

sprang　upon　the　land　with　wild　shouts　of　defiance　and

rushed　to　the　King's　palace；　waving　aloft　their　swords

and　spears　and　battleaxes。



King　Kitticut；　so　completely　surprised　that　he　was

bewildered；　gazed　at　the　approaching　host　with　terror

and　grief。



〃They　are　the　men　of　Regos　and　Coregos！〃　he　groaned。

〃We　are；　indeed；　lost！〃



Then　he　bethought　himself；　for　the　first　time；　of　his

wonderful　pearls。　Turning　quickly；　he　ran　back　into　the

palace　and　hastened　to　the　hall　where　the　treasures

were　hidden。　But　the　leader　of　the　warriors　had　seen

the　King　enter　the　palace　and　bounded　after　him；

thinking　he　meant　to　escape。　Just　as　the　King　had

stooped　to　press　the　secret　spring　in　the　tiles；　the

warrior　seized　him　from　the　rear　and　threw　him　backward

upon　the　floor；　at　the　same　time　shouting　to　his　men　to

fetch　ropes　and　bind　the　prisoner。　This　they　did　very

quickly　and　King　Kitticut　soon　found　himself　helplessly

bound　and　in　the　power　of　his　enemies。　In　this　sad

condition　he　was　lifted　by　the　warriors　and　carried

outside；　when　the　good　King　looked　upon　a　sorry　sight。



The　Queen　and　her　maidens；　the　officers　and　servants

of　the　royal　household　and　all　who　had　inhabited　this

end　of　the　Island　of　Pingaree　had　been　seized　by　the

invaders　and　bound　with　ropes。　At　once　they　began

carrying　their　victims　to　the　boats；　tossing　them　in　as

unceremoniously　as　if　they　had　been　bales　of

merchandise。



The　King　looked　around　for　his　son　Inga；　but　failed

to　find　the　boy　among　the　prisoners。　Nor　was　the　fat

King；　Rinkitink；　to　be　seen　anywhere　about。



The　warriors　were　swarming　over　the　palace　like　bees

in　a　hive；　seeking　anyone　who　might　be　in　hiding；　and

after　the　search　had　been　prolonged　for　some　time　the

leader　asked　impatiently：　〃Do　you　find　anyone　else？〃



〃No；〃　his　men　told　him。　〃We　have　captured　them　all。〃



〃Then；〃　commanded　the　leader；　〃remove　everything　of

value　from　the　palace　and　tear　down　its　walls　and

towers；　so　that　not　one　stone　remains　upon　another！〃



While　the　warriors　were　busy　with　this　task　we　will

return　to　the　boy　Prince；　who；　when　the　fog　lifted　and

the　sun　came　out；　wakened　from　his　sleep　and　began　to

climb　down　from　his　perch　in　the　tree。　But　the

terrifying　cries　of　the　people；　mingled　with　the　shouts

of　the　rude　warriors；　caused　him　to　pause　and　listen

eagerly。



Then　he　climbed　rapidly　up　the　tree；　far　above　his

platform；　to　the　topmost　swaying　branches。　This　tree；

which　Inga　called　his　own；　was　somewhat　taller　than　the

other　trees　that　surrounded　it；　and　when　he　had　reached

the　top　he　pressed　aside　the　leaves　and　saw　a　great

fleet　of　boats　upon　the　shore　　strange　boats；　with

banners　that　he　had　never　seen　before。　Turning　to　look

upon　his　father's　palace；　he　found　it　surrounded　by　a

horde　of　enemies。　Then　Inga　knew　the　truth：　that　tile

island　had　been　invaded　by　the　barbaric　warriors　from

the　north。　He　grew　so　faint　from　the　terror　of　it　all

that　he　might　have　fallen　had　he　not　wound　his　arms

around　a　limb　and　clung　fast　until　the　dizzy　feeling

passed　away。　Then　with　his　sash　he　bound　himself　to　the

limb　and　again　ventured　to　look　out　through　the　leaves。



The　warriors　were　now　engaged　in　carrying　King

Kitticut　and　Queen　Garee　and　all　their　other　captives

down　to　the　boats；　where　they　were　thrown　in　and

chained　one　to　another。　It　was　a　dreadful　sight　for　the

Prince　to　witness；　but　he　sat　very　still；　concealed

from　the　sight　of　anyone　below　by　the　bower　of　leafy

branches　around　him。　Inga　knew　very　well　that　he　could

do　nothing　to　help　his　beloved　parents；　and　that　if　he

came　down　he　would　only　be　forced　to　share　their　cruel

fate。



Now　a　procession　of　the　Northmen　passed　between　the

boats　and　the　palace；　bearing　the　rich　furniture；

splendid　draperies　and　rare　ornaments　of　which　the

royal　palace　had　been　robbed；　together　with　such　food

and　other　plunder　as　they　could　lay　their　hands　upon。

After　this；　the　men　of　Regos　and　Coregos　threw　ropes

around　the　marble　domes　and　towers　and　hundreds　of

warriors　tugged　at　these　ropes　until　the　domes　and

towers　toppled　and　fell　in　ruins　upon　the　ground。　Then

the　walls　themselves　were　torn　down；　till　little

remained　of　the　beautiful　palace　but　a　vast　heap　of

white　marble　blocks　tumbled　and　scattered　upon　the

ground。



Prince　Inga　wept　bitter　tears　of　grief　as　he　watched

the　ruin　of　his　home；　yet　he　was　powerless　to　avert　the

destruction。　When　the　palace　had　been　demolished；　some

of　the　warriors　entered　their　boats　and　rowed　along　the

coast　of　the　island；　while　the　others　marched　in　a

great　body　down　the　length　of　the　island　itself。　They

were　so　numerous　that　they　formed　a　line　stretching

from　shore　to　shore　and　they　destroyed　every　house　they

came　to　and　took　every　inhabitant　prisoner。



The　pearl　fishers　who　lived　at　the　lower　end　of　the

island　tried　to　escape　in　their　boats；　but　they　were

soon　overtaken　and　made　prisoners；　like　the　others。　Nor

was　there　any　attempt　to　resist　the　foe；　for　the　sharp

spears　and　pikes　and　swords　of　the　invaders　terrified

the　hearts　of　the　defenseless　people　of　Pingaree；　whose

sole　weapons　were　their　oyster　rakes。



When　night　fell　the　whole　of　the　Island　of　Pingaree

had　been　conquered　by　the　men　of　the　North；　and　all　its

people　were　slaves　of　the　conquerors。　Next　morning　the

men　of　Regos　and　Coregos；　being　capable　of　no　further

mischief；　departed　from　the　scene　of　their　triumph；

carrying　their　prisoners　with　them　and　taking　also

every　boat　to　be　found　upon　the　island。　Many　of　the

boats　they　had　filled　with　rich　plunder；　with　pearls

and　silks　and　velvets；　with　silver　and　gold　ornaments

and　all　the　treasure　that　had　made　Pingaree　famed　as

one　of　the　richest　kingdoms　in　the　world。　And　the

hundreds　of　slaves　they　had　captured　would　be　set　to

work　in　the　mines　of　Regos　and　the　grain　fields　of

Coregos。



So　complete　was　the　victory　of　the　Northmen　that　it

is　no　wonder　the　warriors　sang　songs　of　triumph　as　they

hastened　back　to　their　homes。　Great　rewards　were

awaiting　them　when　they　sho