rinkitink in oz-第6部分

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have　broken　your　neck　in　the　fall；　or　been　drowned　in

the　water。〃



〃Bilbil；〃　replied　the　King　solemnly；　〃you're　a　goat。

Do　you　imagine　I　fell　down　the　well　on　purpose？〃



〃I　imagine　nothing；〃　retorted　Bilbil。　〃I　only　know

you　were　there。〃



〃There？　Heh…heh…heek…keek…eek！　To　be　sure　I　was

there；〃　laughed　Rinkitink。　〃There　in　a　dark　hole；　where

there　was　no　light；　there　in　a　watery　well；　where　the

wetness　soaked　me　through　and　through　　keek…eek…eek…

eek！　　through　and　through！〃



〃How　did　it　happen？〃　inquired　Inga。



〃I　was　running　away　from　the　enemy；〃　explained　the

King；　〃and　I　was　carelessly　looking　over　my　shoulder　at

the　same　time；　to　see　if　they　were　chasing　me。　So　I　did

not　see　the　well；　but　stepped　into　it　and　found　myself

tumbling　down　to　the　bottom。　I　struck　the　water　very

neatly　and　began　struggling　to　keep　myself　from

drowning；　but　presently　I　found　that　when　I　stood　upon

my　feet　on　the　bottom　of　the　well；　that　my　chin　was

just　above　the　water。　So　I　stood　still　and　yelled　for

help；　but　no　one　heard　me。〃



〃If　the　warriors　had　heard　you；〃　said　Bilbil；　〃they

would　have　pulled　you　out　and　carried　you　away　to　be　a

slave。　Then　you　would　have　been　obliged　to　work　for　a

living；　and　that　would　be　a　new　experience。〃



〃Work！〃　exclaimed　Rinkitink。　〃Me　work？　Hoo；　hoo；

heek…keek…eek！　How　absurd！　I'm　so　stout　　not　to　say

chubby　　not　to　say　fat　　that　I　can　hardly　walk；　and

I　couldn't　earn　my　salt　at　hard　work。　So　I'm　glad　the

enemy　did　not　find　me；　Bilbil。　How　many　others

escaped？〃



〃That　I　do　not　know；〃　replied　the　boy；　〃for　I

have　not　yet　had　time　to　visit　the　other　parts　of

the　island。　When　you　have　rested　and　satisfied

your　royal　hunger；　it　might　be　well　for　us　to

look　around　and　see　what　the　thieving　warriors

of　Regos　and　Coregos　have　left　us。〃



〃An　excellent　idea；〃　declared　Rinkitink。　〃I　am

somewhat　feeble　from　my　long　confinement　in　the　well；

but　I　can　ride　upon　Bilbil's　back　and　we　may　as　well

start　at　once。〃



Hearing　this；　Bilbil　cast　a　surly　glance　at　his

master　but　said　nothing；　since　it　was　really　the　goat's

business　to　carry　King　Rinkitink　wherever　he　desired　to

go。



They　first　searched　the　ruins　of　the　palace；　and

where　the　kitchen　had　once　been　they　found　a　small

quantity　of　food　that　had　been　half　hidden　by　a　block

of　marble。　This　they　carefully　placed　in　a　sack　to

preserve　it　for　future　use；　the　little　fat　King　having

first　eaten　as　much　as　he　cared　for。　This　consumed　some

time；　for　Rinkitink　had　been　exceedingly　hungry　and

liked　to　eat　in　a　leisurely　manner。　When　he　had

finished　the　meal　he　straddled　Bilbil's　back　and　set

out　to　explore　the　island；　Prince　Inga　walking　by　his

side。



They　found　on　every　hand　ruin　and　desolation。　The

houses　of　the　people　had　been　pilfered　of　all　valuables

and　then　torn　down　or　burned。　Not　a　boat　had　been　left

upon　the　shore；　nor　was　there　a　single　person；　man　or

woman　or　child；　remaining　upon　the　island；　save

themselves。　The　only　inhabitants　of　Pingaree　now

consisted　of　a　fat　little　King；　a　boy　and　a　goat。



Even　Rinkitink；　merry　hearted　as　he　was；　found　it

hard　to　laugh　in　the　face　of　this　mighty　disaster。　Even

the　goat；　contrary　to　its　usual　habit；　refrained　from

saying　anything　disagreeable。　As　for　the　poor　boy　whose

home　was　now　a　wilderness；　the　tears　came　often　to　his

eyes　as　he　marked　the　ruin　of　his　dearly　loved　island。



When；　at　nightfall；　they　reached　the　lower　end　of

Pingaree　and　found　it　swept　as　bare　as　the　rest；　Inga's

grief　was　almost　more　than　he　could　bear。　Everything

had　been　swept　from　him　　parents；　home　and　country　

in　so　brief　a　time　that　his　bewilderment　was　equal　to

his　sorrow。



Since　no　house　remained　standing；　in　which　they　might

sleep；　the　three　wanderers　crept　beneath　the

overhanging　branches　of　a　cassa　tree　and　curled

themselves　up　as　comfortably　as　possible。　So　tired　and

exhausted　were　they　by　the　day's　anxieties　and　griefs

that　their　troubles　soon　faded　into　the　mists　of

dreamland。　Beast　and　King　and　boy　slumbered　peacefully

together　until　wakened　by　the　singing　of　the　birds

which　greeted　the　dawn　of　a　new　day。









Chapter　Five



The　Three　Pearls





When　King　Rinkitink　and　Prince　Inga　had　bathed

themselves　in　the　sea　and　eaten　a　simple　breakfast；

they　began　wondering　what　they　could　do　to　improve

their　condition。



〃The　poor　people　of　Gilgad；〃　said　Rinkitink

cheerfully；　〃are　little　likely　ever　again　to　behold

their　King　in　the　flesh；　for　my　boat　and　my　rowers　are

gone　with　everything　else。　Let　us　face　the　fact　that　we

are　imprisoned　for　life　upon　this　island；　and　that　our

lives　will　be　short　unless　we　can　secure　more　to　eat

than　is　in　this　small　sack。〃



〃I'll　not　starve；　for　I　can　eat　grass；〃　remarked　the

goat　in　a　pleasant　tone　　or　a　tone　as　pleasant　as

Bilbil　could　assume。



〃True；　quite　true；〃　said　the　King。　Then　he　seemed

thoughtful　for　a　moment　and　turning　to　Inga　he　asked：

〃Do　you　think；　Prince；　that　if　the　worst　comes；　we

could　eat　Bilbil？〃



The　goat　gave　a　groan　and　cast　a　reproachful　look　at

his　master　as　he　said：



〃Monster！　Would　you；　indeed；　eat　your　old　friend　and

servant？〃



〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；　Bilbil；〃　answered　the　King

pleasantly。　〃You　would　make　a　remarkably　tough　morsel；

and　my　teeth　are　not　as　good　as　they　once　were。



While　this　talk　was　in　progress　Inga　suddenly

remembered　the　three　pearls　which　his　father　had　hidden

under　the　tiled　floor　of　the　banquet　hall。　Without

doubt　King　Kitticut　had　been　so　suddenly　surprised　by

the　invaders　that　he　had　found　no　opportunity　to　get

the　pearls；　for　otherwise　the　fierce　warriors　would

have　been　defeated　and　driven　out　of　Pingaree。　So　they

must　still　be　in　their　hiding　place；　and　Inga　believed

they　would　prove　of　great　assistance　to　him　and　his

comrades　in　this　hour　of　need。　But　the　palace　was　a

mass　of　ruins；　perhaps　he　would　be　unable　now　to　find

the　place　where　the　pearls　were　hidden。



He　said　nothing　of　this　to　Rinkitink；　remembering

that　his　father　had　charged　him　to　preserve　the　secret

of　the　pearls　and　of　their　magic　powers。　Nevertheless；

the　thought　of　securing　the　wonderful　treasures　of　his

ancestors　gave　the　boy　new　hope。



He　stood　up　and　said　to　the　King：



〃Let　us　return　to　the　other　end　of　Pingaree。　It　is

more　pleasant　than　here　in　spite　of　the　desolation　of

my　father's　palace。　And　there；　if　anywhere；　we　shall

discover　a　way　out　of　our　difficulties。〃



This　suggestion　met　with　Rinkitink's　approval　and　the

little　party　at　once　started　upon　the　return　journey。

As　there　was　no　occasion　to　delay　upon　the　way；　they

reached　the　big　end　of　the　island　about　the　middle　of

the　day　and　at　once　began　searching　the　ruins　of　the

palace。



They　found；　to　their　satisfaction；　that　one　room　at

the　bottom　of　a　tower　was　still　habitable；　although　the

roof　was　broken　in　and　the　place　was　somewhat　littered

with　stones。　The　King　was；　as　he　said；　too　fat　to　do

any　hard　work；　so　he　sat　down　on　a　block　of　marble　and

watched　Inga　clear　the　room　of　its　rubbish。　This　done；

the　boy　hunted　through　the　ruins　until　he　discovered　a

stool　and　an　armchair　that　had　not　been　broken　beyond

use。　Some　bedding　and　a　mattress　were　also　found；　so

that　by　nightfall　the　little　room　had　been　made　quite

comfortable



The　following　morning；　while　Rinkitink　was　still

sound　asleep　and　Bilbil　was　busily　cropping　the　dewy

grass　that　edged　the　shore；　Prince　Inga　began　to　search

the　tumbled　heaps　of　marble　for　the　place　where　the

royal　banquet　hall　had　been。　After　climbing　over　the

ruins　for　a　time　he　reached　a　flat　place　which　he

recognized；　by　means　of　the　tiled　flooring　and　the

broken　furniture　scattered　about；　to　be　the　great　hall

he　was　seeking。　But　in　the　center　of　the　floor；

directly　over　the　spot　where　the　pearls　were　hidden；

lay　several　large　and　heavy　blocks　of　marble；　which　had


been　torn　from　the　dismantled　walls。



This　unfortunate　discovery　for　a　time　discouraged　the

boy；　who　realized　how　helpless　he　was　to　remove　such

vast　obstacles；　but　it　was　so　important　to　secure　the

pearls　that　he　dared　not　give　way　to　despair　until

every　human　effort　had　been　made；　so　he　sat　him　down　to

think　over　the　matter　with　great　care。



Meantime　Rinkitink　had　risen　from　his　bed　and　walked

out　upon　the　lawn；　where　he　found　Bilbil　reclining　at

ease　upon　the　greensward。



〃Where　is　Inga？〃　asked　Rinkitink；　rubbing　his　eyes

with　his　knuckles　because　their　vision　was　blurred　with

too　much　sleep。



〃Don't　ask　me；〃　said　the　goat；　chewing　with　much

satisfaction　a　cud　of　sweet　grasses。



〃Bilbil；〃　said　the　King；　squatting　down　beside　the

goat　and　resting　his　fat　chin　upon　his　hands　and　his

elbows　on　his　knees；　〃allow　me　to　confide　to　you　the

fact　that　I　am　bored；　and　need　amusement。　My　good

friend　Kitticut　has　been　kidnapped　by　the　barbarians

and　taken　from　me；　so　there　is　no　one　to　converse　with

me　intelligently。　I　am　the　King　and　you　are　the　goat。

Suppose　you　tell　me　a　story。



〃Suppose　I　don't；〃　said　Bilbil；　with　a　scowl；　for　a

goat's　face　is　very　expressive。



〃If　you　refuse；　I　shall　be　more　unhappy　than　ever；

and　I　know　your　disposition　is　too　sweet　to　permit

that。　Tell　me　a　story；　Bilbil。〃



The　goat　looked　at　him　with　an　expression　of　scorn。

Said　he：



〃One　would　think　you　are　but　four　years　old；

Rinkitink！　But　there　　I　will　do　as　you　command。

Listen　carefully；　and　the　story　may　do　you　some　good　

although　I　doubt　if　you　understand　the　moral。〃



〃I　am　sure　the　story　will　do　me　good；〃　declared　the

King；　whose　eyes　were　twinkling。



〃Once　on　a　time；〃　began　the　goat。



〃When　was　that；　Bilbil？〃　asked　the　King　gently。



〃Don't　interrupt；　it　is　impolite。　Once　on　a　time

there　was　a　King　with　a　hollow　inside　his　head；　where

most　people　have　their　brains；　and　〃