rinkitink in oz-第15部分

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dreadful；　and　her　face　wore　an　evil　expression　which

she　tried　to　cover　by　smiling　sweetly　　often　when　she

meant　the　most　mischief。



〃I　have　come；〃　said　she　in　a　low　voice；　〃to　render

homage　to　the　noble　Prince　of　Pingaree。　I　am　told　that

Your　Highness　is　the　strongest　person　in　the　world；　and

invincible　in　battle；　and　therefore　I　wish　you　to

become　my　friend；　rather　than　my　enemy。〃



Now　Inga　did　not　know　how　to　reply　to　this　speech。　He

disliked　the　appearance　of　the　woman　and　was　afraid　of

her　and　he　was　unused　to　deception　and　did　not　know　how

to　mask　his　real　feelings。　So　he　took　time　to　think

over　his　answer；　which　he　finally　made　in　these　words：



〃I　have　no　quarrel　with　Your　Majesty；　and　my　only

reason　for　coming　here　is　to　liberate　my　father　and

mother；　and　my　people；　whom　you　and　your　husband　have

made　your　slaves；　and　to　recover　the　goods　King　Gos　has

plundered　from　the　Island　of　Pingaree。　This　I　hope　soon

to　accomplish；　and　if　you　really　wish　to　be　my　friend；

you　can　assist　me　greatly。〃



While　he　was　speaking　Queen　Cor　had　been　studying　the

boy's　face　stealthily；　from　the　corners　of　her　eyes；

and　she　said　to　herself：　〃He　is　so　small　and　innocent

that　I　believe　I　can　capture　him　alone；　and　with　ease。

He　does　not　seem　very　terrible　and　I　suspect　that　King

Gos　and　his　warriors　were　frightened　at　nothing。〃



Then；　aloud；　she　said　to　Inga：



〃I　wish　to　invite　you；　mighty　Prince；　and　your

friend；　the　great　King　of　Gilgad；　to　visit　my　poor

palace　at　Coregos；　where　all　my　people　shall　do　you

honor。　Will　you　come？〃



〃At　present；〃　replied　Inga；　uneasily；　〃I　must　refuse

your　kind　invitation。〃



〃There　will　be　feasting；　and　dancing　girls；　and　games

and　fireworks；〃　said　the　Queen；　speaking　as　if　eager　to

entice　him　and　at　each　word　coming　a　step　nearer　to

where　he　stood。



〃I　could　not　enjoy　them　while　my　poor　parents　are

slaves；〃　said　the　boy；　sadly。



〃Are　you　sure　of　that？〃　asked　Queen　Cor；　and　by　that

time　she　was　close　beside　Inga。　Suddenly　she　leaned

forward　and　threw　both　of　her　long　arms　around　Inga's

body；　holding　him　in　a　grasp　that　was　like　a　vise。



Now　Rinkitink　sprang　forward　to　rescue　his　friend；

but　Cor　kicked　out　viciously　with　her　foot　and　struck

the　King　squarely　on　his　stomach　　a　very　tender　place

to　be　kicked；　especially　if　one　is　fat。　Then；　still

hugging　Inga　tightly；　the　Queen　called　aloud：



〃I've　got　him！　Bring　in　the　ropes。〃



Instantly　the　four　men　she　had　brought　with　her

sprang　into　the　room　and　bound　the　boy　hand　and　foot。

Next　they　seized　Rinkitink；　who　was　still　rubbing　his

stomach；　and　bound　him　likewise。



With　a　laugh　of　wicked　triumph；　Queen　Cor　now　led　her

captives　down　to　the　boat　and　returned　with　them　to

Coregos。



Great　was　the　astonishment　of　King　Gos　and　his

warriors　when　they　saw　that　the　mighty　Prince　of

Pingaree；　who　had　put　them　all　to　flight；　had　been

captured　by　a　woman。　Cowards　as　they　were；　they　now

crowded　around　the　boy　and　jeered　at　him；　and　some　of

them　would　have　struck　him　had　not　the　Queen　cried　out：



〃Hands　off！　He　is　my　prisoner；　remember　not　yours。〃



〃Well；　Cor；　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　him？〃

inquired　King　Gos。



〃I　shall　make　him　my　slave；　that　he　may　amuse　my　idle

hours。　For　he　is　a　pretty　boy；　and　gentle；　although　he

did　frighten　all　of　you　big　warriors　so　terribly。〃



The　King　scowled　at　this　speech；　not　liking　to　be

ridiculed；　but　he　said　nothing　more。　He　and　his　men

returned　that　same　day　to　Regos；　after　restoring　the

bridge　of　boats。　And　they　held　a　wild　carnival　of

rejoicing；　both　in　the　King's　palace　and　in　the　city；

although　the　poor　people　of　Regos　who　were　not　warriors

were　all　sorry　that　the　kind　young　Prince　had　been

captured　by　his　enemies　and　could　rule　them　no　longer。



When　her　unwelcome　guests　had　all　gone　back　to　Regos

and　the　Queen　was　alone　in　her　palace；　she　ordered　Inga

and　Rinkitink　brought　before　her　and　their　bonds

removed。　They　came　sadly　enough；　knowing　they　were　in

serious　straits　and　at　the　mercy　of　a　cruel　mistress。

Inga　had　taken　counsel　of　the　White　Pearl；　which　had

advised　him　to　bear　up　bravely　under　his　misfortune；

promising　a　change　for　the　better　very　soon。　With　this

promise　to　comfort　him；　Inga　faced　the　Queen　with　a

dignified　bearing　that　indicated　both　pride　and

courage。



〃Well；　youngster；〃　said　she；　in　a　cheerful　tone

because　she　was　pleased　with　her　success；　〃you　played　a

clever　trick　on　my　poor　husband　and　frightened　him

badly；　but　for　that　prank　I　am　inclined　to　forgive　you。

Hereafter　I　intend　you　to　be　my　page；　which　means　that

you　must　fetch　and　carry　for　me　at　my　will。　And　let　me

advise　you　to　obey　my　every　whim　without　question　or

delay；　for　when　I　am　angry　I　become　ugly；　and　when　I　am

ugly　someone　is　sure　to　feel　the　lash。　Do　you

understand　me？〃



Inga　bowed；　but　made　no　answer。　Then　she　turned　to

Rinkitink　and　said：



〃As　for　you；　I　cannot　decide　how　to　make　you　useful

to　me；　as　you　are　altogether　too　fat　and　awkward　to

work　in　the　fields。　It　may　be；　however；　that　I　can　use

you　as　a　pincushion。



〃What！〃　cried　Rinkitink　in　horror；　〃would　you　stick

pins　into　the　King　of　Gilgad？〃



〃Why　not？〃　returned　Queen　Cor。　〃You　are　as　fat　as　a

pincushion；　as　you　must　yourself　admit；　and　whenever　I

needed　a　pin　I　could　call　you　to　me。〃　Then　she　laughed

at　his　frightened　look　and　asked：　〃By　the　way；　are　you

ticklish？〃



This　was　the　question　Rinkitink　had　been　dreading。　He

gave　a　moan　of　despair　and　shook　his　head。



〃I　should　love　to　tickle　the　bottom　of　your　feet　with

a　feather；〃　continued　the　cruel　woman。　〃Please　take　off

your　shoes。〃



〃Oh；　your　Majesty！〃　pleaded　poor　Rinkitink；　〃I　beg

you　to　allow　me　to　amuse　you　in　some　other　way。　I　can

dance；　or　I　can　sing　you　a　song。〃



〃Well；〃　she　answered；　shaking　with　laughter；　〃you　may

sing　a　song　　if　it　be　a　merry　one。　But　you　do　not

seem　in　a　merry　mood。〃



〃I　feel　merry　　indeed；　Your　Majesty；　I　do！〃

protested　Rinkitink；　anxious　to　escape　the　tickling。

But　even　as　he　professed　to　〃feel　merry〃　his　round；　red

face　wore　an　expression　of　horror　and　anxiety　that　was

realty　comical。



〃Sing；　then！〃　commanded　Queen　Cor；　who　was　greatly

amused。



Rinkitink　gave　a　sigh　of　relief　and　after　clearing

his　throat　and　trying　to　repress　his　sobs　he　began　to

sing　this　song…gently；　at　first；　but　finally　roaring　it

out　at　the　top　of　his　voice：



〃Oh！

There　was　a　Baby　Tiger　lived　in　a　men…ag…er…ie　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　　they　wouldn't　set　him　free；

And　ev'rybody　thought　that　he　was　gentle　as　could　be　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　　Ba…by　Ti…ger！



〃Oh！

They　patted　him　upon　his　head　and　shook　him　by　the　paw　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　　he　had　a　bone　to　gnaw；

But　soon　he　grew　the　biggest　Tiger　that　you　ever　saw　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　　what　a　Ti…ger！



〃Oh！

One　day　they　came　to　pet　the　brute　and　he　began　to　fight　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy…how　he　did　scratch　and　bite！

He　broke　the　cage　and　in　a　rage　he　darted　out　of　sight　



Fizzy…fezzy…fuzzy　was　a　Ti…ger！〃



〃And　is　there　a　moral　to　the　song？〃　asked　Queen　Cor；

when　King　Rinkitink　had　finished　his　song　with　great

spirit。



〃If　there　is；〃　replied　Rinkitink；　〃it　is　a　warning

not　to　fool　with　tigers。〃



The　little　Prince　could　not　help　smiling　at　this

shrewd　answer；　but　Queen　Cor　frowned　and　gave　the　King

a　sharp　look。



〃Oh；〃　said　she；　〃I　think　I　know　the　difference

between　a　tiger　and　a　lapdog。　But　I'll　bear　the　warning

in　mind；　just　the　same。〃



For；　after　all　her　success　in　capturing　them；　she　was

a　little　afraid　of　these　people　who　had　once　displayed

such　extraordinary　powers。









Chapter　Eleven



Zella　Goes　to　Coregos





The　forest　in　which　Nikobob　lived　with　his　wife　and

daughter　stood　between　the　mountains　and　the　City　of

Regos；　and　a　well…beaten　path　wound　among　the　trees；

leading　from　the　city　to　the　mines。　This　path　was　used

by　the　King's　messengers；　and　captured　prisoners　were

also　sent　by　this　way　from　Regos　to　work　in　the

underground　caverns。



Nikobob　had　built　his　cabin　more　than　a　mile　away

from　this　path；　that　he　might　not　be　molested　by　the

wild　and　lawless　soldiers　of　King　Gos；　but　the　family

of　the　charcoal…burner　was　surrounded　by　many　creatures

scarcely　less　dangerous　to　encounter；　and　often　in　the

night　they　could　hear　savage　animals　growling　and

prowling　about　the　cabin。　Because　Nikobob　minded　his

own　business　and　never　hunted　the　wild　creatures　to

injure　them；　the　beasts　had　come　to　regard　him　as　one

of　the　natural　dwellers　in　the　forest　and　did　not

molest　him　or　his　family。　Still　Zella　and　her　mother

seldom　wandered　far　from　home；　except　on　such　errands

as　carrying　honey　to　Coregos；　and　at　these　times

Nikobob　cautioned　them　to　be　very　careful。



So　when　Zella　set　out　on　her　journey　to　Queen　Cor；

with　the　two　pails　of　honey　in　her　hands；　she　was

undertaking　a　dangerous　adventure　and　there　was　no

certainty　that　she　would　return　safely　to　her　loving

parents。　But　they　were　poor；　and　Queen　Cor's　money；

which　they　expected　to　receive　for　the　honey；　would

enable　them　to　purchase　many　things　that　were　needed；

so　it　was　deemed　best　that　Zella　should　go。　She　was　a

brave　little　girl　and　poor　people　are　often　obliged　to

take　chances　that　rich　ones　are　spared。



A　passing　woodchopper　had　brought　news　to　Nikobob's

cabin　that　Queen　Cor　had　made　a　prisoner　of　the

conquering　Prince　of　Pingaree　and　that　Gos　and　his

warriors　were　again　back　in　their　city　of　Regos；　but

these　struggles　and　conquests　were　matters　which；

however　interesting；　did　not　concern　the　poor　charcoal…

burner　or　his　family。　They　were　more　anxious　over　the

report　that　the　warriors　had　become　more　reckless　than

ever　before；　and　delighted　in　annoying　all　the　common

people；　so　Zella　was　told　to　keep　away