[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
whom you have wrongfully enslaved."
When they heard this bold speech a mighty laugh arose
from the band of warriors, and when it had subsided the
captain said:
"You love to jest, my baby Prince, and the joke is
fairly good. But why did you willingly thrust your head
into the lion's mouth? When you were free, why did you
Page 83
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
not stay free? We did not know we had left a single
person in Pingaree! But since you managed to escape us
then, it is really kind of you to come here of your own
free will, to be our slave. Who is the funny fat person
with you?"
"It is His Majesty, King Rinkitink, of the great City
of Gilgad. He has accompanied me to see that you render
full restitution for all you have stolen from
Pingaree."
"Better yet!" laughed Buzzub. "He will make a fine
slave for Queen Cor, who loves to tickle fat men, and
see them jump."
King Rinkitink was filled with horror when he heard
this, but the Prince answered as boldly as before,
saying:
"We are not to be frightened by bluster, believe me;
nor are we so weak as you imagine. We have magic powers
so great and terrible that no host of warriors can
possibly withstand us, and therefore I call upon you to
surrender your city and your island to us, before we
crush you with our mighty powers."
The boy spoke very gravely and earnestly, but his
words only aroused another shout of laughter. So while
the men of Regos were laughing Inga drove the boat
we'll up onto the sandy beach and leaped out. He also
Page 84
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
helped Rinkitink out, and when the goat had unaided
sprung to the sands, the King got upon Bilbil's back,
trembling a little internally, but striving to look as
brave as possible.
There was a bunch of coarse hair between the goat's
ears, and this Inga clutched firmly in his left hand.
The boy knew the Pink Pearl would protect not only
himself, but all whom he touched, from any harm, and as
Rinkitink was astride the goat and Inga had his hand
upon the animal, the three could not be injured by
anything the warriors could do. But Captain Buzzub did
not know this, and the little group of three seemed so
weak and ridiculous that he believed their capture
would be easy. So he turned to his men and with a wave
of his hand said:
"Seize the intruders!"
Instantly two or three of the warriors stepped
forward to obey, but to their amazement they could not
reach any of the three; their hands were arrested as if
by an invisible wall of iron. Without paying any
attention to these attempts at capture, Inga advanced
slowly and the goat kept pace with him. And when
Rinkitink saw that he was safe from harm he gave one of
his big, merry laughs, and it startled the warriors and
made them nervous. Captain Buzzub's eyes grew big with
surprise as the three steadily advanced and forced his
men backward; nor was he free from terror himself at
Page 85
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
the magic that protected these strange visitors. As for
the warriors, they presently became terror-stricken and
fled in a panic up the slope toward the city, and
Buzzub was obliged to chase after them and shout
threats of punishment before he could halt them and
form them into a line of battle.
All the men of Regos bore spears and bows-and-arrows,
and some of the officers had swords and battle-axes; so
Buzzub ordered them to stand their ground and shoot and
slay the strangers as they approached. This they tried
to do. Inga being in advance, the warriors sent a
flight of sharp arrows straight at the boy's breast,
while others cast their long spears at him.
It seemed to Rinkitink that the little Prince must
surely perish as he stood facing this hail of murderous
missiles; but the power of the Pink Pearl did not
desert him, and when the arrows and spears had reached
to within an inch of his body they bounded back again
and fell harmlessly at his feet. Nor were Rinkitink or
Bilbil injured in the least, although they stood close
beside Inga.
Buzzub stood for a moment looking upon the boy in
silent wonder. Then, recovering himself, he shouted in
a loud voice:
"Once again! All together, my men. No one shall ever
defy our might and live!"
Page 86
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Again a flight of arrows and spears sped toward the
three, and since many more of the warriors of Regos had
by this time joined their fellows, the air was for a
moment darkened by the deadly shafts. But again all
fell harmless before the power of the Pink Pearl, and
Bilbil, who had been growing very angry at the attempts
to injure him and his party, suddenly made a bolt
forward, casting off Inga's hold, and butted into the
line of warriors, who were standing amazed at their
failure to conquer.
Taken by surprise at the goat's attack, a dozen big
warriors tumbled in a heap, yelling with fear, and
their comrades, not knowing what had happened but
imagining that their foes were attacking them, turned
about and ran to the city as hard as they could go.
Bilbil, still angry, had just time to catch the big
captain as he turned to follow his men, and Buzzub
first sprawled headlong upon the ground, then rolled
over two or three times, and finally jumped up and ran
yelling after his defeated warriors. This butting on
the part of the goat was very hard upon King Rinkitink,
who nearly fell off Bilbil's back at the shock of
encounter; but the little fat King wound his arms
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]