the enchanted island of yew-第20部分

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and　imploring　their　cruel　master　not　to　change　them　into　june…bugs。

〃Bah！〃　cried　Nerle；　scornfully；　〃why　don't　you　fight？　　If　we　kill　you；　then　you　will　escape　being　June…bugs。〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　said　the　captain；　woefully；　〃we　simply　can't　fight。　For　our　swords　are　only　tin；　and　our　axes　are　made　of　wood；　with　silver…paper　pasted　over　them。〃

〃But　why　is　that？〃　asked　Wul…Takim；　while　all　the　party　showed　their　surprise。

〃Why；　until　now　we　have　never　had　any　need　to　fight；〃　said　the　captain；　〃for　every　one　has　quickly　surrendered　to　us　or　run　away　the　moment　we　came　near。　　But　you　people　do　not　appear　to　be　properly　frightened；　and　now；　alas！　since　you　have　drawn　upon　us　the　great　sorcerer's　anger；　we　shall　all　be　transformed　into　June…bugs。〃

〃Yes！〃　roared　Kwytoffle；　hopping　up　and　down　with　anger；　〃you　shall　all　be　June…bugs；　and　these　strangers　I　will　transform　into　grasshoppers！〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Prince　Marvel；　quietly；　〃you　can　do　it　now。〃

〃I　will！　　I　will！〃　cried　the　sorcerer。

〃Then　why　don't　you　begin？〃　inquired　the　prince。

〃Why　don't　I　begin？　　Why；　I　haven't　got　the　enchantments　with　me；　that's　why。　　Do　you　suppose　we　great　magicians　carry　around　enchantments　in　our　pockets？〃　returned　the　other；　in　a　milder　tone。

〃Where　do　you　keep　your　enchantments？〃　asked　the　prince。

〃They're　in　my　dwelling；〃　snapped　Kwytoffle；　taking　off　his　hat　and　fanning　his　fat　face　with　the　brim。

〃Then　go　and　get　them；〃　said　Marvel。

〃Nonsense！　　If　I　went　to　get　the　enchantments　you　would　all　run　away！〃　retorted　the　sorcerer。

〃Not　so！〃　protested　Nerle；　who　was　beginning　to　be　amused。　　〃My　greatest　longing　in　life　is　to　become　a　grasshopper。〃

〃Oh；　yes！　　PLEASE　let　us　be　grasshoppers！〃　exclaimed　the　High　Ki　maids　in　the　same　breath。

〃We　want　to　hop！　　We　want　to　hop！　　PleasePLEASE　let　us　hop！〃　implored　the　bald…headed　Ki；　winking　their　left　eyes　at　Wul…Takim。

〃By　all　means　let　us　become　grasshoppers；〃　said　King　Terribus；　smiling；　and　Wul…Takim　added：

〃I'm　sure　your　soldiers　would　enjoy　being　June…bugs；　for　then　they　wouldn't　have　to　work。　　Isn't　that　so；　boys？〃

The　bewildered　soldiers　looked　at　one　another　in　perplexity；　and　the　still　more　bewildered　sorcerer　gazed　on　the　speakers　with　staring　eyes　and　wide…open　mouth。

〃I　insist；〃　said　Prince　Marvel；　〃upon　your　turning　us　into　grasshoppers　and　your　soldiers　into　June…bugs；　as　you　promised。　　If　you　do　not；　then　I　will　flog　youas　I　promised。〃

〃Very　well；〃　returned　the　sorcerer；　with　a　desperate　look　upon　his　face；　〃I'll　go　and　find　the　enchantment。〃

〃And　we'll　go　with　you；〃　remarked　the　prince；　pleasantly。

So　the　entire　party　accompanied　Kwytoffle　into　the　house；　where　they　entered　a　large　room　that　was　in　a　state　of　much　disorder。

〃Let　me　see；〃　said　the　sorcerer；　rubbing　his　ears；　as　if　trying　to　think；　〃I　wonder　if　I　put　them　in　this　cupboard。　　You　see；〃　he　explained；　〃no　one　has　ever　before　dared　me　to　transform　him　into　a　June…bug　or　grasshopper；　so　I　have　almost　forgotten　where　I　keep　my　book　of　enchantments。　　No；　it's　not　in　the　cupboard；〃　he　continued；　looking　there；　〃but　it　surely　must　be　in　this　chest。〃

It　was　not　in　the　chest；　either；　and　so　the　sorcerer　continued　to　look　in　all　sorts　of　queer　places　for　his　book　of　enchantments；　without　finding　it。　　Whenever　he　paused　in　his　search　Prince　Marvel　would　say；　sternly：

〃Go　on！　　Find　the　book！　　Hunt　it　up。　　We　are　all　anxious　to　become　grasshoppers。〃　　And　then　Kwytoffle　would　set　to　work　again；　although　big　drops　of　perspiration　were　now　streaming　down　his　face。

Finally　he　pulled　an　old　book　from　underneath　the　pillow　of　his　bed；　and　crying；　〃Here　it　is！〃　carried　it　to　the　window。

He　turned　a　few　leaves　of　the　book　and　then　said：


〃How　unfortunate！　　The　compound　I　require　to　change　you　into　grasshoppers　must　be　mixed　on　the　first　day　of　September；　and　as　this　is　now　the　eighth　day　of　September　I　must　wait　nearly　a　year　before　I　can　work　the　enchantment。〃

〃How　about　the　June…bugs？〃　asked　Nerle。

〃Oh！　　Ah！。　　The　June…bug　mixture　can　only　be　made　at　the　dark　o'　the　moon；〃　said　the　sorcerer；　pretending　to　read；　〃and　that　is　three　weeks　from　now。〃

〃Let　me　read　it；〃　said　Prince　Marvel；　suddenly　snatching　the　book　from　Kwytoffle's　hands。　　Then　he　turned　to　the　title…page　and　read：

〃'Lives　of　Famous　Thieves　and　Impostors。'　　Why；　this　is　not　a　book　of　enchantments。〃

〃That　is　what　I　suspected；〃　said　Terribus。

〃No　one　but　a　sorcerer　can　read　the　enchantments　in　this　book；〃　declared　Kwytoffle；　but　he　hung　his　head　with　a　sheepish　look；　for　he　knew　his　deception　had　been　well　understood。

〃Is　your　own　history　written　in　this　volume？〃　inquired　Marvel。

〃No；〃　answered　the　sorcerer。

〃Then　it　ought　to　be；〃　said　the　prince；　〃for　you　are　no　sorcerer　at　all；　but　merely　a　thief　and　an　impostor！〃



22。　　The　Queen　of　Plenta


The　soldiers　of　Kwytoffle　wanted　to　hang　their　old　master　at　once；　for　he　had　won　their　enmity　by　abusing　them　in　many　ways；　but　Prince　Marvel　would　not　let　them　do　this。　　However；　they　tied　the　false　sorcerer　to　a　post；　and　the　captain　gave　him　a　good　whippingone　lash　for　each　letter　in　the　words　〃grasshopper〃　and　〃June…bug。〃　　Kwytoffle　howled　loudly　for　mercy；　but　no　one　was　at　all　sorry　for　him。

Wul…Takim　tied　a　rope　around　the　impostor's　neck；　and　when　the　party　left　the　castle　they　journeyed　all　through　the　kingdom　of　Auriel；　and　at　every　town　or　city　they　came　to　the　reformed　thief　would　cry　out　to　the　populace：

〃Here　is　the　terrible　sorcerer　Kwytoffle；　who　threatened　to　change　you　into　grasshoppers　and　june…bugs。　　But　you　may　see　that　he　is　a　very　common　man；　with　no　powers　of　sorcery　whatever！〃

And　then　the　people　would　laugh　and　pelt　mud　at　their　former　tyrant；　and　thank　Prince　Marvel　for　haying　exposed　the　false　and　wicked　creature。

And　they　called　the　son　of　their　old　king　back　to　his　lawful　throne；　where　he　ruled　wisely　and　well；　and　the　hoarded　wealth　of　Kwytoffle　was　divided　among　the　people　again；　and　soon　the　country　became　prosperous　once　more。

This　adventure　was　very　amusing　to　the　pretty　High　Ki　of　Twi。　　It　afforded　them　laughter　for　many　days；　and　none　of　the　party　ever　saw　a　grasshopper　or　a　june…bug　afterward　without　thinking　of　the　terrible　sorcerer　Kwytoffle。

They　left　that　disgraced　person　grooming　horses　for　his　board　in　the　stables　of　the　new　king；　and　proceeded　upon　their　journey。

Without　further　event　they　reached　the　splendid　southern　Kingdom　of　Plenta；　which　was　the　most　delightfully　situated　of　any　dominion　in　the　Enchanted　Island　of　Yew。　　It　was　ruled　by　a　good　and　generous　queen；　who　welcomed　the　strangers　to　her　palace　and　gave　a　series　of　gay　entertainments　in　their　honor。

King　Terribus　was　especially　an　object　of　interest；　for　every　one　had　heard　his　name　and　feared　him　and　his　fierce　people。　　But　when　they　beheld　his　pleasant　countenance　and　listened　to　his　gentle　voice　they　began　to　regard　him　with　much　love　and　respect；　and　really　Terribus　was　worthy　of　their　friendship　since　he　had　changed　from　a　deformed　monster　into　an　ordinary　man；　and　had　forbidden　his　people　ever　again　to　rob　and　plunder　their　weaker　neighbors。

But　the　most　popular　personages　visiting　at　the　court　of　the　Queen　of　Plenta　were　the　lovely　High　Ki　of　Twi。　　Although　beautiful　girls　abounded　in　this　kingdom；　none　could　compare　with　the　royal　twins；　and　their　peculiar　condition　only　served　to　render　them　the　more　interesting。

Two　youths　would　approach　the　High　Ki　at　the　same　time　and　invite　them　to　dance；　and　in　united　voices　they　would　accept　the　invitation　and　go　whirling　around　the　room　with　exactly　the　same　steps；　laughing　at　the　same　instant　and　enjoying　the　dance　equally。　　But　if　one　youth　asked　his　partner　a　question；　both　the　twins　would　make　answer；　and　that　was　sure　to　confuse　and　embarrass　the　youth。　　Still；　the　maids　managed　very　well　to　adapt　themselves　to　the　ways　of　people　who　were　singular；　although　they　sometimes　became　a　little　homesick　for　Twi；　where　they　were　like　all　the　other　people。

The　bald…headed　Ki　kept　watchful　eyes　on　their　youthful　rulers；　and　served　them　very　cheerfully。　　But　with　all　their　travels　and　experiences；　the　old　men　could　never　be　convinced　it　was　better　to　be　singular　than　double。

Prince　Marvel　was　the　real　hero　of　the　party；　and　Nerle　received　much　attention　on　account　of　his　master's　popularity。　　He　did　not　seem　as　unhappy　as　usual；　and　when　the　prince　inquired　the　reason；　his　esquire　answered　that　he　believed　the　excitement　of　their　adventures　was　fast　curing　him　of　his　longing　for　something　he　could　not　have。　　As　for　the　pleasure　of　suffering；　he　had　had　some　experience　of　that；　too；　and　it　was　not　nearly　so　delightful　as　he　had　expected。

Wul…Takim　was　not　a　society　man；　so　he　stayed　around　the　royal　stables　and　made　friends　with　the　grooms；　and　traded　his　big　black　horse　for　two　bay　ones　and　a　gold　neck…chain；　and　was　fairly　content　with　his　lot。

And　so　the　party　enjoyed　several　happy　weeks　at　the　court　of　the　good　Queen　of　Plenta；　until　one　day　the　terrible　news　arrived　that　carried　them　once　more　into　exciting　adventures。



23。　　The　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna


One　morning；　while　they　were　all　standing　in　the　courtyard　waiting　for　their　horses；　as　t