Rinkitink in Oz Read online

  Produced by Anthony Matonac

  RINKITINK IN OZ

  by

  L. Frank Baum

  Wherein is recorded the Perilous Quest of Prince Inga of Pingaree and King Rinkitink in the Magical Isles that lie beyond the Borderland of Oz

  By L. Frank Baum "Royal Historian of Oz"

  Introducing this Story

  Here is a story with a boy hero, and a boy of whom you have neverbefore heard. There are girls in the story, too, including our oldfriend Dorothy, and some of the characters wander a good way from theLand of Oz before they all assemble in the Emerald City to take part inOzma's banquet. Indeed, I think you will find this story quitedifferent from the other histories of Oz, but I hope you will not likeit the less on that account.

  If I am permitted to write another Oz book it will tell of somethrilling adventures encountered by Dorothy, Betsy Bobbin, Trot and thePatchwork Girl right in the Land of Oz, and how they discovered someamazing creatures that never could have existed outside a fairy-land. Ihave an idea that about the time you are reading this story ofRinkitink I shall be writing that story of Adventures in Oz.

  Don't fail to write me often and give me your advice and suggestions,which I always appreciate. I get a good many letters from my readers,but every one is a joy to me and I answer them as soon as I can findtime to do so.

  "OZCOT" at HOLLYWOOD in CALIFORNIA, 1916.

  L. FRANK BAUM Royal Historian of Oz

  LIST OF CHAPTERS

  1 The Prince of Pingaree 2 The Coming of King Rinkitink 3 The Warriors from the North 4 The Deserted Island 5 The Three Pearls 6 The Magic Boat 7 The Twin Islands 8 Rinkitink Makes a Great Mistake 9 A Present for Zella 10 The Cunning of Queen Cor 11 Zella Goes to Coregos 12 The Excitement of Bilbil the Goat 13 Zella Saves the Prince 14 The Escape 15 The Flight of the Rulers 16 Nikobob Refuses a Crown 17 The Nome King 18 Inga Parts With His Pink Pearl 19 Rinkitink Chuckles 20 Dorothy to the Rescue 21 The Wizard Finds an Enchantment 22 Ozma's Banquet 23 The Pearl Kingdom 24 The Captive King

  Chapter One

  The Prince of Pingaree

  If you have a map of the Land of Oz handy, you will find that the greatNonestic Ocean washes the shores of the Kingdom of Rinkitink, betweenwhich and the Land of Oz lies a strip of the country of the Nome Kingand a Sandy Desert. The Kingdom of Rinkitink isn't very big and liesclose to the ocean, all the houses and the King's palace being builtnear the shore. The people live much upon the water, boating andfishing, and the wealth of Rinkitink is gained from trading along thecoast and with the islands nearest it.

  Four days' journey by boat to the north of Rinkitink is the Island ofPingaree, and as our story begins here I must tell you something aboutthis island. At the north end of Pingaree, where it is widest, the landis a mile from shore to shore, but at the south end it is scarcely halfa mile broad; thus, although Pingaree is four miles long, from north tosouth, it cannot be called a very big island. It is exceedingly pretty,however, and to the gulls who approach it from the sea it must resemblea huge green wedge lying upon the waters, for its grass and trees giveit the color of an emerald.

  The grass came to the edge of the sloping shores; the beautiful treesoccupied all the central portion of Pingaree, forming a continuousgrove where the branches met high overhead and there was just spacebeneath them for the cosy houses of the inhabitants. These houses werescattered everywhere throughout the island, so that there was no townor city, unless the whole island might be called a city. The canopy ofleaves, high overhead, formed a shelter from sun and rain, and thedwellers in the grove could all look past the straight tree-trunks andacross the grassy slopes to the purple waters of the Nonestic Ocean.

  At the big end of the island, at the north, stood the royal palace ofKing Kitticut, the lord and ruler of Pingaree. It was a beautifulpalace, built entirely of snow-white marble and capped by domes ofburnished gold, for the King was exceedingly wealthy. All along thecoast of Pingaree were found the largest and finest pearls in the wholeworld.

  These pearls grew within the shells of big oysters, and the peopleraked the oysters from their watery beds, sought out the milky pearlsand carried them dutifully to their King. Therefore, once every yearHis Majesty was able to send six of his boats, with sixty rowers andmany sacks of the valuable pearls, to the Kingdom of Rinkitink, wherethere was a city called Gilgad, in which King Rinkitink's palace stoodon a rocky headland and served, with its high towers, as a lighthouseto guide sailors to the harbor. In Gilgad the pearls from Pingaree werepurchased by the King's treasurer, and the boats went back to theisland laden with stores of rich merchandise and such supplies of foodas the people and the royal family of Pingaree needed.

  The Pingaree people never visited any other land but that of Rinkitink,and so there were few other lands that knew there was such an island.To the southwest was an island called the Isle of Phreex, where theinhabitants had no use for pearls. And far north of Pingaree--six days'journey by boat, it was said--were twin islands named Regos andCoregos, inhabited by a fierce and warlike people.

  Many years before this story really begins, ten big boatloads of thosefierce warriors of Regos and Coregos visited Pingaree, landing suddenlyupon the north end of the island. There they began to plunder andconquer, as was their custom, but the people of Pingaree, althoughneither so big nor so strong as their foes, were able to defeat themand drive them all back to the sea, where a great storm overtook theraiders from Regos and Coregos and destroyed them and their boats, nota single warrior returning to his own country.

  This defeat of the enemy seemed the more wonderful because thepearl-fishers of Pingaree were mild and peaceful in disposition andseldom quarreled even among themselves. Their only weapons were theiroyster rakes; yet the fact remains that they drove their fierce enemiesfrom Regos and Coregos from their shores.

  King Kitticut was only a boy when this remarkable battle was fought,and now his hair was gray; but he remembered the day well and, duringthe years that followed, his one constant fear was of another invasionof his enemies. He feared they might send a more numerous army to hisisland, both for conquest and revenge, in which case there could belittle hope of successfully opposing them.

  This anxiety on the part of King Kitticut led him to keep a sharplookout for strange boats, one of his men patrolling the beachconstantly, but he was too wise to allow any fear to make him or hissubjects unhappy. He was a good King and lived very contentedly in hisfine palace, with his fair Queen Garee and their one child, Prince Inga.

  The wealth of Pingaree increased year by year; and the happiness of thepeople increased, too. Perhaps there was no place, outside the Land ofOz, where contentment and peace were more manifest than on this prettyisland, hidden in the besom of the Nonestic Ocean. Had these conditionsremained undisturbed, there would have been no need to speak ofPingaree in this story.

  Prince Inga, the heir to all the riches and the kingship of Pingaree,grew up surrounded by every luxury; but he was a manly little fellow,although somewhat too grave and thoughtful, and he could never bear tobe idle a single minute. He knew where the finest oysters lay hiddenalong the coast and was as successful in finding pearls as any of themen of the island, although he was so slight and small. He had a littleboat of his own and a rake for dragging up the oysters and he was veryproud indeed when he could carry a big white pearl to his father.

  There was no school upon the island, as the people of Pingaree were farremoved from the state of civilization that gives our modern childrensuch advantages as schools and learned professors, but the King ownedseveral manuscript books, the pages being made of sheepskin. Being aman of intelligence, he was able to teach his so
n something of reading,writing and arithmetic.

  When studying his lessons Prince Inga used to go into the grove nearhis father's palace and climb into the branches of a tall tree, wherehe had built a platform with a comfortable seat to rest upon, allhidden by the canopy of leaves. There, with no one to disturb him, hewould pore over the sheepskin on which were written the queercharacters of the Pingarese language.

  King Kitticut was very proud of his little son, as well he might be,and he soon felt a high respect for Inga's judgment and thought that hewas worthy to be taken into the confidence of his father in manymatters of state. He taught the boy the needs of the people and how torule them justly, for some day he knew that Inga would be King in hisplace. One day he called his son to his side and said to him:

  "Our island now seems peaceful enough, Inga, and we are happy andprosperous, but I cannot forget those terrible people of Regos andCoregos. My constant fear is that they will send a fleet of boats tosearch for those of their race whom we defeated many years ago, andwhom the sea afterwards destroyed. If the warriors come in greatnumbers we may be unable to oppose them, for my people are littletrained to fighting at best; they surely would cause us much injury andsuffering."

  "Are we, then, less powerful than in my grandfather's day?" askedPrince Inga.

  The King shook his head thoughtfully.

  "It is not that," said he. "That you may fully understand thatmarvelous battle, I must confide to, you a great secret. I have in mypossession three Magic Talismans, which I have ever guarded with utmostcare, keeping the knowledge of their existence from anyone else. But,lest I should die, and the secret be lost, I have decided to tell youwhat these talismans are and where they are hidden. Come with me, myson."

  He led the way through the rooms of the palace until they came to thegreat banquet hall. There, stopping in the center of the room, hestooped down and touched a hidden spring in the tiled floor. At onceone of the tiles sank downward and the King reached within the cavityand drew out a silken bag.

  This bag he proceeded to open, showing Inga that it contained threegreat pearls, each one as big around as a marble. One had a blue tintand one was of a delicate rose color, but the third was pure white.

  "These three pearls," said the King, speaking in a solemn, impressivevoice, "are the most wonderful the world has ever known. They weregifts to one of my ancestors from the Mermaid Queen, a powerful fairywhom he once had the good fortune to rescue from her enemies. Ingratitude for this favor she presented him with these pearls. Each ofthe three possesses an astonishing power, and whoever is their ownermay count himself a fortunate man. This one having the blue tint willgive to the person who carries it a strength so great that no power canresist him. The one with the pink glow will protect its owner from alldangers that may threaten him, no matter from what source they maycome. The third pearl--this one of pure white--can speak, and its wordsare always wise and helpful."

  "What is this, my father!" exclaimed the Prince, amazed; "do you tellme that a pearl can speak? It sounds impossible."

  "Your doubt is due to your ignorance of fairy powers," returned theKing, gravely. "Listen, my son, and you will know that I speak thetruth."

  He held the white pearl to Inga's ear and the Prince heard a smallvoice say distinctly: "Your father is right. Never question the truthof what you fail to understand, for the world is filled with wonders."

  "I crave your pardon, dear father," said the Prince, "for clearly Iheard the pearl speak, and its words were full of wisdom."

  "The powers of the other pearls are even greater," resumed the King."Were I poor in all else, these gems would make me richer than anyother monarch the world holds."

  "I believe that," replied Inga, looking at the beautiful pearls withmuch awe. "But tell me, my father, why do you fear the warriors ofRegos and Coregos when these marvelous powers are yours?"

  "The powers are mine only while I have the pearls upon my person,"answered King Kitticut, "and I dare not carry them constantly for fearthey might be lost. Therefore, I keep them safely hidden in thisrecess. My only danger lies in the chance that my watchmen might failto discover the approach of our enemies and allow the warrior invadersto seize me before I could secure the pearls. I should, in that case,be quite powerless to resist. My father owned the magic pearls at thetime of the Great Fight, of which you have so often heard, and the pinkpearl protected him from harm, while the blue pearl enabled him and hispeople to drive away the enemy. Often have I suspected that thedestroying storm was caused by the fairy mermaids, but that is a matterof which I have no proof."

  "I have often wondered how we managed to win that battle," remarkedInga thoughtfully. "But the pearls will assist us in case the warriorscome again, will they not?"

  "They are as powerful as ever," declared the King. "Really, my son, Ihave little to fear from any foe. But lest I die and the secret be lostto the next King, I have now given it into your keeping. Remember thatthese pearls are the rightful heritage of all Kings of Pingaree. If atany time I should be taken from you, Inga, guard this treasure well anddo not forget where it is hidden."

  "I shall not forget," said Inga.

  Then the King returned the pearls to their hiding place and the boywent to his own room to ponder upon the wonderful secret his father hadthat day confided to his care.