Rinkitink in Oz Read online

  Chapter Two

  The Coming of King Rinkitink

  A few days after this, on a bright and sunny morning when the breezeblew soft and sweet from the ocean and the trees waved their leaf-ladenbranches, the Royal Watchman, whose duty it was to patrol the shore,came running to the King with news that a strange boat was approachingthe island.

  At first the King was sore afraid and made a step toward the hiddenpearls, but the next moment he reflected that one boat, even if filledwith enemies, would be powerless to injure him, so he curbed his fearand went down to the beach to discover who the strangers might be. Manyof the men of Pingaree assembled there also, and Prince Inga followedhis father. Arriving at the water's edge, they all stood gazing eagerlyat the oncoming boat.

  It was quite a big boat, they observed, and covered with a canopy ofpurple silk, embroidered with gold. It was rowed by twenty men, ten oneach side. As it came nearer, Inga could see that in the stern, seatedupon a high, cushioned chair of state, was a little man who was so veryfat that he was nearly as broad as he was high This man was dressed ina loose silken robe of purple that fell in folds to his feet, whileupon his head was a cap of white velvet curiously worked with goldenthreads and having a circle of diamonds sewn around the band. At theopposite end of the boat stood an oddly shaped cage, and several largeboxes of sandalwood were piled near the center of the craft.

  As the boat approached the shore the fat little man got upon his feetand bowed several times in the direction of those who had assembled togreet him, and as he bowed he flourished his white cap in an energeticmanner. His face was round as an apple and nearly as rosy. When hestopped bowing he smiled in such a sweet and happy way that Ingathought he must be a very jolly fellow.

  The prow of the boat grounded on the beach, stopping its speed sosuddenly that the little man was caught unawares and nearly toppledheadlong into the sea. But he managed to catch hold of the chair withone hand and the hair of one of his rowers with the other, and sosteadied himself. Then, again waving his jeweled cap around his head,he cried in a merry voice:

  "Well, here I am at last!"

  "So I perceive," responded King Kitticut, bowing with much dignity.

  The fat man glanced at all the sober faces before him and burst into arollicking laugh. Perhaps I should say it was half laughter and half achuckle of merriment, for the sounds he emitted were quaint and drolland tempted every hearer to laugh with him.

  "Heh, heh--ho, ho, ho!" he roared. "Didn't expect me, I see.Keek-eek-eek-eek! This is funny--it's really funny. Didn't know I wascoming, did you? Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo! This is certainly amusing. But I'mhere, just the same."

  "Hush up!" said a deep, growling voice. "You're making yourselfridiculous."

  Everyone looked to see where this voice came from; but none could guesswho had uttered the words of rebuke. The rowers of the boat were allsolemn and silent and certainly no one on the shore had spoken. But thelittle man did not seem astonished in the least, or even annoyed.

  King Kitticut now addressed the stranger, saying courteously:

  "You are welcome to the Kingdom of Pingaree. Perhaps you will deign tocome ashore and at your convenience inform us whom we have the honor ofreceiving as a guest."

  "Thanks; I will," returned the little fat man, waddling from his placein the boat and stepping, with some difficulty, upon the sandy beach."I am King Rinkitink, of the City of Gilgad in the Kingdom ofRinkitink, and I have come to Pingaree to see for myself the monarchwho sends to my city so many beautiful pearls. I have long wished tovisit this island; and so, as I said before, here I am!"

  "I am pleased to welcome you," said King Kitticut. "But why has YourMajesty so few attendants? Is it not dangerous for the King of a greatcountry to make distant journeys in one frail boat, and with but twentymen?"

  "Oh, I suppose so," answered King Rinkitink, with a laugh. "But whatelse could I do? My subjects would not allow me to go anywhere at all,if they knew it. So I just ran away."

  "Ran away!" exclaimed King Kitticut in surprise.

  "Funny, isn't it? Heh, heh, heh--woo, hoo!" laughed Rinkitink, and thisis as near as I can spell with letters the jolly sounds of hislaughter. "Fancy a King running away from his own ple--hoo, hoo--keek,eek, eek, eek! But I had to, don't you see!"

  "Why?" asked the other King.

  "They're afraid I'll get into mischief. They don't trust me.Keek-eek-eek--Oh, dear me! Don't trust their own King. Funny, isn't it?"

  "No harm can come to you on this island," said Kitticut, pretending notto notice the odd ways of his guest. "And, whenever it pleases you toreturn to your own country, I will send with you a fitting escort of myown people. In the meantime, pray accompany me to my palace, whereeverything shall be done to make you comfortable and happy."

  "Much obliged," answered Rinkitink, tipping his white cap over his leftear and heartily shaking the hand of his brother monarch. "I'm sure youcan make me comfortable if you've plenty to eat. And as for beinghappy--ha, ha, ha, ha!--why, that's my trouble. I'm too happy. Butstop! I've brought you some presents in those boxes. Please order yourmen to carry them up to the palace."

  "Certainly," answered King Kitticut, well pleased, and at once he gavehis men the proper orders.

  "And, by the way," continued the fat little King, "let them also takemy goat from his cage."

  "A goat!" exclaimed the King of Pingaree.

  "Exactly; my goat Bilbil. I always ride him wherever I go, for I'm notat all fond of walking, being a trifle stout--eh, Kitticut?--a triflestout! Hoo, hoo, hoo-keek, eek!"

  The Pingaree people started to lift the big cage out of the boat, butjust then a gruff voice cried: "Be careful, you villains!" and as thewords seemed to come from the goat's mouth the men were so astonishedthat they dropped the cage upon the sand with a sudden jar.

  "There! I told you so!" cried the voice angrily. "You've rubbed theskin off my left knee. Why on earth didn't you handle me gently?"

  "There, there, Bilbil," said King Rinkitink soothingly; "don't scold,my boy. Remember that these are strangers, and we their guests." Thenhe turned to Kitticut and remarked: "You have no talking goats on yourisland, I suppose."

  "We have no goats at all," replied the King; "nor have we any animals,of any sort, who are able to talk."

  "I wish my animal couldn't talk, either," said Rinkitink, winkingcomically at Inga and then looking toward the cage. "He is very crossat times, and indulges in language that is not respectful. I thought,at first, it would be fine to have a talking goat, with whom I couldconverse as I rode about my city on his back;but--keek-eek-eek-eek!--the rascal treats me as if I were a chimneysweep instead of a King. Heh, heh, heh, keek, eek! A chimney sweep-hoo,hoo, hoo!--and me a King! Funny, isn't it?" This last was addressed toPrince Inga, whom he chucked familiarly under the chin, to the boy'sgreat embarrassment.

  "Why do you not ride a horse?" asked King Kitticut.

  "I can't climb upon his back, being rather stout; that's why. Kee, kee,keek, eek!--rather stout--hoo, hoo, hoo!" He paused to wipe the tearsof merriment from his eyes and then added: "But I can get on and offBilbil's back with ease."

  He now opened the cage and the goat deliberately walked out and lookedabout him in a sulky manner. One of the rowers brought from the boat asaddle made of red velvet and beautifully embroidered with silverthistles, which he fastened upon the goat's back. The fat King put hisleg over the saddle and seated himself comfortably, saying:

  "Lead on, my noble host, and we will follow."

  "What! Up that steep hill?" cried the goat. "Get off my back at once,Rinkitink, or I won't budge a step.

  "But-consider, Bilbil," remonstrated the King. "How am I to get up thathill unless I ride?"

  "Walk!" growled Bilbil.

  "But I'm too fat. Really, Bilbil, I'm surprised at you. Haven't Ibrought you all this distance so you may see something of the world andenjoy life? And now you are so ungrateful as to refuse to carry me!Turn about is fair play, my boy. The boat carried you to this shore,because
you can't swim, and now you must carry me up the hill, becauseI can't climb. Eh, Bilbil, isn't that reasonable?"

  "Well, well, well," said the goat, surlily, "keep quiet and I'll carryyou. But you make me very tired, Rinkitink, with your ceaselesschatter."

  After making this protest Bilbil began walking up the hill, carryingthe fat King upon his back with no difficulty whatever.

  Prince Inga and his father and all the men of Pingaree were muchastonished to overhear this dispute between King Rinkitink and hisgoat; but they were too polite to make critical remarks in the presenceof their guests. King Kitticut walked beside the goat and the Princefollowed after, the men coming last with the boxes of sandalwood.

  When they neared the palace, the Queen and her maidens came out to meetthem and the royal guest was escorted in state to the splendid throneroom of the palace. Here the boxes were opened and King Rinkitinkdisplayed all the beautiful silks and laces and jewelry with which theywere filled. Every one of the courtiers and ladies received a handsomepresent, and the King and Queen had many rich gifts and Inga not a few.Thus the time passed pleasantly until the Chamberlain announced thatdinner was served.

  Bilbil the goat declared that he preferred eating of the sweet, richgrass that grew abundantly in the palace grounds, and Rinkitink saidthat the beast could never bear being shut up in a stable; so theyremoved the saddle from his back and allowed him to wander wherever hepleased.

  During the dinner Inga divided his attention between admiring thepretty gifts he had received and listening to the jolly sayings of thefat King, who laughed when he was not eating and ate when he was notlaughing and seemed to enjoy himself immensely.

  "For four days I have lived in that narrow boat," said he, "with noother amusement than to watch the rowers and quarrel with Bilbil; so Iam very glad to be on land again with such friendly and agreeablepeople."

  "You do us great honor," said King Kitticut, with a polite bow.

  "Not at all--not at all, my brother. This Pingaree must be a wonderfulisland, for its pearls are the admiration of all the world; nor will Ideny the fact that my kingdom would be a poor one without the richesand glory it derives from the trade in your pearls. So I have wishedfor many years to come here to see you, but my people said: 'No! Stayat home and behave yourself, or we'll know the reason why.'"

  "Will they not miss Your Majesty from your palace at Gilgad?" inquiredKitticut.

  "I think not," answered Rinkitink. "You see, one of my clever subjectshas written a parchment entitled 'How to be Good,' and I believed itwould benefit me to study it, as I consider the accomplishment of beinggood one of the fine arts. I had just scolded severely my Lord HighChancellor for coming to breakfast without combing his eyebrows, andwas so sad and regretful at having hurt the poor man's feelings that Idecided to shut myself up in my own room and study the scroll until Iknew how to be good--hee, heek, keek, eek, eek!--to be good! Cleveridea, that, wasn't it? Mighty clever! And I issued a decree that no oneshould enter my room, under pain of my royal displeasure, until I wasready to come out. They're awfully afraid of my royal displeasure,although not a bit afraid of me. Then I put the parchment in my pocketand escaped through the back door to my boat--and here I am. Oo,hoo-hoo, keek-eek! Imagine the fuss there would be in Gilgad if mysubjects knew where I am this very minute!"

  "I would like to see that parchment," said the solemn-eyed Prince Inga,"for if it indeed teaches one to be good it must be worth its weight inpearls."

  "Oh, it's a fine essay," said Rinkitink, "and beautifully written witha goosequill. Listen to this: You'll enjoy it--tee, hee, hee!--enjoyit."

  He took from his pocket a scroll of parchment tied with a black ribbon,and having carefully unrolled it, he proceeded to read as follows:

  "'A Good Man is One who is Never Bad.' How's that, eh? Fine thought,what? 'Therefore, in order to be Good, you must avoid those Thingswhich are Evil.' Oh, hoo-hoo-hoo!--how clever! When I get back I shallmake the man who wrote that a royal hippolorum, for, beyond question,he is the wisest man in my kingdom--as he has often told me himself."With this, Rinkitink lay back in his chair and chuckled his queerchuckle until he coughed, and coughed until he choked and choked untilhe sneezed. And he wrinkled his face in such a jolly, droll way thatfew could keep from laughing with him, and even the good Queen wasforced to titter behind her fan.

  When Rinkitink had recovered from his fit of laughter and had wiped hiseyes upon a fine lace handkerchief, Prince Inga said to him:

  "The parchment speaks truly."

  "Yes, it is true beyond doubt," answered Rinkitink, "and if I couldpersuade Bilbil to read it he would be a much better goat than he isnow. Here is another selection: 'To avoid saying Unpleasant Things,always Speak Agreeably.' That would hit Bilbil, to a dot. And here isone that applies to you, my Prince: 'Good Children are seldom punished,for the reason that they deserve no punishment.' Now, I think that isneatly put, and shows the author to be a deep thinker. But the advicethat has impressed me the most is in the following paragraph: 'You maynot find it as Pleasant to be Good as it is to be Bad, but Other Peoplewill find it more Pleasant.' Haw-hoo-ho! keek-eek! 'Other people willfind it more pleasant!'--hee, hee, heek, keek!--'more pleasant.' Dearme--dear me! Therein lies a noble incentive to be good, and whenever Iget time I'm surely going to try it."

  Then he wiped his eyes again with the lace handkerchief and, suddenlyremembering his dinner, seized his knife and fork and began eating.