Rinkitink In Oz
by
L. Frank Baum

Part 4 out of 4



from danger. But he would not let Kaliko see the fear
he felt for Inga's safety, so he said in a careless
way:

"You're a mighty poor magician, Kaliko, and I'll give
you my crown if Inga hasn't escaped any danger you have
threatened him with."

"Your whole crown is not worth one of the valuable
diamonds in my crown," answered the Nome King, "but
I'll take it. Let us go at once, therefore, and see
what has become of the boy Prince, for if he is not
destroyed by this time I will admit he cannot be
injured by any of the magic arts which I have at my
command."

He left the room, accompanied by Klik, who had now
rejoined his master, and by Rinkitink riding upon
Bilbil. After traversing several of the huge caverns
they entered one that was somewhat more bright and
cheerful than the others, where the Nome King paused
before a wall of rock. Then Klik pressed a secret
spring and a section of the wall opened and disclosed
the corridor where Prince Inga stood facing them.

"Tarts and tadpoles!" cried Kaliko in surprise. "The
boy is still alive!"




Chapter Twenty

Dorothy to the Rescue


One day when Princess Dorothy of Oz was visiting Glinda
the Good, who is Ozma's Royal Sorceress, she was
looking through Glinda's Great Book of Records --
wherein is inscribed all important events that happen
in every part of the world -- when she came upon the
record of the destruction of Pingaree, the capture of
King Kitticut and Queen Garee and all their people, and
the curious escape of Inga, the boy Prince, and of King
Rinkitink and the talking goat. Turning over some of
the following pages, Dorothy read how Inga had found
the Magic Pearls and was rowing the silver-lined boat
to Regos to try to rescue his parents.

The little girl was much interested to know how well
Inga succeeded, but she returned to the palace of Ozma
at the Emerald City of Oz the next day and other events
made her forget the boy Prince of Pingaree for a time.
However, she was one day idly looking at Ozma's Magic
Picture, which shows any scene you may wish to see,
when the girl thought of Inga and commanded the Magic
Picture to show what the boy was doing at that moment.

It was the time when Inga and Rinkitink had followed
the King of Regos and Queen of Coregos to the Nome
King's country and she saw them hiding behind the rock
as Cor and Gos passed them by after having placed the
King and Queen of Pingaree in the keeping of the Nome
King. From that time Dorothy followed, by means of the
Magic Picture, the adventures of Inga and his friend in
the Nome King's caverns, and the danger and
helplessness of the poor boy aroused the little girl's
pity and indignation.

So she went to Ozma and told the lovely girl Ruler of
Oz all about Inga and Rinkitink.

"I think Kaliko is treating them dreadfully mean,"
declared Dorothy, "and I wish you'd let me go to the
Nome Country and help them out of their troubles."

"Go, my dear, if you wish to," replied Ozma, "but I
think it would be best for you to take the Wizard with
you."

"Oh, I'm not afraid of the nomes," said Dorothy, "but
I'll be glad to take the Wizard, for company. And may
we use your Magic Carpet, Ozma?"

"Of course. Put the Magic Carpet in the Red Wagon and
have the Sawhorse take you and the Wizard to the edge
of the desert. While you are gone, Dorothy, I'll watch
you in the Magic Picture, and if any danger threatens
you I'll see you are not harmed."

Dorothy thanked the Ruler of Oz and kissed her good-
bye, for she was determined to start at once. She found
the Wizard of Oz, who was planting shoetrees in the
garden, and when she told him Inga's story he willingly
agreed to accompany the little girl to the Nome King's
caverns. They had both been there before and had
conquered the nomes with ease, so they were not at all
afraid.

The Wizard, who was a cheery little man with a bald
head and a winning smile, harnessed the Wooden Sawhorse
to the Red Wagon and loaded on Ozma's Magic Carpet.
Then he and Dorothy climbed to the seat and the
Sawhorse started off and carried them swiftly through
the beautiful Land of Oz to the edge of the Deadly
Desert that separated their fairyland from the Nome
Country.

Even Dorothy and the clever Wizard would not have
dared to cross this desert without the aid of the Magic
Carpet, for it would have quickly destroyed them; but
when the roll of carpet had been placed upon the edge
of the sands, leaving just enough lying flat for them
to stand upon, the carpet straightway began to unroll
before them and as they walked on it continued to
unroll, until they had safely passed over the stretch
of Deadly Desert and were on the border of the Nome
King's dominions.

This journey had been accomplished in a few minutes,
although such a distance would have required several
days travel had they not been walking on the Magic
Carpet. On arriving they at once walked toward the
entrance to the caverns of the nomes.

The Wizard carried a little black bag containing his
tools of wizardry, while Dorothy carried over her arm a
covered basket in which she had placed a dozen eggs,
with which to conquer the nomes if she had any trouble
with them.

Eggs may seem to you to be a queer weapon with which
to fight, but the little girl well knew their value.
The nomes are immortal; that is, they do not perish, as
mortals do, unless they happen to come in contact with
an egg. If an egg touches them -- either the outer
shell or the inside of the egg -- the nomes lose their
charm of perpetual life and thereafter are liable to
die through accident or old age, just as all humans
are.

For this reason the sight of an egg fills a nome with
terror and he will do anything to prevent an egg from
touching him, even for an instant. So, when Dorothy
took her basket of eggs with her, she knew that she was
more powerfully armed than if she had a regiment of
soldiers at her back.




Chapter Twenty-One

The Wizard Finds an Enchantment


After Kaliko had failed in his attempts to destroy his
guests, as has been related, the Nome King did nothing
more to injure them but treated them in a friendly
manner. He refused, however, to permit Inga to see or
to speak with his father and mother, or even to know in
what part of the underground caverns they were
confined.

"You are able to protect your lives and persons, I
freely admit," said Kaliko; "but I firmly believe you
have no power, either of magic or otherwise, to take
from me the captives I have agreed to keep for King
Gos."

Inga would not agree to this. He determined not to
leave the caverns until he had liberated his father and
mother, although he did not then know how that could be
accomplished. As for Rinkitink, the jolly King was well
fed and had a good bed to sleep upon, so he was not
worrying about anything and seemed in no hurry to go
away.

Kaliko and Rinkitink were engaged in pitching a game
with solid gold quoits, on the floor of the royal
chamber, and Inga and Bilbil were watching them, when
Klik came running in, his hair standing on end with
excitement, and cried out that the Wizard of Oz and
Dorothy were approaching.

Kaliko turned pale on hearing this unwelcome news
and, abandoning his game, went to sit in his ivory
throne and try to think what had brought these fearful
visitors to his domain.

"Who is Dorothy?" asked Inga.

"She is a little girl who once lived in Kansas,"
replied Klik, with a shudder, "but she now lives in
Ozma's palace at the Emerald City and is a Princess of
Oz -- which means that she is a terrible foe to deal
with."

"Doesn't she like the nomes?" inquired the boy.

"It isn't that," said King Kaliko, with a groan, "but
she insists on the nomes being goody-goody, which is
contrary to their natures. Dorothy gets angry if I do
the least thing that is wicked, and tries to make me
stop it, and that naturally makes me downhearted. I
can't imagine why she has come here just now, for I've
been behaving very well lately. As for that Wizard of
Oz, he's chock-full of magic that I can't overcome, for
he learned it from Glinda, who is the most powerful
sorceress in the world. Woe is me! Why didn't Dorothy
and the Wizard stay in Oz, where they belong?"

Inga and Rinkitink listened to this with much joy,
for at once the idea came to them both to plead with
Dorothy to help them. Even Bilbil pricked up his ears
when he heard the Wizard of Oz mentioned, and the goat
seemed much less surly, and more thoughtful than usual.

A few minutes later a nome came to say that Dorothy
and the Wizard had arrived and demanded admittance, so
Klik was sent to usher them into the royal presence of
the Nome King.

As soon as she came in the little girl ran up to the
boy Prince and seized both his hands.

"Oh, Inga!" she exclaimed, "I'm so glad to find you
alive and well."

Inga was astonished at so warm a greeting. Making a
low bow he said:

"I don't think we have met before, Princess."

"No, indeed," replied Dorothy, "but I know all about
you and I've come to help you and King Rinkitink out of
your troubles." Then she turned to the Nome King and
continued: "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, King
Kaliko, to treat an honest Prince and an honest King so
badly."

"I haven't done anything to them," whined Kaliko,
trembling as her eyes flashed upon him.

"No; but you tried to, an' that's just as bad, if not
worse," said Dorothy, who was very indignant. "And now
I want you to send for the King and Queen of Pingaree
and have them brought here immejitly!"

"I won't," said Kaliko.

"Yes, you will!" cried Dorothy, stamping her foot at
him. "I won't have those poor people made unhappy any
longer, or separated from their little boy. Why, it's
dreadful, Kaliko, an' I'm su'prised at you. You must be
more wicked than I thought you were."

"I can't do it, Dorothy," said the Nome King, almost
weeping with despair. "I promised King Gos I'd keep
them captives. You wouldn't ask me to break my promise,
would you?"

"King Gos was a robber and an outlaw," she said, "and
p'r'aps you don't know that a storm at sea wrecked his
boat, while he was going back to Regos, and that he and
Queen Cor were both drowned."

"Dear me!" exclaimed Kaliko. "Is that so?"

"I saw it in Glinda's Record Book," said Dorothy. "So
now you trot out the King and Queen of Pingaree as
quick as you can."

"No," persisted the contrary Nome King, shaking his
head. "I won't do it. Ask me anything else and I'll try
to please you, but I can't allow these friendly enemies
to triumph over me.

"In that case," said Dorothy, beginning to remove the
cover from her basket, "I'll show you some eggs."

"Eggs!" screamed the Nome King in horror. "Have you
eggs in that basket?"

"A dozen of 'em," replied Dorothy.

"Then keep them there -- I beg -- I implore you! --
and I'll do anything you say," pleaded Kaliko, his
teeth chattering so that he could hardly speak.

"Send for the King and Queen of Pingaree," said
Dorothy.

"Go, Klik," commanded the Nome King, and Klik ran
away in great haste, for he was almost as much
frightened as his master.

It was an affecting scene when the unfortunate King
and Queen of Pingaree entered the chamber and with sobs
and tears of joy embraced their brave and adventurous
son. All the others stood silent until greetings and
kisses had been exchanged and Inga had told his parents
in a few words of his vain struggles to rescue them and
how Princess Dorothy had finally come to his
assistance.

Then King Kitticut shook the hands of his friend King
Rinkitink and thanked him for so loyally supporting his
son Inga, and Queen Garee kissed little Dorothy's
forehead and blessed her for restoring her husband and
herself to freedom.

The Wizard had been standing near Bilbil the goat and
now he was surprised to hear the animal say:

"Joyful reunion, isn't it? But it makes me tired to
see grown people cry like children."

"Oho!" exclaimed the Wizard. "How does it happen, Mr.
Goat, that you, who have never been to the Land of Oz,
are able to talk?"

"That's my business," returned Bilbil in a surly
tone.

The Wizard stooped down and gazed fixedly into the
animal's eyes. Then he said, with a pitying sigh: "I
see; you are under an enchantment. Indeed, I believe
you to be Prince Bobo of Boboland."

Bilbil made no reply but dropped his head as if
ashamed.

"This is a great discovery," said the Wizard,
addressing Dorothy and the others of the party. "A good
many years ago a cruel magician transformed the gallant
Prince of Boboland into a talking goat, and this goat,
being ashamed of his condition, ran away and was never
after seen in Boboland, which is a country far to the
south of here but bordering on the Deadly Desert,
opposite the Land of Oz. I heard of this story long ago
and know that a diligent search has been made for the
enchanted Prince, without result. But I am well assured
that, in the animal you call Bilbil, I have discovered
the unhappy Prince of Boboland."

"Dear me, Bilbil," said Rinkitink, "why have you
never told me this?"

"What would be the use?" asked Bilbil in a low voice
and still refusing to look up.

"The use?" repeated Rinkitink, puzzled.

"Yes, that's the trouble," said the Wizard. "It is
one of the most powerful enchantments ever
accomplished, and the magician is now dead and the
secret of the anti-charm lost. Even I, with all my
skill, cannot restore Prince Bobo to his proper form.
But I think Glinda might be able to do so and if you
will all return with Dorothy and me to the Land of Oz,
where Ozma will make you welcome, I will ask Glinda to
try to break this enchantment."

This was willingly agreed to, for they all welcomed
the chance to visit the famous Land of Oz. So they bade
good-bye to King Kaliko, whom Dorothy warned not to be
wicked any more if he could help it, and the entire
party returned over the Magic Carpet to the Land of Oz.
They filled the Red Wagon, which was still waiting for
them, pretty full; but the Sawhorse didn't mind that
and with wonderful speed carried them safely to the
Emerald City.




Chapter Twenty Two

Ozma's Banquet


Ozma had seen in her Magic Picture the liberation of
Inga's parents and the departure of the entire party
for the Emerald City, so with her usual hospitality
she ordered a splendid banquet prepared and invited
all her quaint friends who were then in the Emerald
City to be present that evening to meet the strangers
who were to become her guests.

Glinda, also, in her wonderful Record Book had
learned of the events that had taken place in the
caverns of the Nome King and she became especially
interested in the enchantment of the Prince of
Boboland. So she hastily prepared several of her most
powerful charms and then summoned her flock of sixteen
white storks, which swiftly bore her to Ozma's palace.
She arrived there before the Red Wagon did and was
warmly greeted by the girl Ruler.

Realizing that the costume of Queen Garee of Pingaree
must have become sadly worn and frayed, owing to her
hardships and adventures, Ozma ordered a royal outfit
prepared for the good Queen and had it laid in her
chamber ready for her to put on as soon as she arrived,
so she would not be shamed at the banquet. New costumes
were also provided for King Kitticut and King Rinkitink
and Prince Inga, all cut and made and embellished in
the elaborate and becoming style then prevalent in the
Land of Oz, and as soon as the party arrived at the
palace Ozma's guests were escorted by her servants to
their rooms, that they might bathe and dress
themselves.

Glinda the Sorceress and the Wizard of Oz took charge
of Bilbil the goat and went to a private room where
they were not likely to be interrupted. Glinda first
questioned Bilbil long and earnestly about the manner
of his enchantment and the ceremony that had been used
by the magician who enchanted him. At first Bilbil
protested that he did not want to be restored to his
natural shape, saying that he had been forever
disgraced in the eyes of his people and of the entire
world by being obliged to exist as a scrawny, scraggly
goat. But Glinda pointed out that any person who
incurred the enmity of a wicked magician was liable to
suffer a similar fate, and assured him that his
misfortune would make him better beloved by his
subjects when he returned to them freed from his dire
enchantment.

Bilbil was finally convinced of the truth of this
assertion and agreed to submit to the experiments of
Glinda and the Wizard, who knew they had a hard task
before them and were not at all sure they could
succeed. We know that Glinda is the most complete
mistress of magic who has ever existed, and she was
wise enough to guess that the clever but evil magician
who had enchanted Prince Bobo had used a spell that
would puzzle any ordinary wizard or sorcerer to break;
therefore she had given the matter much shrewd thought
and hoped she had conceived a plan that would succeed.
But because she was not positive of success she would
have no one present at the incantation except her
assistant, the Wizard of Oz.

First she transformed Bilbil the goat into a lamb,
and this was done quite easily. Next she transformed
the lamb into an ostrich, giving it two legs and feet
instead of four. Then she tried to transform the
ostrich into the original Prince Bobo, but this
incantation was an utter failure. Glinda was not
discouraged, however, but by a powerful spell
transformed the ostrich into a tottenhot -- which is a
lower form of a man. Then the tottenhot was transformed
into a mifket, which was a great step in advance and,
finally, Glinda transformed the mifket into a handsome
young man, tall and shapely, who fell on his knees
before the great Sorceress and gratefully kissed her
hand, admitting that he had now recovered his proper
shape and was indeed Prince Bobo of Boboland.

This process of magic, successful though it was in
the end, had required so much time that the banquet was
now awaiting their presence. Bobo was already dressed
in princely raiment and although he seemed very much
humbled by his recent lowly condition, they finally
persuaded him to join the festivities.

When Rinkitink saw that his goat had now become a
Prince, he did not know whether to be sorry or glad,
for he felt that he would miss the companionship of the
quarrelsome animal he had so long been accustomed to
ride upon, while at the same time he rejoiced that poor
Bilbil had come to his own again.

Prince Bobo humbly begged Rinkitink's forgiveness for
having been so disagreeable to him, at times, saying
that the nature of a goat had influenced him and the
surly disposition he had shown was a part of his
enchantment. But the jolly King assured the Prince that
he had really enjoyed Bilbil's grumpy speeches and
forgave him readily. Indeed, they all discovered the
young Prince Bobo to be an exceedingly courteous and
pleasant person, although he was somewhat reserved and
dignified.

Ah, but it was a great feast that Ozma served in her
gorgeous banquet hall that night and everyone was as
happy as could be. The Shaggy Man was there, and so was
Jack Pumpkinhead and the Tin Woodman and Cap'n Bill.
Beside Princess Dorothy sat Tiny Trot and Betsy Bobbin,
and the three little girls were almost as sweet to look
upon as was Ozma, who sat at the head of her table and
outshone all her guests in loveliness.

King Rinkitink was delighted with the quaint people
of Oz and laughed and joked with the tin man and the
pumpkin-headed man and found Cap'n Bill a very
agreeable companion. But what amused the jolly King
most were the animal guests, which Ozma always invited
to her banquets and seated at a table by themselves,
where they talked and chatted together as people do but
were served the sort of food their natures required.
The Hungry Tiger and Cowardly Lion and the Glass Cat
were much admired by Rinkitink, but when he met a mule
named Hank, which Betsy Bobbin had brought to Oz, the
King found the creature so comical that he laughed and
chuckled until his friends thought he would choke. Then
while the banquet was still in progress, Rinkitink
composed and sang a song to the mule and they all
joined in the chorus, which was something like this:


"It's very queer how big an ear
Is worn by Mr. Donkey;
And yet I fear he could not hear
If it were on a monkey.

'Tis thick and strong and broad and long
And also very hairy;
It's quite becoming to our Hank
But might disgrace a fairy!"


This song was received with so much enthusiasm that
Rinkitink was prevailed upon to sing another. They gave
him a little time to compose the rhyme, which he
declared would be better if he could devote a month or
two to its composition, hut the sentiment he expressed
was so admirable that no one criticized the song or the
manner in which the jolly little King sang it.

Dorothy wrote down the words on a piece of paper, and
here they are:


"We're merry comrades all, to-night,
Because we've won a gallant fight
And conquered all our foes.
We're not afraid of anything,
So let us gayly laugh and sing
Until we seek repose.

"We've all our grateful hearts can wish;
King Gos has gone to feed the fish,
Queen Cor has gone, as well;
King Kitticut has found his own,
Prince Bobo soon will have a throne
Relieved of magic spell.

"So let's forget the horrid strife
That fell upon our peaceful life
And caused distress and pain;
For very soon across the sea
We'll all be sailing merrily
To Pingaree again."




Chapter Twenty Three

The Pearl Kingdom


It was unfortunate that the famous Scarecrow - the most
popular person in all Oz, next to Ozma -- was absent at
the time of the banquet, for he happened just then to
be making one of his trips through the country; but the
Scarecrow had a chance later to meet Rinkitink and Inga
and the King and Queen of Pingaree and Prince Bobo, for
the party remained several weeks at the Emerald City,
where they were royally entertained, and where both the
gentle Queen Garee and the noble King Kitticut
recovered much of their good spirits and composure and
tried to forget their dreadful experiences.

At last, however, the King and Queen desired to
return to their own Pingaree, as they longed to be with
their people again and see how well they had rebuilt
their homes. Inga also was anxious to return, although
he had been very happy in Oz, and King Rinkitink, who
was happy anywhere except at Gilgad, decided to go with
his former friends to Pingaree. As for prince Bobo, he
had become so greatly attached to King Rinkitink that
he was loth to leave him.

On a certain day they all bade good-bye to Ozma and
Dorothy and Glinda and the Wizard and all their good
friends in Oz, and were driven in the Red Wagon to the
edge of the Deadly Desert, which they crossed safely on
the Magic Carpet. They then made their way across the
Nome Kingdom and the Wheeler Country, where no one
molested them, to the shores of the Nonestic Ocean.
There they found the boat with the silver lining still
lying undisturbed on the beach.

There were no important adventures during the trip
and on their arrival at the pearl kingdom they were
amazed at the beautiful appearance of the island they
had left in ruins. All the houses of the people had
been rebuilt and were prettier than before, with green
lawns before them and flower gardens in the back yards.
The marble towers of King Kitticut's new palace were
very striking and impressive, while the palace itself
proved far more magnificent than it had been before the
warriors from Regos destroyed it.

Nikobob had been very active and skillful in
directing all this work, and he had also built a pretty
cottage for himself, not far from the King's palace,
and there Inga found Zella, who was living very happy
and contented in her new home. Not only had Nikobob
accomplished all this in a comparatively brief space of
time, but he had started the pearl fisheries again and
when King Kitticut returned to Pingaree he found a
quantity of fine pearls already in the royal treasury.

So pleased was Kitticut with the good judgment,
industry and honesty of the former charcoal-burner of
Regos, that he made Nikobob his Lord High Chamberlain
and put him in charge of the pearl fisheries and all
the business matters of the island kingdom.

They all settled down very comfortably in the new
palace and the Queen gathered her maids about her once
more and set them to work embroidering new draperies
for the royal throne. Inga placed the three Magic
Pearls in their silken bag and again deposited them in
the secret cavity under the tiled flooring of the
banquet hall, where they could be quickly secured if
danger ever threatened the now prosperous island.

King Rinkitink occupied a royal guest chamber built
especially for his use and seemed in no hurry to leave
his friends in Pingaree. The fat little King had to
walk wherever he went and so missed Bilbil more and
more; but he seldom walked far and he was so fond of
Prince BoBo that he never regretted Bilbil's
disenchantment.

Indeed, the jolly monarch was welcome to remain
forever in Pingaree, if he wished to, for his merry
disposition set smiles on the faces of all his friends
and made everyone near him as jolly as he was himself.
When King Kitticut was not too busy with affairs of
state he loved to join his guest and listen to his
brother monarch's songs and stories. For he found
Rinkitink to be, with all his careless disposition, a
shrewd philosopher, and in talking over their
adventures one day the King of Gilgad said:

"The beauty of life is its sudden changes. No one
knows what is going to happen next, and so we are
constantly being surprised and entertained. The many
ups and downs should not discourage us, for if we are
down, we know that a change is coming and we will go up
again; while those who are up are almost certain to go
down. My grandfather had a song which well expresses
this and if you will listen I will sing it."

"Of course I will listen to your song," returned
Kitticut, "for it would be impolite not to."

So Rinkitink sang his grandfather's song:


"A mighty King once ruled the land --
But now he's baking pies.
A pauper, on the other hand,
Is ruling, strong and wise.

A tiger once in jungles raged --
But now he's in a zoo;
A lion, captive-born and caged,
Now roams the forest through.

A man once slapped a poor boy's pate
And made him weep and wail.
The boy became a magistrate
And put the man in jail.

A sunny day succeeds the night;
It's summer -- then it snows!
Right oft goes wrong and wrong comes right,
As ev'ry wise man knows."




Chapter Twenty-Four

The Captive King


One morning, just as the royal party was finishing
breakfast, a servant came running to say that a great
fleet of boats was approaching the island from the
south. King Kitticut sprang up at once, in great alarm,
for he had much cause to fear strange boats. The others
quickly followed him to the shore to see what invasion
might be coming upon them.

Inga was there with the first, and Nikobob and Zella
soon joined the watchers. And presently, while all were
gazing eagerly at the approaching fleet, King Rinkitink
suddenly cried out:

"Get your pearls, Prince Inga -- get them quick!"

"Are these our enemies, then?" asked the boy, looking
with surprise upon the fat little King, who had begun
to tremble violently.

"They are my people of Gilgad!" answered Rinkitink,
wiping a tear from his eye. "I recognize my royal
standards flying from the boats. So, please, dear Inga,
get out your pearls to protect me!"

"What can you fear at the hands of your own
subjects?" asked Kitticut, astonished.

But before his frightened guest could answer the
question Prince Bobo, who was standing beside his
friend, gave an amused laugh and said:

"You are caught at last, dear Rinkitink. Your people
will take you home again and oblige you to reign as
King."

Rinkitink groaned aloud and clasped his hands
together with a gesture of despair, an attitude so
comical that the others could scarcely forbear
laughing.

But now the boats were landing upon the beach. They
were fifty in number, beautifully decorated and
upholstered and rowed by men clad in the gay uniforms
of the King of Gilgad. One splended boat had a throne
of gold in the center, over which was draped the King's
royal robe of purple velvet, embroidered with gold
buttercups.

Rinkitink shuddered when he saw this throne; but now
a tall man, handsomely dressed, approached and knelt
upon the grass before his King, while all the other
occupants of the boats shouted joyfully and waved their
plumed hats in the air.

"Thanks to our good fortune," said the man who
kneeled, "we have found Your Majesty at last!"

"Pinkerbloo," answered Rinkitink sternly, "I must
have you hanged, for thus finding me against my will."

"You think so now, Your Majesty, but you will never
do it," returned Pinkerbloo, rising and kissing the
King's hand.

"Why won't I?" asked Rinkitink.

"Because you are much too tender-hearted, Your
Majesty."

"It may be -- it may be," agreed Rinkitink, sadly.
"It is one of my greatest failings. But what chance
brought you here, my Lord Pinkerbloo?"

"We have searched for you everywhere, sire, and all
the people of Gilgad have been in despair since you so
mysteriously disappeared. We could not appoint a new
King, because we did not know but that you still lived;
so we set out to find you, dead or alive. After
visiting many islands of the Nonestic Ocean we at last
thought of Pingaree, from where come the precious
pearls; and now our faithful quest has been rewarded."

"And what now?" asked Rinkitink.

"Now, Your Majesty, you must come home with us, like
a good and dutiful King, and rule over your people,"
declared the man in a firm voice.

"I will not."

"But you must -- begging Your Majesty's pardon for
the contradiction."

"Kitticut," cried poor Rinkitink, "you must save me
from being captured by these, my subjects. What! must I
return to Gilgad and be forced to reign in splendid
state when I much prefer to eat and sleep and sing in
my own quiet way? They will make me sit in a throne
three hours a day and listen to dry and tedious affairs
of state; and I must stand up for hours at the court
receptions, till I get corns on my heels; and forever
must I listen to tiresome speeches and endless
petitions and complaints!"

"But someone must do this, Your Majesty," said
Pinkerbloo respectfully, "and since you were born to be
our King you cannot escape your duty."

"'Tis a horrid fate!" moaned Rinkitink. "I would die
willingly, rather than be a King -- if it did not hurt
so terribly to die."

"You will find it much more comfortable to reign than
to die, although I fully appreciate Your Majesty's
difficult position and am truly sorry for you," said
Pinkerbloo.

King Kitticut had listened to this conversation
thoughtfully, so now he said to his friend:

"The man is right, dear Rinkitink. It is your duty to
reign, since fate has made you a King, and I see no
honorable escape for you. I shall grieve to lose your
companionship, but I feel the separation cannot be
avoided."

Rinkitink sighed.

"Then," said he, turning to Lord Pinkerbloo, "in
three days I will depart with you for Gilgad; but
during those three days I propose to feast and make
merry with my good friend King Kitticut."

Then all the people of Gilgad shouted with delight
and eagerly scrambled ashore to take their part in the
festival.

Those three days were long remembered in Pingaree,
for never -- before nor since -- has such feasting and
jollity been known upon that island. Rinkitink made the
most of his time and everyone laughed and sang with him
by day and by night.

Then, at last, the hour of parting arrived and the
King of Gilgad and Ruler of the Dominion of Rinkitink
was escorted by a grand procession to his boat and
seated upon his golden throne. The rowers of the fifty
boats paused, with their glittering oars pointed into
the air like gigantic uplifted sabres, while the people
of Pingaree -- men, women and children -- stood upon
the shore shouting a royal farewell to the jolly King.

Then came a sudden hush, while Rinkitink stood up
and, with a bow to those assembled to witness his
departure, sang the following song, which he had just
composed for the occasion.

"Farewell, dear Isle of Pingaree --
The fairest land in all the sea!
No living mortals, kings or churls,
Would scorn to wear thy precious pearls.

"King Kitticut, 'tis with regret
I'm forced to say farewell; and yet
Abroad no longer can I roam
When fifty boats would drag me home.

"Good-bye, my Prince of Pingaree;
A noble King some time you'll be
And long and wisely may you reign
And never face a foe again!"


They cheered him from the shore; they cheered him
from the boats; and then all the oars of the fifty
boats swept downward with a single motion and dipped
their blades into the purple-hued waters of the
Nonestic Ocean.

As the boats shot swiftly over the ripples of the sea
Rinkitink turned to Prince Bobo, who had decided not to
desert his former master and his present friend, and
asked anxiously:

"How did you like that song, Bilbil -- I mean Bobo?
Is it a masterpiece, do you think?"

And Bobo replied with a smile:

"Like all your songs, dear Rinkitink, the sentiment
far excels the poetry."





The Wonderful Oz Books
by L. Frank Baum

1 The Wizard of Oz
2 The Land of Oz
3 Ozma of Oz
4 Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
5 The Road to Oz
6 The Emerald City of Oz
7 The Patchwork Girl of Oz
8 Tik-Tok of Oz
9 The Scarecrow of Oz
10 Rinkitink in Oz
11 The Lost Princess of Oz
12 The Tin Woodman of Oz
13 The Magic of Oz
14 Glinda of Oz







 


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