Authors: The Enchanted Island of Yew
And, while he still gazed open-mouthed at the strange sight, Prince
Marvel tilted the bundle of men up on its edge and rolled it out of the
door. It went rolling swiftly through the courtyard and bounded down
the castle steps, where the rope broke and the men fell sprawling in
all directions on the marble walk.
King Terribus sighed, for such treatment of his Gray Men, whom he
dearly loved, made him very unhappy.
But more than ever was he resolved to kill these impudent strangers,
who, in the very heart of his kingdom where thousands bowed to his
will, dared openly defy his power. So, after a moment's thought,
Terribus beckoned to a dwarf who, robed in gay and glittering apparel,
stood near his throne.
"Summon the royal Dart Slingers!" he said, with a scowl.
The little man bowed and hastened away, to return presently with twenty
curiously crooked dwarfs, each armed with a sling and a quiver full of
slender, sharp-pointed darts.
"Slay me these strangers!" exclaimed the king, in his gruffest voice.
Now Nerle, when he beheld these terrible Dart Slingers, of whom he had
heard many tales in his boyhood, began to shiver and shake with fright,
so that his teeth rattled one upon another. And he reflected: "Soon
shall I be content, for these darts will doubtless pierce every part of
my body."
The dwarfs formed a line at one side of the gloomy throne-room, and
Prince Marvel, who had been earnestly regarding them, caught Nerle by
the arm and led him to the opposite wall.
"Stand close behind me and you will be safe," he whispered to his
esquire.
Then each dwarf fixed a dart in his sling, and at a word from their
chief they all drew back their arms and launched a shower of the sharp
missiles at the strangers.
Swift and true they sped, each dart intended to pierce the body of the
youthful knight who stood so calm before them. Prince Marvel had
raised his right arm, and in his hand was a small leather sack, with a
wide mouth. As the darts flew near him a strange thing happened: they
each and all swerved from their true course and fell rattling into the
leathern sack, to the wonder of the royal slingers and the dismay of
King Terribus himself.
"Again!" screamed the king, his usually mild voice hoarse with anger.
So again the dwarfs cast their darts, and again the leathern sack
caught them every one. Another flight followed, and yet another, till
the magic sack was packed full of the darts and not a dwarf had one
remaining in his quiver.
Amid the awed silence of the beholders of this feat the merry laughter
of Prince Marvel rang loud and clear; for the sight of the puzzled and
terrified faces about him was very comical. Plucking a dart from the
sack he raised his arm and cried:
"Now it is my turn. You shall have back your darts!"
"Hold!" shouted the king, in great fear. "Do not, I beg you, slay my
faithful servants." And with a wave of his hand he dismissed the
dwarfs, who were glad to rush from the room and escape.
Nerle wiped the tears from his eyes, for he was sorely disappointed at
having again escaped all pain and discomfort; but Prince Marvel seated
himself quietly upon a stool and looked at the scowling face of King
Terribus with real amusement.
The monarch of Spor had never before been so foiled and scorned by any
living creature. Defeated and humbled before his own people, he bowed
his crimson head on his hands and sullenly regarded his foe with his
top eye. Then it was that the idea came to him that no ordinary mortal
could have thwarted him so easily, and he began to fear he was
dealing—perhaps unawares—with some great magician or sorcerer. That
a fairy should have assumed a mortal form he never once considered, for
such a thing was until then unheard of in the Enchanted Island of Yew.
But with the knowledge that he had met his master, whoever he might
prove to be, and that further attempts upon the stranger's life might
lead to his own undoing, King Terribus decided to adopt a new line of
conduct, hoping to accomplish by stratagem what he could not do by
force. To be sure, there remained his regiment of Giants, the pride of
his kingdom; but Terribus dreaded to meet with another defeat; and he
was not at all sure, after what had happened, that the giants would
succeed in conquering or destroying the strangers.
"After all," he thought, "my only object in killing them was to prevent
their carrying news of my monstrous appearance to the outside world; so
if I can but manage to keep them forever in my kingdom it will answer
my purpose equally well."
As the result of this thought he presently raised his head and spoke to
Prince Marvel in a quiet and even cheerful voice.
"Enough of these rude and boisterous games," said he, with a smile that
showed his white teeth in a repulsive manner. "They may have seemed to
my people an ill welcome to my good friend, Prince Marvel; yet they
were only designed to show the powers of the mighty magician who has
become my guest. Nay, do not deny it, Prince; from the first I guessed
your secret, and to prove myself right I called my servants to oppose
you, being sure they could not do you an injury. But no more of such
fooling,—and pray forgive my merry game at your expense. Henceforth
we shall be friends, and you are heartily welcome to the best my
kingdom affords."
With this speech Terribus stepped down from his throne and approached
Prince Marvel with outstretched hand. The prince was not at all
deceived, but he was pleased to see how cunningly the king excused his
attempts to kill him. So he laughed and touched the hand Terribus
extended, for this fairy prince seemed to have no anger against any
mortal who ventured to oppose him.
The strangers were now conducted, with every mark of respect, to a
beautiful suite of apartments in the castle, wherein were soft beds
with velvet spreads, marble baths with perfumed waters, and a variety
of silken and brocaded costumes from which they might select a change
of raiment.
No sooner had they bathed and adorned themselves fittingly than they
were summoned to the king's banquet hall, being escorted thither by
twelve young maidens bearing torches with lavender-colored flames.
The night had fallen upon the mountains outside, but the great banquet
hall was brilliant with the glow of a thousand candles, and seated at
the head of the long table was King Terribus.
Yet here, as in the throne-room, the ruler of Spor was dressed in
simplest garments, and his seat was a rough block of stone. All about
him were lords and ladies in gorgeous array; the walls were hung with
rare embroideries; the table was weighted with gold platters and richly
carved goblets filled with sweet nectars. But the king himself, with
his horrid, ugly head, was like a great blot on a fair parchment, and
even Prince Marvel could not repress a shudder as he gazed upon him.
Terribus placed his guest upon his right hand and loaded him with
honors. Nerle stood behind the prince's chair and served him
faithfully, as an esquire should. But the other servants treated Nerle
with much deference, noting in him an air of breeding that marked him
the unusual servant of an unusual master.
Indeed, most curious were the looks cast on these marvelous men who had
calmly walked into the castle of mighty Terribus and successfully
defied his anger; for in spite of his youthful appearance and smiling
face every attendant at the banquet feared Prince Marvel even more than
they feared their own fierce king.
The days that followed were pleasant ones for Prince Marvel and Nerle,
who were treated as honored guests by both the king and his courtiers.
But the prince seemed to be the favorite, for at all games of skill and
trials at arms he was invariably the victor, while in the evenings,
when the grand ball-room was lighted up and the musicians played sweet
music, none was so graceful in the dance as the fairy prince.
Nerle soon tired of the games and dancing, for he had been accustomed
to them at his father's castle; and moreover he was shy in the society
of ladies; so before many weeks had passed he began to mope and show a
discontented face.
One day the prince noticed his esquire's dismal expression of
countenance, and asked the cause of it.
"Why," said Nerle, "here I have left my home to seek worries and
troubles, and have found but the same humdrum life that existed at my
father's castle. Here our days are made smooth and pleasant, and there
is no excitement or grief, whatever. You have become a carpet-knight,
Prince Marvel, and think more of bright eyes than of daring deeds. So,
if you will release me from your service I will seek further
adventures."
"Nay," returned the prince, "we will go together; for I, too, am tired
of this life of pleasure."
So next morning Marvel sought the presence of King Terribus and said:
"I have come to bid your Majesty adieu, for my esquire and I are about
to leave your dominions."
At first the king laughed, and his long nose began to sway from side to
side. Then, seeing the prince was in earnest, his Majesty frowned and
grew disturbed. Finally he said:
"I must implore you to remain my guests a short time longer. No one
has ever before visited me in my mountain home, and I do not wish to
lose the pleasure of your society so soon."
"Nevertheless, we must go," answered the prince, briefly.
"Are you not contented?" asked Terribus. "Ask whatever you may desire,
and it shall be granted you."
"We desire adventures amid new scenes," said Marvel, "and these you can
not give us except by permission to depart."
Seeing his guest was obstinate the king ceased further argument and
said:
"Very well; go if you wish. But I shall hope to see you return to us
this evening."
The prince paid no heed to this peculiar speech, but left the hall and
hurried to the courtyard of the castle, where Nerle was holding the
horses in readiness for their journey.
Standing around were many rows and files of the Gray Men, and when they
reached the marble roadway they found it lined with motionless forms of
the huge giants. But no one interfered with them in any way, although
both Prince Marvel and Nerle knew that every eye followed them as they
rode forward.
Curiously enough, they had both forgotten from what direction they had
approached the castle; for, whereas they had at that time noticed but
one marble roadway leading to the entrance, they now saw that there
were several of these, each one connecting with a path through the
mountains.
"It really doesn't matter which way we go, so long as we get away from
the Kingdom of Spor," said Prince Marvel; so he selected a path by
chance, and soon they were riding through a mountain pass.
The pleased, expectant look on Nerle's face had gradually turned to one
of gloom.
"I hoped we should have a fight to get away," he said, sadly; "and in
that case I might have suffered considerable injury and pain. But no
one has injured us in any way, and perhaps King Terribus is really glad
to be rid of us."
"With good reason, too, if such is the case," laughed Marvel; "for,
mark you, Nerle, the king has discovered we are more powerful than he
is, and had he continued to oppose us, we might have destroyed his
entire army."
On they rode through the rough hill paths, winding this way and that,
until they lost all sense of the direction in which they were going.
"Never mind," said the prince; "so long as we get farther and farther
away from the ugly Terribus I shall be satisfied."
"Perhaps we are getting into more serious danger than ever," answered
Nerle, brightening; "one of the giants told me the other day that near
the foot of these mountains is the Kingdom of the High Ki of Twi."
"Who is the High Ki of Twi?" asked Prince Marvel.
"No one knows," answered Nerle.
"And what is the Kingdom of Twi like?"
"No one knows that," answered Nerle.
"Then," returned the prince, with a smile, "if by chance we visit the
place we shall know more than any one else."
At noon they ate luncheon by the wayside, Nerle having filled his pouch
by stealth at the breakfast table. There were great fragments of rock
lying all about them, and the sun beat down so fiercely that the heat
reflected from the rocks was hard to bear. So the travelers did not
linger over their meal, but remounted and rode away as soon as
possible. When the sun began to get lower in the sky the rocks beside
the path threw the riders into shadow, so that their journey became
more pleasant. They rode along, paying little attention to the way,
but talking and laughing merrily together, until it began to grow dark.
"Does this path never end?" asked Prince Marvel, suddenly. "We ought
to reach some place where men dwell before long, else we shall be
obliged to spend the night among these rocks."
"And then perhaps the wolves will attack us," said Nerle, cheerfully,
"and tear us into pieces with their sharp teeth and claws."
But even as he spoke they rode around a turn in the path and saw a
sight that made them pause in astonishment. For just before them rose
the castle of King Terribus, and along both sides of the marble walk
leading up to it were ranged the lines of giants, exactly as they had
stood in the morning.
Nerle turned around in his saddle. Sure enough, there were the Gray
Men in the rear—stepping from behind every boulder and completely
filling the rocky pathway.
"Well, what shall we do?" asked the esquire; "fight?"
"No, indeed!" returned Prince Marvel, laughing at his friend's eager
face. "It appears the path we chose winds around in a circle, and so
has brought us back to our starting-point. So we must make the best of
a bad blunder and spend another night with our ugly friend King
Terribus."