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Page 23
King Terribus was almost wild with rage and disappointment, and his
elephant nose twisted and squirmed horribly.
"So you dare to thwart my commands, do you!" he cried, excitedly.
"Well, we shall soon see which of us is the more powerful. I have
decreed your death--and die you shall!"
For a moment his eye roved around the chamber uncertainly. Then he
shouted, suddenly:
"Ho, there! Keepers of the royal menagerie--appear!"
Three men entered the room and bowed before the king. They were of
the Gray Men of the mountains, who had followed Prince Marvel and
Nerle through the rocky passes.
"Bring hither the Royal Dragon," cried the king, "and let him consume
these strangers before my very eyes!"
The men withdrew, and presently was heard a distant shouting, followed
by a low rumbling sound, with groans, snorts, roars and a hissing like
steam from the spout of a teakettle.
The noise and shouting drew nearer, while the people huddled together
like frightened sheep; and then suddenly the doors flew open and the
Royal Dragon advanced to the center of the room.
This creature was at once the pride and terror of the Kingdom of Spor.
It was more than thirty feet in length and covered everywhere with
large green scales set with diamonds, making the dragon, when it
moved, a very glittering spectacle. Its eyes were as big as
pie-plates, and its mouth--when wide opened--fully as large as a
bath-tub. Its tail was very long and ended in a golden ball, such as
you see on the top of flagstaffs. Its legs, which were as thick as
those of an elephant, had scales which were set with rubies and
emeralds. It had two monstrous, big ears and two horns of carved
ivory, and its teeth were also carved into various fantastic
shapes--such as castles, horses' heads, chinamen and griffins--so that
if any of them broke it would make an excellent umbrella handle.
The Royal Dragon of Spor came crawling into the throne-room rather
clumsily, groaning and moaning with every step and waving its ears
like two blankets flying from a clothesline.
The king looked on it and frowned.
"Why are you not breathing fire and brimstone?" he demanded, angrily.
"Why, I was caught out in a gale the other night," returned the
Dragon, rubbing the back of its ear with its left front paw, as it
paused and looked at the king, "and the wind put out my fire."
"Then why didn't you light it again?" asked Terribus, turning on
the keepers.
"We--we were out of matches, your Majesty!" stammered the trembling
Gray Men.
"So--ho!" yelled the king, and was about to order the keepers
beheaded; but just then Nerle pulled out his match-box, lit one of the
matches, and held it in front of the Dragon's mouth. Instantly the
creature's breath caught fire; and it began to breathe flames a yard
in length.
"That's better," sighed the Dragon, contentedly. "I hope your Majesty
is now satisfied."
"No,--I am not satisfied!" declared King Terribus. "Why do you not
lash your tail?"
"Ah, I can't do that!" replied the Dragon. "It's all stiffened up
with rheumatism from the dampness of my cave. It hurts too much to
lash it."
"Well, then, gnash your teeth!" commanded the king.
"Tut--tut!" answered the Dragon, mildly; "I can't do that, either; for
since you had them so beautifully carved it makes my teeth ache to
gnash them."
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