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Page 33
"In that case," said Nerle, "we had better leave the hedge and go in
another direction."
"Not so," declared Marvel. "The hedge incloses some unknown country,
and I am curious to find out what it is."
"But there is no opening," remonstrated Nerle.
"Then we must make one. Wouldn't you like to enjoy a little more pain?"
"Thank you," answered Nerle, "my hands are still smarting very
comfortably from the pricks of yesterday."
"Therefore I must make the attempt myself," said the prince, and
drawing his sword he whispered a queer word to it, and straightway
began slashing at the hedge.
The brambles fell fast before his blade, and when he had cut a big
heap of branches from the hedge Nerle dragged them to one side, and
the prince began again.
It was marvelous how thick the hedge proved. Only a magic sword could
have done this work and remained sharp, and only a fairy arm could
have proved strong enough to hew through the tough wood. But the
magic sword and fairy arm were at work, and naught could resist them.
After a time the last branches were severed and dragged from the path,
and then the travelers rode their horses through the gap into the
unknown country beyond.
They saw at first glance that it was a land of great beauty; but after
that one look both Prince Marvel and Nerle paused and rubbed their
eyes, to assure themselves that their vision was not blurred.
Before them were two trees, exactly alike. And underneath the trees
two cows were grazing--each a perfect likeness of the other. At
their left were two cottages, with every door and window and chimney
the exact counterpart of another. Before these houses two little boys
were playing, evidently twins, for they not only looked alike and
dressed alike, but every motion one made was also made by the other at
the same time and in precisely the same way. When one laughed the
other laughed, and when one stubbed his toe and fell down, the other did
likewise, and then they both sat up and cried lustily at the same time.
At this two women--it was impossible to tell one from the
other--rushed out of the two houses, caught up the two boys, shook and
dusted them in precisely the same way, and led them by their ears back
into the houses.
Again the astonished travelers rubbed their eyes, and then Prince
Marvel looked at Nerle and said:
"I thought at first that I saw everything double, but there seems to
be only one of YOU."
"And of you," answered the boy. "But see! there are two hills ahead
of us, and two paths lead from the houses over the hills! How strange
it all is!"
Just then two birds flew by, close together and perfect mates; and the
cows raised their heads and "mooed" at the same time; and two
men--also twins--came over the two hills along the two paths with two
dinner-pails in their hands and entered the two houses. They were met
at the doors by the two women, who kissed them exactly at the same
time and helped them off with their coats with the same motions, and
closed the two doors with two slams at the same instant.
Nerle laughed. "What sort of country have we got into?" he asked.
"Let us find out," replied the prince, and riding up to one of the
houses he knocked on the door with the hilt of his sword.
Instantly the doors of both houses flew open, and both men appeared in
the doorways. Both started back in amazement at sight of the
strangers, and both women shrieked and both little boys began to cry.
Both mothers boxed the children's ears, and both men gasped out:
"Who--who are you?"
Their voices were exactly alike, and their words were spoken in
unison. Prince Marvel replied, courteously:
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