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Page 48
Wul-Takim also begged to join the party, and so also did King
Terribus, who had never before been outside of his own Kingdom of
Spor; so Prince Marvel willingly consented.
The fifty-eight reformed thieves, led by Gunder, returned to their
cave, where they were living comfortably on the treasure Prince Marvel
had given them; and the Gray Men and giants and dwarfs of Spor
departed for their own country.
In the morning Prince Marvel led his own gay cavalcade through the
hole in the hedge, and they rode merrily away in search of adventure.
By his side were the High Ki, mounted upon twin chestnut ponies that
had remarkably slender limbs and graceful, arched necks. The ponies
moved with exactly the same steps, and shook their manes and swished
their tails at exactly the same time. Behind the prince and the High
Ki were King Terribus, riding his great white charger, and Wul-Takim
on a stout horse of jet-black color. The two ancient Ki and Nerle,
being of lesser rank than the others, brought up the rear.
"When we return to our Land of Twi," said the High Ki, "we shall close
up for all time the hole you made in the hedge; for, if we are different
from the rest of the world, it is better that we remain in seclusion."
"I think it is right you should do that," replied Prince Marvel. "Yet
I do not regret that I cut a hole in your hedge."
"It was the hedge that delayed us in coming more promptly to your
assistance," said Terribus; "for we had hard work to find the hole you
had made, and so lost much valuable time."
"All is well that ends well!" laughed the prince. "You certainly came
in good time to rescue us from our difficulties."
They turned into a path that led to Auriel, which Nerle had heard
spoken of as "the Kingdom of the Setting Sun."
Soon the landscape grew very pleasant to look upon, the meadows being
broad and green, with groups of handsome trees standing about. The
twilight of the Land of Twi was now replaced by bright sunshine, and
in the air was the freshness of the near-by sea.
At evening they came to a large farmhouse, where the owner welcomed
them hospitably and gave them the best his house afforded.
In answer to their questions about the Kingdom of Auriel, he shook his
head sadly and replied:
"It is a rich and beautiful country, but has fallen under great
misfortunes. For when the good king died, about two years ago, the
kingdom was seized by a fierce and cruel sorcerer, named Kwytoffle,
who rules the people with great severity, and makes them bring him all
their money and valuable possessions. So every one is now very poor
and unhappy, and that is a great pity in a country so fair and fertile."
"But why do not the people rebel?" asked Nerle.
"They dare not rebel," answered the farmer, "because they fear the
sorcery of Kwytoffle. If they do not obey him he threatens to change
them into grasshoppers and June-bugs."
"Has he ever changed any one into a grasshopper or a June-bug?" asked
Prince Marvel.
"No; but the people are too frightened to oppose him, and so he does
not get the opportunity. And he has an army of fierce soldiers, who
are accustomed to beat the people terribly if they do not carry every
bit of their wealth to the sorcerer. So there is no choice but to
obey him."
"We certainly ought to hang this wicked creature!" exclaimed Wul-Takim.
"I wish I had brought my Fool-Killer with me," sighed King Terribus;
"for I could have kept him quite busy in this kingdom."
"Can not something be done to rescue these poor people from their sad
fate?" asked the lovely High Ki, anxiously.
"We will make a call upon this Kwytoffle to-morrow," answered Prince
Marvel, "and see what the fellow is like."
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