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Page 52
"Let me read it," said Prince Marvel, suddenly snatching the book from
Kwytoffle's hands. Then he turned to the title-page and read:
"'Lives of Famous Thieves and Impostors.' Why, this is not a book
of enchantments."
"That is what I suspected," said Terribus.
"No one but a sorcerer can read the enchantments in this book,"
declared Kwytoffle; but he hung his head with a sheepish look, for he
knew his deception had been well understood.
"Is your own history written in this volume?" inquired Marvel.
"No," answered the sorcerer.
"Then it ought to be," said the prince, "for you are no sorcerer at
all, but merely a thief and an impostor!"
22. The Queen of Plenta
The soldiers of Kwytoffle wanted to hang their old master at once, for
he had won their enmity by abusing them in many ways; but Prince
Marvel would not let them do this. However, they tied the false
sorcerer to a post, and the captain gave him a good whipping--one lash
for each letter in the words "grasshopper" and "June-bug." Kwytoffle
howled loudly for mercy, but no one was at all sorry for him.
Wul-Takim tied a rope around the impostor's neck, and when the party
left the castle they journeyed all through the kingdom of Auriel, and
at every town or city they came to the reformed thief would cry out to
the populace:
"Here is the terrible sorcerer Kwytoffle, who threatened to change you
into grasshoppers and june-bugs. But you may see that he is a very
common man, with no powers of sorcery whatever!"
And then the people would laugh and pelt mud at their former tyrant,
and thank Prince Marvel for haying exposed the false and wicked creature.
And they called the son of their old king back to his lawful throne,
where he ruled wisely and well; and the hoarded wealth of Kwytoffle
was divided among the people again, and soon the country became
prosperous once more.
This adventure was very amusing to the pretty High Ki of Twi. It
afforded them laughter for many days, and none of the party ever saw a
grasshopper or a june-bug afterward without thinking of the terrible
sorcerer Kwytoffle.
They left that disgraced person grooming horses for his board in the
stables of the new king, and proceeded upon their journey.
Without further event they reached the splendid southern Kingdom of
Plenta, which was the most delightfully situated of any dominion in
the Enchanted Island of Yew. It was ruled by a good and generous
queen, who welcomed the strangers to her palace and gave a series of
gay entertainments in their honor.
King Terribus was especially an object of interest, for every one had
heard his name and feared him and his fierce people. But when they
beheld his pleasant countenance and listened to his gentle voice they
began to regard him with much love and respect; and really Terribus
was worthy of their friendship since he had changed from a deformed
monster into an ordinary man, and had forbidden his people ever again
to rob and plunder their weaker neighbors.
But the most popular personages visiting at the court of the Queen of
Plenta were the lovely High Ki of Twi. Although beautiful girls
abounded in this kingdom, none could compare with the royal twins, and
their peculiar condition only served to render them the more interesting.
Two youths would approach the High Ki at the same time and invite them
to dance, and in united voices they would accept the invitation and go
whirling around the room with exactly the same steps, laughing at the
same instant and enjoying the dance equally. But if one youth asked
his partner a question, both the twins would make answer, and that was
sure to confuse and embarrass the youth. Still, the maids managed
very well to adapt themselves to the ways of people who were singular,
although they sometimes became a little homesick for Twi, where they
were like all the other people.
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