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Page 11
"I would like to see that parchment," said the
solemn-eyed Prince Inga, "for if it indeed teaches one
to be good it must be worth its weight in pearls."
"Oh, it's a fine essay," said Rinkitink, "and
beautifully written with a goosequill. Listen to this:
You'll enjoy it -- tee, hee, hee! -- enjoy it."
He took from his pocket a scroll of parchment tied
with a black ribbon, and having carefully unrolled it,
he proceeded to read as follows:
"'A Good Man is One who is Never Bad.' How's that,
eh? Fine thought, what? 'Therefore, in order to be
Good, you must avoid those Things which are Evil.' Oh,
hoo-hoo-hoo! -- how clever! When I get back I shall
make the man who wrote that a royal hippolorum, for,
beyond question, he is the wisest man in my kingdom -as
he has often told me himself." With this, Rinkitink lay
back in his chair and chuckled his queer chuckle until
he coughed, and coughed until he choked and choked
until he sneezed. And he wrinkled his face in such a
jolly, droll way that few could keep from laughing with
him, and even the good Queen was forced to titter
behind her fan.
When Rinkitink had recovered from his fit of laughter
and had wiped his eyes upon a fine lace handkerchief,
Prince Inga said to him:
"The parchment speaks truly."
"Yes, it is true beyond doubt," answered Rinkitink,
"and if I could persuade Bilbil to read it he would be
a much better goat than he is now. Here is another
selection: 'To avoid saying Unpleasant Things, always
Speak Agreeably.' That would hit Bilbil, to a dot. And
here is one that applies to you, my Prince: 'Good
Children are seldom punished, for the reason that they
deserve no punishment.' Now, I think that is neatly
put, and shows the author to be a deep thinker. But the
advice that has impressed me the most is in the
following paragraph: 'You may not find it as Pleasant
to be Good as it is to be Bad, but Other People will
find it more Pleasant.' Haw-hoo-ho! keek-eek! 'Other
people will find it more pleasant!' -- hee, hee, heek,
keek! -- 'more pleasant.' Dear me -- dear me! Therein
lies a noble incentive to be good, and whenever I get
time I'm surely going to try it."
Then he wiped his eyes again with the lace
handkerchief and, suddenly remembering his dinner,
seized his knife and fork and began eating.
Chapter Three
The Warriors from the North
King Rinkitink was so much pleased with the Island of
Pingaree that he continued his stay day after day and
week after week, eating good dinners, talking with King
Kitticut and sleeping. Once in a while he would read
from his scroll. "For," said he, "whenever I return
home, my subjects will be anxious to know if I have
learned 'How to be Good,' and I must not disappoint
them."
The twenty rowers lived on the small end of the
island, with the pearl fishers, and seemed not to care
whether they ever returned to the Kingdom of Rinkitink
or not. Bilbil the goat wandered over the grassy
slopes, or among the trees, and passed his days exactly
as he pleased. His master seldom cared to ride him.
Bilbil was a rare curiosity to the islanders, but since
there was little pleasure in talking with the goat they
kept away from him. This pleased the creature, who
seemed well satisfied to be left to his own devices.
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