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Page 12
Once Prince Inga, wishing to be courteous, walked up
to the goat and said: "Good morning, Bilbil."
"It isn't a good morning," answered Bilbil grumpily.
"It is cloudy and damp, and looks like rain."
"I hope you are contented in our kingdom," continued
the boy, politely ignoring the other's harsh words.
"I'm not," said Bilbil. "I'm never contented; so it
doesn't matter to me whether I'm in your kingdom or in
some other kingdom. Go away -- will you?"
"Certainly," answered the Prince, and after this
rebuff he did not again try to make friends with
Bilbil.
Now that the King, his father, was so much occupied
with his royal guest, Inga was often left to amuse
himself, for a boy could not be allowed to take part in
the conversation of two great monarchs. He devoted
himself to his studies, therefore, and day after day he
climbed into the branches of his favorite tree and sat
for hours in his "tree-top rest," reading his father's
precious manuscripts and thinking upon what he read.
You must not think that Inga was a molly-coddle or a
prig, because he was so solemn and studious. Being a
King's son and heir to a throne, he could not play with
the other boys of Pingaree, and he lived so much in the
society of the King and Queen, and was so surrounded by
the pomp and dignity of a court, that he missed all the
jolly times that boys usually have. I have no doubt
that had he been able to live as other boys do, he
would have been much like other boys; as it was, he was
subdued by his surroundings, and more grave and
thoughtful than one of his years should be.
Inga was in his tree one morning when, without
warning, a great fog enveloped the Island of Pingaree.
The boy could scarcely see the tree next to that in
which he sat, but the leaves above him prevented the
dampness from wetting him, so he curled himself up in
his seat and fell fast asleep.
All that forenoon the fog continued. King Kitticut,
who sat in his palace talking with his merry visitor,
ordered the candles lighted, that they might be able to
see one another. The good Queen, Inga's mother, found
it was too dark to work at her embroidery, so she
called her maidens together and told them wonderful
stories of bygone days, in order to pass away the
dreary hours.
But soon after noon the weather changed. The dense
fog rolled away like a heavy cloud and suddenly the sun
shot his bright rays over the island.
"Very good!" exclaimed King Kitticut. "We shall have
a pleasant afternoon, I am sure," and he blew out the
candles.
Then he stood a moment motionless, as if turned to
stone, for a terrible cry from without the palace
reached his ears -- a cry so full of fear and horror
that the King's heart almost stopped beating.
Immediately there was a scurrying of feet as every one
in the palace, filled with dismay, rushed outside to
see what had happened. even fat little Rinkitink sprang
from his chair and followed his host and the others
through the arched vestibule.
After many years the worst fears of King Kitticut
were realized.
Landing upon the beach, which was but a few steps
from the palace itself, were hundreds of boats, every
one filled with a throng of fierce warriors. They
sprang upon the land with wild shouts of defiance and
rushed to the King's palace, waving aloft their swords
and spears and battleaxes.
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