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Page 32
Coregos was ruled by Queen Cor, who was wedded to
King Gos; but so stern and cruel was the nature of this
Queen that the people could not decide which of their
sovereigns they dreaded most.
Queen Cor lived in her own City of Coregos, which lay
on that side of her island facing Regos, and her
slaves, who were mostly women, were made to plow the
land and to plant and harvest the grain.
From Regos to Coregos stretched a bridge of boats,
set close together, with planks laid across their edges
for people to walk upon. In this way it was easy to
pass from one island to the other and in times of
danger the bridge could be quickly removed.
The native inhabitants of Regos and Coregos consisted
of the warriors, who did nothing but fight and ravage,
and the trembling servants who waited on them. King Gos
and Queen Cor were at war with all the rest of the
world. Other islanders hated and feared them, for their
slaves were badly treated and absolutely no mercy was
shown to the weak or ill.
When the boats that had gone to Pingaree returned
loaded with rich plunder and a host of captives, there
was much rejoicing in Regos and Coregos and the King
and Queen gave a fine feast to the warriors who had
accomplished so great a conquest. This feast was set
for the warriors in the grounds of King Gos's palace,
while with them in the great throne room all the
captains and leaders of the fighting men were assembled
with King Gos and Queen Cor, who had come from her
island to attend the ceremony. Then all the goods that
had been stolen from the King of Pingaree were divided
according to rank, the King and Queen taking half, the
captains a quarter, and the rest being divided amongst
the warriors.
The day following the feast King Gos sent King
Kitticut and all the men of Pingaree to work in his
mines under the mountains, having first chained them
together so they could not escape. The gentle Queen of
Pingaree and all her women, together with the captured
children, were given to Queen Cor, who set them to work
in her grain fields.
Then the rulers and warriors of these dreadful
islands thought they had done forever with Pingaree.
Despoiled of all its wealth, its houses torn down, its
boats captured and all its people enslaved, what
likelihood was there that they might ever again hear of
the desolated island? So the people of Regos and
Coregos were surprised and puzzled when one morning
they observed approaching their shores from the
direction of the south a black boat containing a boy, a
fat man and a goat. The warriors asked one another who
these could be, and where they had come from? No one
ever came to those islands of their own accord, that
was certain.
Prince Inga guided his boat to the south end of the
Island of Regos, which was the landing place nearest to
the city, and when the warriors saw this action they
went down to the shore to meet him, being led by a big
captain named Buzzub.
"Those people surely mean us no good," said Rinkitink
uneasily to the boy. "Without doubt they intend to
capture us and make us their slaves."
"Do not fear, sir," answered Inga, in a calm voice.
"Stay quietly in the boat with Bilbil until I have
spoken with these men."
He stopped the boat a dozen feet from the shore, and
standing up in his place made a grave bow to the
multitude confronting him. Said the big Captain Buzzub
in a gruff voice:
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