...chapter twenty-one of Rinkitink in Oz...previous...next...
After Kaliko had failed in his attempts to destroy his guests, as has
been related, the Nome King did nothing more to injure them but treated them
in a friendly manner. He refused, however, to permit Inga to see or to speak
with his father and mother, or even to know in what part of the underground
caverns they were confined.
"You are able to protect your lives and persons, I freely admit," said
Kaliko; "but I firmly believe you have no power, either of magic or
otherwise, to take from me the captives I have agreed to keep for King
Gos."
Inga would not agree to this. He determined not to leave the caverns
until he had liberated his father and mother, although he did not then know
how that could be accomplished. As for Rinkitink, the jolly King was well
fed and had a good bed to sleep upon, so he was not worrying about anything
and seemed in no hurry to go away.
Kaliko and Rinkitink were engaged in pitching a game with solid gold
quoits, on the floor of the royal chamber, and Inga and Bilbil were
watching them, when Klik came running in, his hair standing on end with
excitement, and cried out that the Wizard of Oz and Dorothy were
approaching.
Kaliko turned pale on hearing this unwelcome news and, abandoning his
game, went to sit in his ivory throne and try to think what had brought
these fearful visitors to his domain.
"Who is Dorothy?" asked Inga.
"She is a little girl who once lived in Kansas," replied Klik, with a
shudder, "but she now lives in Ozma's palace at the Emerald City and is a
Princess of Oz -- which means that she is a terrible foe to deal with."
"Doesn't she like the nomes?" inquired the boy.
"It isn't that," said King Kaliko, with a groan, "but she insists on the
nomes being goody-goody, which is contrary to their natures. Dorothy gets
angry if I do the least thing that is wicked, and tries to make me stop it,
and that naturally makes me downhearted. I can't imagine why she has come
here just now, for I've been behaving very well lately. As for that Wizard
of Oz, he's chock-full of magic that I can't overcome, for he learned it
from Glinda, who is the most powerful sorceress in the world. Woe is me! Why
didn't Dorothy and the Wizard stay in Oz, where they belong?"
Inga and Rinkitink listened to this with much joy, for at once the idea
came to them both to plead with Dorothy to help them. Even Bilbil pricked up
his ears when he heard the Wizard of Oz mentioned, and the goat seemed much
less surly, and more thoughtful than usual.
A few minutes later a nome came to say that Dorothy and the Wizard had
arrived and demanded admittance, so Klik was sent to usher them into the
royal presence of the Nome King.
As soon as she came in the little girl ran up to the boy Prince and
seized both his hands.
"Oh, Inga!" she exclaimed, "I'm so glad to find you alive and well."
Inga was astonished at so warm a greeting. Making a low bow he said:
"I don't think we have met before, Princess."
"No, indeed," replied Dorothy, "but I know all about you and I've come to
help you and King Rinkitink out of your troubles." Then she turned to the
Nome King and continued: "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, King
Kaliko, to treat an honest Prince and an honest King so badly."
"I haven't done anything to them," whined Kaliko, trembling as her eyes
flashed upon him.
"No; but you tried to, an' that's just as bad, if not worse," said
Dorothy, who was very indignant. "And now I want you to send for the King
and Queen of Pingaree and have them brought here immejitly!"
"I won't," said Kaliko.
"Yes, you will!" cried Dorothy, stamping her foot at him. "I won't have
those poor people made unhappy any longer, or separated from their little
boy. Why, it's dreadful, Kaliko, an' I'm su'prised at you. You must be more
wicked than I thought you were."
"I can't do it, Dorothy," said the Nome King, almost weeping with
despair. "I promised King Gos I'd keep them captives. You wouldn't ask me to
break my promise, would you?"
"King Gos was a robber and an outlaw," she said, "and p'r'aps you
don't know that a storm at sea wrecked his boat, while he was going back to
Regos, and that he and Queen Cor were both drowned."
"Dear me!" exclaimed Kaliko. "Is that so?"
"I saw it in Glinda's Record Book," said Dorothy. "So now you trot out
the King and Queen of Pingaree as quick as you can."
"No," persisted the contrary Nome King, shaking his head. "I won't do it.
Ask me anything else and I'll try to please you, but I can't allow these
friendly enemies to triumph over me.
"In that case," said Dorothy, beginning to remove the cover from her
basket, "I'll show you some eggs."
"Eggs!" screamed the Nome King in horror. "Have you eggs in that
basket?"
"A dozen of 'em," replied Dorothy.
"Then keep them there -- I beg -- I implore you! -- and I'll do anything
you say," pleaded Kaliko, his teeth chattering so that he could hardly
speak.
"Send for the King and Queen of Pingaree," said Dorothy.
"Go, Klik," commanded the Nome King, and Klik ran away in great haste,
for he was almost as much frightened as his master.
It was an affecting scene when the unfortunate King and Queen of Pingaree
entered the chamber and with sobs and tears of joy embraced their brave and
adventurous son. All the others stood silent until greetings and kisses had
been exchanged and Inga had told his parents in a few words of his vain
struggles to rescue them and how Princess Dorothy had finally come to his
assistance.
Then King Kitticut shook the hands of his friend King Rinkitink and
thanked him for so loyally supporting his son Inga, and Queen Garee kissed
little Dorothy's forehead and blessed her for restoring her husband and
herself to freedom.
The Wizard had been standing near Bilbil the goat and now he was
surprised to hear the animal say:
"Joyful reunion, isn't it? But it makes me tired to see grown people
cry like children."
"Oho!" exclaimed the Wizard. "How does it happen, Mr. Goat, that you, who
have never been to the Land of Oz, are able to talk?"
"That's my business," returned Bilbil in a surly tone.
The Wizard stooped down and gazed fixedly into the animal's eyes. Then he
said, with a pitying sigh: "I see; you are under an enchantment. Indeed, I
believe you to be Prince Bobo of Boboland."
Bilbil made no reply but dropped his head as if ashamed.
"This is a great discovery," said the Wizard, addressing Dorothy and the
others of the party. "A good many years ago a cruel magician transformed the
gallant Prince of Boboland into a talking goat, and this goat, being ashamed
of his condition, ran away and was never after seen in Boboland, which is a
country far to the south of here but bordering on the Deadly Desert,
opposite the Land of Oz. I heard of this story long ago and know that a
diligent search has been made for the enchanted Prince, without result. But
I am well assured that, in the animal you call Bilbil, I have discovered the
unhappy Prince of Boboland."
"Dear me, Bilbil," said Rinkitink, "why have you never told me this?"
"What would be the use?" asked Bilbil in a low voice and still refusing
to look up.
"The use?" repeated Rinkitink, puzzled.
"Yes, that's the trouble," said the Wizard. "It is one of the most
powerful enchantments ever accomplished, and the magician is now dead and
the secret of the anti-charm lost. Even I, with all my skill, cannot restore
Prince Bobo to his proper form. But I think Glinda might be able to do so
and if you will all return with Dorothy and me to the Land of Oz, where Ozma
will make you welcome, I will ask Glinda to try to break this
enchantment."
This was willingly agreed to, for they all welcomed the chance to visit
the famous Land of Oz. So they bade good-bye to King Kaliko, whom Dorothy
warned not to be wicked any more if he could help it, and the entire party
returned over the Magic Carpet to the Land of Oz. They filled the Red Wagon,
which was still waiting for them, pretty full; but the Sawhorse didn't mind
that and with wonderful speed carried them safely to the Emerald City.
...chapter twenty-one of Rinkitink in Oz...previous...next...