"And Collerated Giants," she added.
"Corrugated," he corrected. "It is too late, this Saturday, to startupon our journey, so we must wait another week. But next Saturdaymorning do you come to me bright and early, as soon as you've hadbreakfast, and then I'll tell you what to do."
"All right," said Twinkle; "I won't forget."
"In the mean time, do give me a little clean water now and then. I'm amud-turtle, sure enough; but I'm also a fairy prince, and I must say Iprefer clean water."
"I'll attend to it," promised the girl.
"Now put me down and run away," continued the turtle. "It will take meall the week to think over my plans, and decide exactly what we are todo."
Chapter IVPrince Turtle Remembers His Magic
TWINKLE was as nervous as she could be during all the week that followedthis strange conversation with Prince Turtle. Every day, as soon asschool was out, she would run to the tub to see if the turtle was stillsafe--for she worried lest it should run away or disappear in somestrange manner. And during school hours it was such hard work to keepher mind on her lessons that teacher scolded her more than once.
The fairy imprisoned in the turtle's form had nothing to say to herduring this week, because he would not be allowed to talk again untilSaturday; so the most that Twinkle could do to show her interest in thePrince was to give him the choicest food she could get and supply himwith plenty of fresh, clean water.
At last the day of her adventure arrived, and as soon as she could getaway from the breakfast table Twinkle ran out to the tub. There was herfairy turtle, safe as could be, and as she leaned over the tub he putout his head and called "Good morning!" in his small, shrill voice.
"Good morning," she replied.
"Are you still willing and ready to assist me?" asked the turtle.
"To be sure," said Twinkle.
"Then take me in your hand," said he.
So she picked him out of the tub and placed him upon her hand. And theturtle said:
"Now pay strict attention, and do exactly as I tell you, and all will bewell. In the first place, we want to get to the Black Mountains; so youmust repeat after me these words: '_Uller; aller; iller; oller!_'"
"Uller; aller; iller; oller!" said Twinkle.
The next minute it seemed as though a gale of wind had struck her. Itblew so strongly against her eyes that she could not see; so she coveredher face with one arm while with the other hand she held fast to theturtle. Her skirts fluttered so wildly that it seemed as if they wouldtear themselves from her body, and her sun-bonnet, not being properlyfastened, was gone in a minute.
But it didn't last long, fortunately. After a few moments the windstopped, and she found she could breathe again. Then she looked aroundher and drew another long breath, for instead of being in the back yardat home she stood on the side of a beautiful mountain, and spread beforeher were the loveliest green valleys she had ever beheld.
"Well, we're here," said the turtle, in a voice that sounded as if hewere well pleased. "I thought I hadn't forgotten my fairy wisdom."
"Where are we?" asked the child.
"In the Black Mountains, of course," was the reply. "We've come a goodway, but it didn't take us long to arrive, did it?"
"No, indeed," she answered, still gazing down the mountain side at theflower-strewn grass-land of the valleys.
"This," said the turtle, sticking his little head out of the shell asfar as it would go, "is the realm of the fairies, where I used to dwell.Those beautiful palaces you see yonder are inhabited by QueenFlutterlight and my people, and that grim castle at your left, standingon the side of the mountain, is where the Corrugated Giant lives."
"I don't see anything!" exclaimed Twinkle; "that is, nothing but thevalleys and the flowers and grass."
"True; I had forgotten that these things are invisible to your mortaleyes. But it is necessary that you should see all clearly, if you aregoing to rescue me from this terrible form and restore me to my naturalshape. Now, put me down upon the ground, for I must search for aparticular plant whose leaf has a magic virtue."
So Twinkle put him down, and the little turtle began running around hereand there, looking carefully at the different plants that grew amongstthe grass on the mountain side. But his legs were so short and hisshell-covered body so heavy, that he couldn't move very fast; sopresently he called for her to pick him up again, and hold him close tothe ground while she walked among the plants. She did this, and afterwhat seemed a long search the turtle suddenly cried out:
"Stop! Here it is! This is the plant I want."
"Which--this?" asked the girl, touching a broad green leaf.
"Yes. Pluck the leaf from the stem and rub your eyelids with it."
She obeyed, and having rubbed her lids well with the leaf, she againopened her eyes and beheld the real Fairyland.
Chapter VTwinkle Promises to Be Brave
IN the center of the valley was a great cluster of palaces that appearedto be built of crystal and silver and mother-of-pearl, and goldenfiligree-work. So dainty and beautiful were these fairy dwellings thatTwinkle had no doubt for an instant but that she gazed upon fairyland.She could almost see, from the far mountain upon which she stood, theairy, gauze-winged forms of the fairies themselves, floating gentlyamidst their pretty palaces and moving gracefully along the jeweledstreets.
But another sight now attracted her attention--a big, gray, ugly lookingcastle standing frowning on the mountain side at her left. It overlookedthe lovely city of palaces like a dark cloud on the edge of a blue sky,and the girl could not help giving a shudder as she saw it. All aroundthe castle was a high fence of iron spikes.
"That fence is enchanted," said the turtle, as if he knew she waslooking at it; "and no fairy can pass it, because the power to preventit has been given to the giant. But a mortal has never been forbidden topass the fence, for no one ever supposed that a mortal would come hereor be able to see it. That is the reason I have brought you to thisplace, and the reason why you alone are able to help me."
"Gracious!" cried Twinkle; "must I meet the Carbonated Giant?"
"He's corrugated," said the turtle.
"I know he's something dreadful," she wailed, "because he's so hard topronounce."
"You will surely have to meet him," declared the turtle; "but do notfear, I will protect you from all harm."
"Well, a Corralated Giant's a mighty big person," said the girl,doubtfully, "and a mud-turtle isn't much of a fighter. I guess I'll gohome."
"That is impossible," declared the turtle. "You are too far from homeever to get back without my help, so you may as well be good andobedient."
"What must I do?" she asked.
"We will wait until it is nearly noon, when the giant will put his poton the fire to boil his dinner. We can tell the right time by watchingthe smoke come out of his chimney. Then you must march straight up tothe castle and into the kitchen where the giant is at work, and throw mequickly into the boiling kettle. That is all that you will be requiredto do."
"I never could do it!" declared Twinkle.
"Why not?"
"You'd be scalded to death, and then I'd be a murderer!"
"Nonsense!" said the turtle, peevishly. "I know what I'm doing, and ifyou obey me I'll not be scalded but an instant; for then I'll resume myown form. Remember that I'm a fairy, and fairies can't be killed soeasily as you seem to think."
"Won't it hurt you?" she inquired.
"Only for a moment; but the reward will be so great that I won't mind aninstant's pain. Will you do this favor for me?"
"I'll try," replied Twinkle, gravely.
"Then I will be very grateful," said Prince Turtle, "and agree toafterward send you home safe and sound, and as quickly as you came."
Chapter VITwinkle Meets the Corrugated Giant
"AND now, while we are waiting," continued the fairy turtle, "I want tofind a certain flower that has wonderful powers to protect mortals fromany injury. Not that I fear I shall be unable to take ca
re of you, butit's just as well to be on the safe side."
"Better," said Twinkle, earnestly. "Where's the flower?"
"We'll hunt for it," replied the turtle.
So holding him in her hand in such a way that he could see all theflowers that grew, the girl began wandering over the mountain side, andeverything was so beautiful around her that she would have been quitecontented and happy had not the gray castle been before her to remindher constantly that she must face the terrible giant who lived withinit.
They found the flower at last--a pretty pink blossom that looked like adouble daisy, but must have been something else, because a daisy has nomagic power that I ever heard of. And when it was found, the turtle toldher to pick the flower and pin it fast to the front of her dress; whichshe did.
By that time the smoke began to roll out of the giant's chimney in bigblack clouds; so the fairy turtle said the giant must be getting dinner,and the pot would surely be boiling by the time they got to the castle.
Twinkle couldn't help being a little afraid to approach the giant'sstronghold, but she tried to be brave, and so stepped along brisklyuntil she came to the fence of iron spikes.
"You must squeeze through between two of the spikes," said the turtle.
She didn't think it could possibly be done; but to her surprise it wasquite easy, and she managed to squeeze through the fence without eventearing her dress. Then she walked up a great driveway, which was linedwith white skulls of many sheep which the giant had eaten, to the frontdoor of the castle, which stood ajar.
"Go in," said the turtle; so she boldly entered and passed down a higharched hall toward a room in the rear.
"This is the kitchen," said the turtle, "Enter quickly, go straight tothe kettle, and throw me into the boiling water."
Twinkle entered quickly enough, but then she stopped short with a cry ofamazement; for there before her stood the ugly giant, blowing the firewith an immense pair of bellows.
Chapter VIIPrince Mud-Turtle Becomes Prince Melga
THE giant was as big around as ten men, and as tall as two; but, havingno bones, he seemed pushed together, so that his skin wrinkled up likethe sides of an accordeon, or a photograph camera, even his face beingso wrinkled that his nose stuck out between two folds of flesh and hiseyes from between two more. In one end of the kitchen was the greatfireplace, above which hung an iron kettle with a big iron spoon in it.And at the other end was a table set for dinner.
As the giant was standing between the kettle and Twinkle, she could notdo as the turtle had commanded, and throw him into the pot. So shehesitated, wondering how to obey the fairy. Just then the giant happenedto turn around and see her.
"By the whiskers of Gammarog--who was one of my ancestors that waskilled by Jack the Giant-Killer!" he cried, but in a very mild voice forso big a person. "Whom have we here?"
"I'm Twinkle," said the girl, drawing a long breath.
"Then, to pay you for your folly in entering my castle, I will make youmy slave, and some day, if you're not good, I'll feed you to myseventeen-headed dog. I never eat little girls myself. I prefer mutton."
Twinkle's heart almost stopped beating when she heard these awful words.All she could do was to stand still and look imploringly at the giant.But she held the fairy mud-turtle clasped tight in her hand, so that themonster couldn't see it.
"Well, what are you staring at?" shouted the Corrugated Giant, angrily."Blow up that fire this instant, slave!"
He stood aside for her to pass, and Twinkle ran at once to thefireplace. The pot was now before her, and within easy reach, and it wasbubbling hot.
In an instant she reached out her hand and tossed the turtle into theboiling water; and then, with a cry of horror at her own action, shedrew back to see what would happen.
The turtle was a fairy, all right; and he had known very well the bestway to break the enchantment his enemy had put upon him. For no soonerhad Twinkle tossed him into the boiling pot than a great hissing washeard, and a cloud of steam hid for an instant the fireplace. Then, asit cleared away, a handsome young prince stepped forward, fully armed;for the turtle was again a fairy, and the kettle had changed into astrong shield which he bore upon his left arm, and the iron spoon wasnow a long and glittering sword.
Chapter VIIITwinkle Receives a Medal
THE giant gave a roar like that of a baby bull when he saw Prince Melgastanding before him, and in a twinkling he had caught up a big club thatstood near and began whirling it over his head. But before it coulddescend, the prince ran at him and stuck his sword as far as it would gointo the corrugated body of the giant. Again the monster roared andtried to fight; but the sword had hurt him badly, and the prince pushedit into the evil creature again and again, until the end came, and hiscorrugated enemy rolled over upon the floor quite dead.
Then the fairy turned to Twinkle, and kneeling before her he kissed herhand.
"Thank you very much," he said, in a sweet voice, "for setting me free.You are a very brave little girl!"
"I'm not so sure about that," she answered. "I was dreadfully scared!"
Now he took her hand and led her from the castle; and she didn't have tosqueeze through the fence again, because the fairy had only to utter amagic word and the gate flew open. And when they turned to look back,the castle of the Corrugated Giant, with all that it had contained, hadvanished from sight, never to be seen again by either mortal or fairyeyes. For that was sure to happen whenever the giant was dead.
The prince led Twinkle into the valley where the fairy palaces stood,and told all his people, when they crowded around to welcome him, howkind the little girl had been to him, and how her courage had enabledhim to defeat the giant and to regain his proper form. And all thefairies praised Twinkle with kind words, and the lovely QueenFlutterlight, who seemed altogether too young to be the mother of thehandsome prince, gave to the child a golden medal with a tiny mud-turtleengraved upon one side of it.
Then, after a fine feast had been prepared, and the little girl hadeaten all she could of the fairy sweetmeats, she told Prince Melga shewould like to go home again.
"Very well," said he. "Don't forget me, Twinkle, although we probablyshall never meet again. I'll send you home quite as safely as you came;but as your eyes have been rubbed with the magic maita-leaf, you willdoubtless always see many strange sights that are hidden from othermortals."
"I don't mind," said Twinkle.
Then she bade good-bye to the fairies, and the prince spoke a magicword. There was another rush of wind, and when it had passed Twinklefound herself once more in the back yard at home.
As she sat upon the grass rubbing her eyes and wondering at the strangeadventure that had befallen her, mamma came out upon the back porch andsaid:
"Your turtle has crawled out of the tub and run away."
"Yes," said Twinkle, "I know; and I'm glad of it!"
But she kept her secret to herself.
THE END
TWINKLE'S ENCHANTMENT
TWINKLE'S ENCHANTMENT
List of Chapters PAGEI Twinkle Enters the Big Gulch............261II The Rolling Stone.......................269III Some Queer Acquaintances................277IV The Dancing Bear........................288V The Cave of the Waterfall...............298VI Prince Nimble...........................306VII The Grasshoppers' Hop...................312
Chapter ITwinkle Enters the Big Gulch
ONE afternoon Twinkle decided to go into the big gulch and pick someblueberries for papa's supper. She had on her blue gingham dress and herblue sun-bonnet, and there were stout shoes upon her feet. So she tookher tin pail and started out.
"Be back in time for supper," called mamma from the kitchen porch.
"'Course," said Twinkle, as she trotted away. "I'm not hungry now, butI'll be hungry 'nough when supper-time comes. 'Course I'll be back!"
The side of the gulch was but a little way from the house. It was like abig ditch, only the sides were not too steep to c
rawl down; and in themiddle of the gulch were rolling hills and deep gullies, all coveredwith wild bushes and vines and a few flowering plants--very rare in thispart of the country.
Twinkle hadn't lived very long in this section of Dakota, for her fatherhad just bought the new farm that lay beside the gulch. So the big ditchwas a great delight to her, and she loved to wander through it and pickthe berries and flowers that never grew on the plains above.
To-day she crept carefully down the path back of the house and soonreached the bottom of the gulch. Then she began to search for theberries; but all were gone in the places where she had picked thembefore; so she found she must go further along.
She sat down to rest for a time, and by and by she happened to look upat the other side and saw a big cluster of bushes hanging full of ripeblueberries--just about half way up the opposite bank.
She had never gone so far before, but if she wanted the berries forpapa's supper she knew she must climb up the slope and get them; so sherose to her feet and began to walk in that direction. It was all new tothe little girl, and seemed to her like a beautiful fairyland; but shehad no idea that the gulch was enchanted. Soon a beetle crawled acrossher path, and as she stopped to let it go by, she heard it say: