20. Kwytoffle, the Tyrant
Having restored the High Ki to their former condition, to the great joyof the ancient Ki, Prince Marvel led his friends back to the palaceswhere his men were waiting.
They were just in time to prevent serious trouble, for the fifty-eightreformed thieves had been boasting of their prowess to the huge giantsand tiny dwarfs of King Terribus, and this had resulted in a quarrel asto which were the best fighters. Had not their masters arrived at theright moment there would certainly have been a fierce battle and muchbloodshed,--and all over something of no importance.
Terribus and Wul-Takim soon restored order, and then they accompaniedthe Ki and the Ki-Ki to the public square, where the people wereinformed that their Supreme Highnesses, the High Ki, had been reunitedand would thereafter rule them with twin minds as well as twin bodies.There was great rejoicing at this news, for every twin in Twi was gladto have his troubles ended so easily and satisfactorily.
That night the ryls and knooks and other invisible friends of PrinceMarvel came and removed the dividing wall between the twin palaces ofthe High Ki, repairing speedily all the damage that had been done. Andwhen our friends called upon the High Ki the next morning they foundthe two maids again dressed exactly alike in yellow robes, with stringsof sparkling emeralds for ornament. And not even Prince Marvel couldnow tell one of the High Ki from the other.
As for the maids themselves, it seemed difficult to imagine they hadever existed apart for a single moment.
They were very pleasant and agreeable to their new friends, and whenthey heard that Prince Marvel was about to leave them to seek newadventures they said:
"Please take us with you! It seems to us that we ought to knowsomething of the big outside world from whence you came. If we seeother kingdoms and people we shall be better able to rule our ownwisely."
"That seems reasonable," answered Marvel, "and I shall be very glad tohave you accompany me. But who will rule the Land of Twi in yourabsence?"
"The Ki-Ki shall be the rulers," answered the High Ki, "and we willtake the Ki with us."
"Then I will delay my departure until to-morrow morning," said theprince, "in order that your Highnesses may have time to prepare for thejourney."
And then he went back to the palaces of the other rulers, where the Kiexpressed themselves greatly pleased at the idea of traveling, and thenew Ki-Ki were proud to learn they should rule for some time the Landof Twi.
Wul-Takim also begged to join the party, and so also did King Terribus,who had never before been outside of his own Kingdom of Spor; so PrinceMarvel willingly consented.
The fifty-eight reformed thieves, led by Gunder, returned to theircave, where they were living comfortably on the treasure Prince Marvelhad given them; and the Gray Men and giants and dwarfs of Spor departedfor their own country.
In the morning Prince Marvel led his own gay cavalcade through the holein the hedge, and they rode merrily away in search of adventure.
By his side were the High Ki, mounted upon twin chestnut ponies thathad remarkably slender limbs and graceful, arched necks. The poniesmoved with exactly the same steps, and shook their manes and swishedtheir tails at exactly the same time. Behind the prince and the HighKi were King Terribus, riding his great white charger, and Wul-Takim ona stout horse of jet-black color. The two ancient Ki and Nerle, beingof lesser rank than the others, brought up the rear.
"When we return to our Land of Twi," said the High Ki, "we shall closeup for all time the hole you made in the hedge; for, if we aredifferent from the rest of the world, it is better that we remain inseclusion."
"I think it is right you should do that," replied Prince Marvel. "YetI do not regret that I cut a hole in your hedge."
"It was the hedge that delayed us in coming more promptly to yourassistance," said Terribus; "for we had hard work to find the hole youhad made, and so lost much valuable time."
"All is well that ends well!" laughed the prince. "You certainly camein good time to rescue us from our difficulties."
They turned into a path that led to Auriel, which Nerle had heardspoken of as "the Kingdom of the Setting Sun."
Soon the landscape grew very pleasant to look upon, the meadows beingbroad and green, with groups of handsome trees standing about. Thetwilight of the Land of Twi was now replaced by bright sunshine, and inthe air was the freshness of the near-by sea.
At evening they came to a large farmhouse, where the owner welcomedthem hospitably and gave them the best his house afforded.
In answer to their questions about the Kingdom of Auriel, he shook hishead sadly and replied:
"It is a rich and beautiful country, but has fallen under greatmisfortunes. For when the good king died, about two years ago, thekingdom was seized by a fierce and cruel sorcerer, named Kwytoffle, whorules the people with great severity, and makes them bring him alltheir money and valuable possessions. So every one is now very poorand unhappy, and that is a great pity in a country so fair and fertile."
"But why do not the people rebel?" asked Nerle.
"They dare not rebel," answered the farmer, "because they fear thesorcery of Kwytoffle. If they do not obey him he threatens to changethem into grasshoppers and June-bugs."
"Has he ever changed any one into a grasshopper or a June-bug?" askedPrince Marvel.
"No; but the people are too frightened to oppose him, and so he doesnot get the opportunity. And he has an army of fierce soldiers, whoare accustomed to beat the people terribly if they do not carry everybit of their wealth to the sorcerer. So there is no choice but to obeyhim."
"We certainly ought to hang this wicked creature!" exclaimed Wul-Takim.
"I wish I had brought my Fool-Killer with me," sighed King Terribus;"for I could have kept him quite busy in this kingdom."
"Can not something be done to rescue these poor people from their sadfate?" asked the lovely High Ki, anxiously.
"We will make a call upon this Kwytoffle to-morrow," answered PrinceMarvel, "and see what the fellow is like."
"Alas! Alas!" wailed the good farmer, "you will all becomegrasshoppers and June-bugs--every one of you!"
But none of the party seemed to fear that, and having passed the nightcomfortably with the farmer they left his house and journeyed on intothe Kingdom of Auriel.
Before noon they came upon the edge of a forest, where a poor man waschopping logs into firewood. Seeing Prince Marvel's party approach,this man ran toward them waving his hands and shouting excitedly:
"Take the other path! Take the other path!"
"And why should we take the other path?" inquired the prince, reiningin his steed.
"Because this one leads to the castle of the great sorcerer,Kwytoffle," answered the man.
"But there is where we wish to go," said Marvel.
"What! You wish to go there?" cried the man. "Then you will be robbedand enslaved!"
"Not as long as we are able to fight," laughed the big Wul-Takim.
"If you resist the sorcerer, you will be turned into grasshoppers andJune-bugs," declared the man, staring at them in wonder.
"How do you know that?" asked Marvel.
"Kwytoffle says so. He promises to enchant every one who dares defyhis power."
"Has any one ever yet dared defy him?" asked Nerle.
"Certainly not!" said the man. "No one wishes to become a June-bug ora grasshopper. No one dares defy him.".
"I am anxious to see this sorcerer," exclaimed King Terribus. "Heought to prove an interesting person, for he is able to accomplish hispurposes by threats alone."
"Then let us ride on," said Marvel.
"Dear us! Dear us!" remonstrated the bald-headed Ki; "are we to becomegrasshoppers, then?"
"We shall see," returned the prince, briefly.
"With your long legs," added the pretty pair of High Ki, laughingly,"you ought to be able to jump farther than any other grasshopper in thekingdom."
"Great Kika-koo!" cried the Ki, nervously, "what a f
ate! what aterrible fate! And your Highnesses, I suppose, will become June-bugs,and flutter your wings with noises like buzz-saws!"