the enchanted island of yew-第20章

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e；　turned　to　stare　at　the　strangers　in　wonder。

〃We're　here；　Prince！〃　yelled　Wul…Takim；　his　bristly　beard　showing　over　the　heads　of　those　who　stood　between。

〃Thank　you；〃　answered　Prince　Marvel。

〃And　the　men　of　Spor　are　here！〃　added　King　Terribus；　who　was　mounted　on　a　fine　milk…white　charger；　richly　caparisoned。

〃I　thank　the　men　of　Spor；〃　returned　Prince　Marvel；　graciously。

〃Shall　we　cut　your　foes　into　small　pieces；　or　would　you　prefer　to　hang　them？〃　questioned　the　King　of　the　Reformed　Thieves；　loudly　enough　to　set　most　of　his　hearers　shivering。

But　now　the　little　maid　in　yellow　stepped　up　to　Prince　Marvel　and；　regarding　the　youthful　knight　with　considerable　awe；　said　sweetly：

〃I　beg　you　will　pardon　my　people　and　spare　them。　　They　are　usually　good　and　loyal　subjects；　and　if　they　fought　against　metheir　lawful　High　Kiit　was　only　because　they　were　misled　by　my　separation　from　my　other　half。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　replied　the　prince；　〃and　as　you　are　still　the　lawful　High　Ki　of　Twi；　I　will　leave　you　to　deal　with　your　own　people　as　you　see　fit。　　For　those　who　have　conquered　your　people　are　but　your　own　allies；　and　are　still　under　your　orders；　as　I　am　myself。〃

Hearing　this；　the　green　High　Ki　walked　up　to　her　twin　High　Ki　and　said；　boldly：

〃I　am　your　prisoner。　　It　is　now　your　turn。　　Do　with　me　as　you　will。〃

〃I　forgive　you；〃　replied　her　sister；　in　kindly　tones。

Then　the　little　maid　who　had　met　with　defeat　gave　a　sob　and　turned　away　weeping；　for　she　had　expected　anything　but　forgiveness。

And　now　the　Ki…Ki　came　forward　and；　bowing　their　handsome　blond　heads　before　the　High　Ki；　demanded：　〃Are　we　forgiven　also？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　girl；　〃but　you　are　no　longer　fit　to　be　rulers　of　my　people。　　Therefore；　you　are　henceforth　deprived　of　your　honorable　offices　of　Ki…Ki；　which　I　shall　now　bestow　upon　these　good　captains　here；〃　and　she　indicated　the　good…natured　officers　who　had　first　captured　the　prince　and　Nerle。

The　people　of　Twi　eagerly　applauded　this　act；　for　the　captains　were　more　popular　with　them　than　the　former　Ki…Ki；　but　the　blond　ones　both　flushed　with　humiliation　and　anger；　and　said：

〃The　captains　fought　against　you；　even　as　we　did。〃

〃Yet　the　captains　only　obeyed　your　orders；〃　returned　the　High　Ki。　　〃So　I　hold　them　blameless。〃

〃And　what　is　to　become　of　us　now？〃　asked　the　former　Ki…Ki。

〃You　will　belong　to　the　common　people；　and　earn　your　living　playing　tunes　for　them　to　dance　by；〃　answered　the　High　Ki。　　And　at　this　retort　every　one　laughed；　so　that　the　handsome　youths　turned　away　with　twin　scowls　upon　their　faces　and　departed　amidst　the　jeers　of　the　crowd。

〃Better　hang　'em　to　a　tree；　little　one；〃　shouted　Wul…Takim；　in　his　big　voice；　〃they　won't　enjoy　life　much；　anyhow。〃

But　the　maid　shook　her　pretty　head　and　turned　to　the　prince。

〃Will　you　stay　here　and　help　me　to　rule　my　kingdom？〃　she　asked。

〃I　can　not　do　that；〃　replied　Prince　Marvel；　〃for　I　am　but　a　wandering　adventurer　and　must　soon　continue　my　travels。　　But　I　believe　you　will　be　able　to　rule　your　people　without　my　help。〃

〃It　is　not　so　easy　a　task；〃　she　answered；　sighing。　　〃For　I　am　singular　and　my　people　are　all　double。〃

〃Well；　let　us　hold　a　meeting　in　your　palace；〃　said　the　prince；　〃and　then　we　can　decide　what　is　best　to　be　done。〃

So　they　dismissed　the　people；　who　cheered　their　High　Ki　enthusiastically；　returning　quietly　to　their　daily　tasks　and　the　gossip　that　was　sure　to　follow　such　important　events　as　they　had　witnessed。

The　army　of　King　Terribus　and　the　fifty…nine　reformed　thieves　went　to　the　twin　palaces　of　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　and　made　merry　with　feasting　and　songs　to　celebrate　their　conquest。　　And　the　High　Ki；　followed　by　the　prince；　Nerle；　King　Terribus　and　Wul…Takim；　as　well　as　by　the　Ki　and　the　newly…appointed　Ki…Ki；　mounted　the　silver　steps　and　passed　over　the　wall　to　the　royal　palaces。　　The　green　High　Ki　followed　them；　still　weeping　disconsolately。

When　they　had　all　reached　the　throne…room；　the　High　Ki　seated　herself　on　one　of　the　beautiful　thrones　and　said：

〃By　some　strange　chance；　which　I　am　unable　to　explain；　my　twin　and　I　have　become　separated；　so　that　instead　of　thinking　and　acting　alike；　we　are　now　individualsas　are　all　the　strange　men　who　have　passed　through　the　hole　in　the　hedge。　　And；　being　individuals；　we　can　no　longer　agree；　nor　can　one　of　us　lawfully　rule　over　the　Kingdom　of　Twi；　where　all　the　subjects　are　twins；　thinking　and　acting　in　unison。〃

Said　Prince　Marvel：

〃Your　Highness；　I　alone　can　explain　why　you　became　separated　from　your　twin。　　By　means　of　a　fairy　enchantment；　which　I　learned　years　ago；　I　worked　upon　you　a　spell；　which　compelled　your　brain　to　work　independent　of　your　sister's　brain。　　It　seems　to　me　that　it　is　better　each　person　should　think　her　own　thoughts　and　live　her　own　life；　rather　than　be　yoked　to　another　person　and　obliged　to　think　and　act　as　a　twin；　or　one…half　of　a　complete　whole。　　And　since　you　are　now　the　one　High　Ki；　and　the　acknowledged　ruler　of　this　country；　I　will　agree　to　work　the　same　fairy　spell　on　all　your　people；　so　that　no　longer　will　there　be　twin　minds　in　all　this　Land　of　Twi。〃

〃But　all　the　cows　and　dogs　and　horses　and　other　animals　are　double；　as　well　as　the　people；〃　suggested　the　old　Ki；　blinking　their　little　eyes　in　amazement　at　the　thought　of　being　forever　separated　from　each　other。

〃I　can　also　work　the　spell　upon　all　the　twin　animals；〃　said　the　prince；　after　a　moment's　hesitation。

〃And　all　our　houses　are　built　double；　with　twin　doors　and　windows　and　chimneys；　to　accommodate　our　twin　people；〃　continued　the　High　Ki。　〃And　the　trees　and　flowersand　even　the　blades　of　grassare　all　double。　　And　our　roads　are　double；　andand　everything　else　is　double。　I　alone；　the　ruler　of　this　land；　am　singular！〃

Prince　Marvel　became　thoughtful　now；　for　he　did　not　know　how　to　separate　trees　and　flowers；　and　it　would　be　a　tedious　task　to　separate　the　twin　houses。

〃Why　not　leave　the　country　as　it　is？〃　asked　King　Terribus　of　Spor。　〃The　High　Ki　is　welcome　to　come　to　my　castle　to　live；　and　then　she　need　no　longer　bother　about　the　Land　of　Twi；　which　seems　to　me　a　poor　place；　after　all。〃

〃And　your　sister　may　come　with　me　to　my　cave；　and　be　the　queen　of　the　reformed　thieves；　which　is　a　much　more　important　office　than　being　High　Ki　of　Twi；〃　added　big　Wul…Takim；　who　had　placed　the　maiden　in　green　upon　a　cushion　at　his　feet；　and　was　striving　to　comfort　her　by　gently　stroking　her　silken　hair　with　his　rough　hand。

〃But　I　love　my　country；　and　do　not　wish　to　leave　it；〃　answered　the　yellow　High　Ki。　　〃And　I　love　my　twin　sister；　and　regret　that　our　minds　have　become　separated；〃　she　continued；　sadly。

〃I　have　it！〃　exclaimed　Nerle。　　〃Let　the　prince　reunite　you；　making　you　regular　twins　of　Twi　again；　and　then　you　can　continue　to　rule　the　country　as　the　double　High　Ki；　and　everything　will　be　as　it　was　before。〃

The　yellow　High　Ki　clapped　her　pink　hands　with　delight　and　looked　eagerly　at　the　prince。

〃Will　you？〃　she　asked。　　〃Will　you　please　reunite　us？　　And　then　all　our　troubles　will　be　ended！〃

This　really　seemed　to　Marvel　the　best　thing　to　be　done。　　So　he　led　the　maid　in　green　to　the　other　throne；　where　she　had　once　sat；　and　after　replacing　the　golden　crown　upon　her　brow　he　whispered　a　fairy　spell　of　much　mystical　power。

Then　the　prince　stepped　back　and　regarded　the　maidens　earnestly；　and　after　a　moment　both　the　High　Ki　smiled　upon　him　in　unison　and　saidspeaking　the　same　words　in　the　same　voices　and　with　the　same　accents：

〃Thank　you　very　much！〃



20。　　Kwytoffle；　the　Tyrant


Having　restored　the　High　Ki　to　their　former　condition；　to　the　great　joy　of　the　ancient　Ki；　Prince　Marvel　led　his　friends　back　to　the　palaces　where　his　men　were　waiting。

They　were　just　in　time　to　prevent　serious　trouble；　for　the　fifty…eight　reformed　thieves　had　been　boasting　of　their　prowess　to　the　huge　giants　and　tiny　dwarfs　of　King　Terribus；　and　this　had　resulted　in　a　quarrel　as　to　which　were　the　best　fighters。　　Had　not　their　masters　arrived　at　the　right　moment　there　would　certainly　have　been　a　fierce　battle　and　much　bloodshed；and　all　over　something　of　no　importance。

Terribus　and　Wul…Takim　soon　restored　order；　and　then　they　accompanied　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　to　the　public　s