Oz 10: Rinkitink in Oz by L. Frank Baum
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found, so_that by nightfall the little room had_been made quite comfortable

the following morning, while Rinkitink was still sound asleep and Bilbil was busily cropping the dewy grass that edged the shore, prince Inga began to search the tumbled heaps of marble for_the place where the royal banquet hall had_been . after climbing over the ruins for a time he reached a flat place which he recognized, by_means of_the tiled flooring and_the broken furniture scattered about, to_be the great hall he_was seeking . but in_the center of_the floor, directly over the spot where the pearls were hidden, lay several large and heavy blocks of marble, which had_been torn from_the dismantled walls .

this unfortunate discovery for a time discouraged the boy, who realized how helpless he_was to remove such vast obstacles; but it_was so important to secure the pearls that he dared not give way to despair until every human effort had_been made, so he sat him down to_think over the matter with great care .

meantime Rinkitink had risen from_his bed and walked out upon_the lawn, where he_found Bilbil reclining at ease upon_the greensward .

" where is Inga ? " asked Rinkitink, rubbing his eyes with_his knuckles because their vision was blurred with too_much sleep .

"Don't ask me," said the goat, chewing with much satisfaction acud of sweet grasses .

"Bilbil," said the king, squatting down beside the goat and resting his fat chin upon his hands and_his elbows on_his knees, " allow me to confide to_you the fact that I_am bored, and need amusement . my good friend Kitticut has_been kidnapped by_the barbarians and taken from me, so there_is no one to converse with me intelligently . I_am the king and you_are the goat . suppose you tell me a story .

" suppose I don't," said Bilbil, with a scowl, for a goat's face is very expressive .

" if_you refuse, I_shall_be more unhappy than ever, and I_know your disposition is too sweet to permit that . tell me a story, Bilbil ."

the goat looked at him with an expression of scorn . said he:

" one would think you_are but four years old, Rinkitink ! but there -- i_will do as_you command . listen carefully, and_the story may do_you some good -- although I_doubt if_you understand the moral ."

" I_am_sure the story will do me good," declared the king, whose eyes were twinkling .

" once on a time," began the goat .

" when was_that, Bilbil ? " asked the king gently .

"Don't interrupt; it_is impolite . once on a time there_was a king with a hollow inside his head, where most people have their brains, and --"

" is_this a true story, Bilbil ? "

" and_the king with a hollow head could chatter words, which had no sense, and laugh in a brainless manner at senseless things . that part of_the story is true enough, Rinkitink ."

" then proceed with_the tale, sweet Bilbil . yet it_is hard to_believe that any king could_be brainless -- unless, indeed, he proved it by owning atalking goat ."

Bilbil glared at him a full minute in silence . then he resumed his story:

" this empty- headed man was a king by accident, having been born to_that high station . also the king was empty- headed by_the same chance, being born without brains ."

" poor fellow ! " quoth the king ." did he own atalking goat ? "

" he_did," answered Bilbil .

" then he_was wrong to_have_been born at all .Cheek- eek-eek-eek, oo, hoo ! " chuckled Rinkitink, his fat body shaking with merriment ." but it's hard to_prevent oneself from being born; there's no chance for protest, eh, Bilbil ? "

" who_is telling this story, I'd like to_know," demanded the goat, with anger .

" ask someone with brains, my boy; I'm sure I_can't tell," replied the king, bursting into one of_his merry fits of laughter .

Bilbil rose to_his hoofs and walked away in a dignified manner, leaving Rinkitink chuckling anew at_the sour expression of_the animal's face .

"Oh, Bilbil, you'll be the death of me, some day -- I'm sure you_will ! " gasped the king, taking out his lace handkerchief to wipe his eyes; for, as he often did, he had laughed till the tears came .

Bilbil was deeply vexed and would_not even turn his head to look at his master . to escape from Rinkitink he wandered among_the ruins of_the palace, where he_came upon prince Inga .

" good morning, Bilbil," said the boy ." i_was just going to_find you, that I_might consult you upon an important matter . if_you_will kindly turn back with me I_am_sure your good judgment will_be of great assistance ."

the angry goat was quite mollified by_the respectful tone in_which he_was addressed, but he immediately asked:

" are_you also going to consult that empty- headed king over yonder ? "

" I_am sorry to hear you speak of your kind master in_such_a_way," said the boy gravely ." all men are deserving of respect, being the highest of living creatures, and Kings deserve respect more than others, for they_are set to rule over many people ."

" nevertheless," said Bilbil with conviction, "Rinkitink's head is certainly empty of brains ."

" that I_am unwilling to_believe," insisted Inga ." but anyway his heart is kind and gentle and_that is better than being wise . he_is merry in_spite of misfortunes that_would cause others to weep and he never speaks harsh words that wound the feelings of_his friends ."

" still," growled Bilbil, " he_is --"

" let_us forget everything but his good nature, which puts new heart into us when we_are sad," advised the boy ."

" but he_is --"

" come with me, please," interrupted Inga, " for_the matter of_which i_wish to_speak is very_important ."

Bilbil followed him, although the boy still heard the goat muttering that_the king had no brains .Rinkitink, seeing them turn into_the ruins, also followed, and upon joining them asked for_his breakfast .

Inga opened the sack of food and while he and_the king ate of it the boy said:

" if I_could find a way to remove some_of_the blocks of marble which_have fallen in_the banquet hall, i_think I_could find means for_us to escape from_this barren island ."

" then," mumbled Rinkitink, with_his mouth full, " let_us move the blocks of marble ."

" but how ? " inquired prince Inga ." they_are very heavy ."

"Ah, how, indeed ? " returned the king, smacking his lips contentedly ." that_is a serious question . but -- I_have it ! let_us_see what my famous parchment says about_it ." he wiped his fingers upon a napkin and then, taking the scroll from a pocket inside his embroidered blouse, he unrolled it and read the following words: ' never step on another man's toes .'

the goat gave a snort of contempt; Inga was silent; the king looked from one to_the other inquiringly .

" that's the idea, exactly ! " declared Rinkitink .

" to_be_sure," said Bilbil scornfully, " it tells us exactly how to move the blocks of marble ."

"Oh, does it ? " responded the king, and then for a moment he rubbed the top of_his bald head in a perplexed manner . the next moment he burst into a peal of joyous laughter . the goat looked at Inga and sighed .

" what did I tell you ? " asked the creature ." was I right, or was I wrong ? "

" this scroll," said Rinkitink, " is indeed a masterpiece . its advice is of tremendous value .' never step on another man's toes .' let_us think this over . the inference is_that we_should step upon our own toes, which were given us for_that purpose . therefore, if I stepped upon another man's toes, i_would_be the other man .Hoo, hoo, hoo ! -- the other man -- hee, hee, heek- keek-eek ! funny, isn't it ? "

"Didn't I_say --" began Bilbil .

" no matter what you said, my boy," roared the king ." no fool could_have figured that out as nicely as I_did ."

" we_have still to decide how to remove the blocks of marble," suggested Inga anxiously .

" fasten a rope to_them, and pull," said Bilbil ."Don't pay any more attention to Rinkitink, for he_is no wiser than_the man who wrote that brainless scroll . just get the rope, and we'll fasten Rinkitink to one end of it for a weight and I'll help_you pull ."

" thank_you, Bilbil," replied the boy ."I'll get the rope at once .

Bilbil found it difficult to climb over the ruins to_the floor of_the banquet hall, but there_are few places a goat cannot get to when it makes the attempt, so Bilbil succeeded at last, and even fat little Rinkitink finally joined them, though much out of breath .

Inga fastened one end of_the rope around a block of marble and then made a loop at_the other end to_go over Bilbil's head . when all was ready the boy seized the rope and helped the goat to pull; yet, strain as they_might, the huge block would_not stir from its place .Seeing this, king Rinkitink came forward and lent his assistance, the weight of_his body forcing the heavy marble to slide several feet from where it had lain .

but it_was hard work and all were obliged to_take a long rest before undertaking the removal of_the next block .

" admit, Bilbil," said the king, " that I_am of some use in_the_world ."

" your weight was of considerable help," acknowledged the goat, " but if your head were as_well filled as_your stomach the task would_be still easier ."

when Inga went to fasten the rope a second time he_was rejoiced to discover that by moving one more block of marble he_could uncover the tile with_the secret spring . so the three pulled with renewed energy and to_their joy the block moved and rolled upon its side, leaving Inga free to remove the treasure when he pleased .

but the boy had no intention of allowing Bilbil and_the king to share the secret of_the royal treasures of Pingaree; so, although both the goat and its master demanded to_know why the marble blocks had_been moved, and how it would benefit them, Inga begged them to wait until the next morning, when he hoped to_be_able to satisfy them that their hard work had_not_been in vain .

Having little confidence in_this promise of amere boy, the goat grumbled and_the king laughed; but Inga paid no heed to_their ridicule and set himself to work rigging up afishing rod, with line and hook . during the afternoon he waded out to some rocks near the shore and fished patiently until he had captured enough yellow perch for their supper and breakfast .

"Ah," said Rinkitink, looking at_the fine catch when Inga returned to_the shore; " these will taste delicious when_they are cooked; but do_you_know how to cook them ? "

" no," was_the reply . I_have often caught fish, but never cooked them . perhaps your majesty understands cooking ."

"Cooking and majesty are two different things," laughed the little king ." I_could_not cook a fish to save me from starvation ."

" for_my part," said Bilbil, "I never eat fish, but I_can tell you how to cook them, for I_have often watched the palace cooks at their work ." and so, with_the goat's assistance, the boy and_the king managed to_prepare the fish and cook them, after which they were eaten with good appetite .

that night, after Rinkitink and Bilbil were both fast asleep, Inga stole quietly through_the moonlight to_the desolate banquet hall . there, kneeling down, he touched the secret spring as his father had instructed him to_do and to_his joy the tile sank downward and disclosed the opening . you_may imagine how the boy's heart throbbed with excitement as he slowly thrust his hand into_the cavity and felt around to_see if_the precious pearls were still there . in a moment his fingers touched the silken bag and, without pausing to close the recess, he pressed the treasure against his breast and ran out into_the moonlight to examine it . when he reached a bright place he started to open the bag, but he observed Bilbil lying asleep upon_the grass near by . so, trembling with_the fear of discovery, he ran to another place, and when he paused he heard Rinkitink snoring lustily . again he fled and made his way to_the seashore, where he squatted under a bank and began to untie the cords that fastened the mouth of_the bag . but now another fear assailed him .

" if_the pearls should slip from my hand," he thought, " and roll into_the water, they_might_be lost to_me forever . I_must find some safer place ."

here and there he wandered, still clasping the silken bag in both hands, and finally he went to_the grove and climbed into_the tall tree where he had made his platform and seat . but here it_was pitch dark, so he_found he_must wait patiently until morning before he dared touch the pearls . during those hours of waiting he had time for reflection and reproached himself for being so frightened by_the possession of_his father's treasures .

" these pearls have belonged to our family for generations," he mused, " yet no one has ever lost them . if I use ordinary care I_am_sure I_need have no fears for their safety ."

when_the dawn came and he could_see plainly, Inga opened the bag and took out the blue pearl . there_was no possibility of_his being observed by others, so he_took time to examine it wonderingly, saying to himself: " this_will give_me strength ."

Taking off his right shoe he placed the blue pearl within it, far up in_the pointed toe . then he tore a piece from_his handkerchief and stuffed it into_the shoe to hold the pearl in place .Inga's shoes were long and pointed, as were all the shoes worn in Pingaree, and_the points curled upward, so_that there_was quite a vacant space beyond the place where the boy's toes reached when_the shoe was upon his

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