登陆注册
5240600000025

第25章 Chapter Nine A Present for Zella(1)

Now it so happened that on the morning of that same day when the Prince of Pingaree suffered the loss of his priceless shoes, there chanced to pass along the road that wound beside the royal palace a poor charcoal-burner named Nikobob, who was about to return to his home in the forest.

Nikobob carried an ax and a bundle of torches over his shoulder and he walked with his eyes to the ground, being deep in thought as to the strange manner in which the powerful King Gos and his city had been conquered by a boy Prince who had come from Pingaree.

Suddenly the charcoal-burner espied a shoe lying upon the ground, just beyond the high wall of the palace and directly in his path. He picked it up and, seeing it was a pretty shoe, although much too small for his own foot, he put it in his pocket.

Soon after, on turning a corner of the wall, Nikobob came to a dust-heap where, lying amidst a mass of rubbish, was another shoe -- the mate to the one he had before found. This also he placed in his pocket, saying to himself:

"I have now a fine pair of shoes for my daughter Zella, who will be much pleased to find I have brought her a present from the city."

And while the charcoal-burner turned into the forest and trudged along the path toward his home, Inga and Rinkitink were still searching for the missing shoes.

Of course, they could not know that Nikobob had found them, nor did the honest man think he had taken anything more than a pair of cast-off shoes which nobody wanted.

Nikobob had several miles to travel through the forest before he could reach the little log cabin where his wife, as well as his little daughter Zella, awaited his return, but he was used to long walks and tramped along the path whistling cheerfully to beguile the time.

Few people, as I said before, ever passed through the dark and tangled forests of Regos, except to go to the mines in the mountain beyond, for many dangerous creatures lurked in the wild jungles, and King Gos never knew, when he sent a messenger to the mines, whether he would reach there safely or not.

The charcoal-burner, however, knew the wild forest well, and especially this part of it lying between the city and his home. It was the favorite haunt of the ferocious beast Choggenmugger, dreaded by every dweller in the Island of Regos. Choggenmugger was so old that everyone thought it must have been there since the world was made, and each year of its life the huge scales that covered its body grew thicker and harder and its jaws grew wider and its teeth grew sharper and its appetite grew more keen than ever.

In former ages there had been many dragons in Regos, but Choggenmugger was so fond of dragons that he had eaten all of them long ago. There had also been great serpents and crocodiles in the forest marshes, but all had gone to feed the hunger of Choggenmugger. The people of Regos knew well there was no use opposing the Great Beast, so when one unfortunately met with it he gave himself up for lost.

All this Nikobob knew well, but fortune had always favored him in his journey through the forest, and although he had at times met many savage beasts and fought them with his sharp ax, he had never to this day encountered the terrible Choggenmugger. Indeed, he was not thinking of the Great Beast at all as he walked along, but suddenly he heard a crashing of broken trees and felt a trembling of the earth and saw the immense jaws of Choggenmugger opening before him. Then Nikobob gave himself up for lost and his heart almost ceased to beat.

He believed there was no way of escape. No one ever dared oppose Choggenmugger. But Nikobob hated to die without showing the monster, in some way, that he was eaten only under protest. So he raised his ax and brought it down upon the red, protruding tongue of the monster -- and cut it clean off!

For a moment the charcoal-burner scarcely believed what his eyes saw, for he knew nothing of the pearls he carried in his pocket or the magic power they lent his arm. His success, however, encouraged him to strike again, and this time the huge scaly jaw of Choggenmugger was severed in twain and the beast howled in terrified rage.

Nikobob took off his coat, to give himself more freedom of action, and then he earnestly renewed the attack. But now the ax seemed blunted by the hard scales and made no impression upon them whatever. The creature advanced with glaring, wicked eyes, and Nikobob seized his coat under his arm and turned to flee.

同类推荐
  • 佛说甘露经陀罗尼咒

    佛说甘露经陀罗尼咒

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 四气摄生图

    四气摄生图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 剑侠传

    剑侠传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 伤寒论条辨

    伤寒论条辨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文笔式

    文笔式

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 玄和子十二月卦金诀

    玄和子十二月卦金诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无底洞的底

    无底洞的底

    本书的8篇中篇小说,既囊括了“混沌的前青春期和情爱的酸涩与美好”,也讲述了“哀乐中年”的日常与世俗。上个世纪八十年代以来,一个苏北小城的世态人情风貌在社会转型、经济改革的大背景中所发生的多元变化,在一个个故事里丰满立体起来。作者用其传神的笔触,展示了在图像时代的今天,文字仍有其独特的、不可取代的表现力。
  • 盛宠庶妃

    盛宠庶妃

    穿越成一名小小的庶女,秋明月既不自怨自艾,也不悲天悯人,而是悠闲的过着她的小日子。她的愿望很简单,只是保护母亲和弟弟平安长寿。可为毛那些人就不那么见不得她好呢?嫡母刻薄,处处找茬。嫡姐刁蛮,针锋相对。嫡妹伪善,处处算计。还有各位叔叔婶婶,堂姐堂弟堂兄堂妹,个个不省心。终于某一天,某女怒了。我靠,老虎不发威当老娘是病猫?嫡母陷害欲毁清白?我李代桃僵,让你抱着你的宝贝女儿在角落里哭吧。嫡姐颠倒黑白,强加罪名,欲害她失宠。我让你打掉牙往肚子里吞。嫡妹笑里藏刀,借刀杀人,我让你自食其果。姨娘算计、庶妹帮凶...小小宅院里每天上演不同好戏,热闹非凡。为了应付这一群三姑六婆,秋明月既费脑力又费心力,还得想尽办法求得圣旨把母亲升为平妻。好不容易松了一口气,天降厄运。什么?要她嫁人?嫁给荣亲王世子?那个从六岁起就坐在轮椅上据说活不过二十岁且不举的残废?可嫁过去她才发现并不是那么回事。王妃面善心恶,不怀好意。太妃精明狡诈,心思狠毒。大伯心机深沉,欲夺权位。妯娌小姑小叔冷眼相对,各谋算计,处处打压...这些也就罢了,可...妖孽夫君不举?我靠,谁说的?那老娘肚子里的孩子哪儿来的?他身中剧毒活不过二十岁?我靠,那抱着她的人是谁?精彩片段一:“世子,世子妃的嫡母要对她施以家法。”“来人,砍了那女人的手。”某人满面黑线!!!!!!!!又一日。“世子,世子妃不小心打碎了王妃精心培育的墨菊。”“嗯,母亲闻起来就说是我打碎的。”“...”“哦,对了,派人到宫中去说一声。我记得上次苏州太守进贡的一盆凤凰振羽,既然世子妃喜欢,就去内务府吩咐一声。”某人嘴角抽搐,“可那凤凰振羽已经被皇上赏给淑妃娘娘了...”“告诉淑妃,那盆花本世子要了。”某人风中凌乱了!!!!!!!!!精彩片段二:某侍卫急匆匆而来,“世子,太妃说要给你选侧妃,人已经在门外了。”“赶走。”“可是...”“滚!”一块砚台瞬间飞了出去。侍卫堪堪躲过,擦去额头上的汗珠。“世子妃听说后带着丫鬟回娘家了...”话还未说完,眼前一阵风闪过。眼前哪还有人影?精彩片段三:太后寿宴,琳琅满目,觥筹交错,酒过三巡,邻国皇子提出和亲。“陛下仰承天恩,仁义天下,我皇敬重,愿与大昭联姻,结为秦晋之好,永不开战。”大昭朝臣面露喜色,皇上面色不改,眼中含笑。
  • 叶霜传

    叶霜传

    武术少女误落湖中,穿越找到美男,可是却会消失。不敢面对少主的喜欢,一声哥哥凉透心。
  • 利益天秤

    利益天秤

    这个世界没有绝对的朋友和敌人,有的只是永久的利益关系。许是一件很小的事,有时也会是带有目的,或许开始无心,那也只是开始,未来谁又会说的准呢……【本文快穿文,女主性属贪,且有些极端,前期性格瑕疵有点多,后期或许会变好点,主要是自我主义,多疑,求利,比较物质,现实。属于成长类的女主。】
  • 影帝AI:压倒白日梦大神

    影帝AI:压倒白日梦大神

    这是一个AI引发的血案……咳咳,这是自负轻狂,性格不定的主角进入自己设计的全息网游里狗血的失去记忆的故事,这是死而复生却懵逼的发现自己成了自己的AI影帝的追妻之路。一个是把游戏当人生玩的内部人员,一个是不受限制可以充当BUG的AI大神……在这个以玩家梦境为基础建立起的游戏世界,大杀四方。众玩家表示累觉不爱……还能不能让人家好好做个梦了啊!新作一篇,作者没有玩过网游(*/ω\*),想想有点羞涩~不会弃坑,1v1。结尾大揭秘,主角们实则来自大界面。这是一篇假未来架空文,真仙界玄幻文。打算按系列文写。
  • 佛冤禅师语录

    佛冤禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 末世之丧尸君王

    末世之丧尸君王

    末世的来临带来绝望与痛苦,人性的丑陋将在这里彻底暴露,末世的法则,弱肉强食,适者生存,既然改变不了法则就去适应法则,如果连适应法则都办不到,那就去死!活下去,永远比死要好,活着,就有可能得到一切!而死去,就将一无所获,末世不需要好人,更不需要慈善家,实力!才是一切的根本!
  • 时代先锋

    时代先锋

    白云大师来的时候给林惠如带了一幅画,是他在新加坡即兴创作的工笔人物画,画中人身着古装,仰望明月,神清气静。这不是刘宁吗?林惠如爱不释手。刘宁本来不想和路卉再有什么交往,但他还是陪白云大师去了马超的家。事先给路卉挂了电话,路卉在家里等着他们。白云大师说明来意之后,路卉显得有点勉强,说,你们知道,马超是个彻底的唯物主义者,正说着,不知为什么,挂在墙上的马超的遗像突然掉了下来,路卉大惊失色。挂得好好的,明明挂得好好的呀,路卉说,我表弟他明明挂得好好的呀。路卉喃喃自语,脸色如纸。
  • 专属甜宠:校草大人求放过

    专属甜宠:校草大人求放过

    【全文免费】军训迟到,程可可成了焦点,从此莫名其妙的被万人迷校草缠上。变成女同学羡慕嫉妒恨的对象就算了,还经常被好闺蜜坑?这让性格内向的她无语凝噎。 一天,任性不羁的校草大人自作主张的宣布:“程可可,以后咱们就是朋友了。”又有一天,冷酷迷人的校草大人扫视众人,霸气十足道:“可可,以后有我罩着你,谁敢欺负你试试?”然而,校草大人也有撒娇卖萌的一面:“可可,我知道你最好了,一定不会见死不救的,对不对?”她勾唇一笑,反握住他的手,“宸宸,这次换我带你装逼带你飞!”甜宠文,还有外星萌宠来助阵哦!