English
DuringthistimeRuggedo,theMetalMonarchandKingoftheNomes,wastryingtoamusehimselfinhissplendidjeweledcavern.
ItwashardworkforRuggedotofindamusementtoday,forallthenomeswerebehavingwellandtherewasnoonetoscoldortopunish.
TheKinghadthrownhissceptreatKalikosixtimes,withouthittinghimonce.
NotthatKalikohaddoneanythingwrong.
Onthecontrary,hehadobeyedtheKingineverywaybutone:hewouldnotstandstill,whencommandedtodoso,andlettheheavysceptrestrikehim.
WecanhardlyblameKalikoforthis,andeventhecruelRuggedoforgavehim;forheknewverywellthatifhemashedhisRoyalChamberlainhecouldneverfindanothersointelligentandobedient.
KalikocouldmakethenomesworkwhentheirKingcouldnot,forthenomeshatedRuggedoandthereweresomanythousandsofthequaintlittleundergroundpeoplethattheycouldeasilyhaverebelledanddefiedtheKinghadtheydaredtodoso.
Sometimes,whenRuggedoabusedthemworsethanusual,theygrewsullenandthrewdowntheirhammersandpicks.
Then,howeverhardtheKingscoldedorwhippedthem,theywouldnotworkuntilKalikocameandbeggedthemto.
ForKalikowasoneofthemselvesandwasasmuchabusedbytheKingasanynomeinthevastseriesofcaverns.
ButtodayallthelittlepeoplewereworkingindustriouslyattheirtasksandRuggedo,havingnothingtodo,wasgreatlybored.
HesentfortheLong-EaredHearerandaskedhimtolistencarefullyandreportwhatwasgoingoninthebigworld.
“Itseems,”saidtheHearer,afterlisteningforawhile,“thatthewomeninAmericahaveclubs.”
“Aretherespikesinthem?”askedRuggedo,yawning.
“Icannothearanyspikes,YourMajesty,”wasthereply.
“Thentheirclubsarenotasgoodasmysceptre.Whatelsedoyouhear?’
“There’sawar.
“Bah!There’salwaysawar.Whatelse?”
ForatimetheHearerwassilent,bendingforwardandspreadingouthisbigearstocatchtheslightestsound.Thensuddenlyhesaid:
“Hereisaninterestingthing,YourMajesty.ThesepeoplearearguingastowhoshallconquertheMetalMonarch,seizehistreasureanddrivehimfromhisdominions.”
“Whatpeople?”demandedRuggedo,sittingupstraightinhisthrone.
“TheonesyouthrewdowntheHollowTube.”
“Wherearetheynow?”
“InthesameTube,andcomingbackthisway,”saidtheHearer.
Ruggedogotoutofhisthroneandbegantopaceupanddownthecavern.
“Iwonderwhatcanbedonetostopthem,”hemused.
“Well,”saidtheHearer,“ifyoucouldturntheTubeupsidedown,theywouldbefallingtheotherway,YourMajesty.”
Ruggedoglaredathimwickedly,foritwasimpossibletoturntheTubeupsidedownandhebelievedtheHearerwasslylypokingfunathim.Presentlyheasked:
“Howfarawayarethosepeoplenow?”
“Aboutninethousandthreehundredandsixmiles,seventeenfurlongs,eightfeetandfourinches—asnearlyasIcanjudgefromthesoundoftheirvoices,”repliedtheHearer.
“Aha!Thenitwillbesometimebeforetheyarrive,”saidRuggedo,“andwhentheygethereIshallbereadytoreceivethem.”
HerushedtohisgongandpoundeduponitsofiercelythatKalikocameboundingintothecavernwithoneshoeoffandoneshoeon,forhewasjustdressinghimselfafteraswiminthehotbubblinglakeoftheUndergroundKingdom.
“Kaliko,thoseinvaderswhomwethrewdowntheTubearecomingbackagain!”heexclaimed.
“Ithoughttheywould,”saidtheRoyalChamberlain,pullingontheothershoe.
“Tititi-Hoochoowouldnotallowthemtoremaininhiskingdom,ofcourse,andsoI’vebeenexpectingthembackforsometime.
Thatwasaveryfoolishactionofyours,Rug.”
“What,tothrowthemdowntheTube?”
“Yes.Tititi-HoochoohasforbiddenustothrowevenrubbishintotheTube.”
“Pooh!WhatdoIcarefortheJinjin?”askedRuggedoscornfully.“Heneverleaveshisownkingdom,whichisontheothersideoftheworld.”
“True;buthemightsendsomeonethroughtheTubetopunishyou,”suggestedKaliko.
“I’dliketoseehimdoit!Whocouldconquermythousandsofnomes?”
“Why,they’vebeenconqueredbefore,ifIrememberaright,”answeredKalikowithagrin.“OnceIsawyourunningfromalittlegirlnamedDorothy,andherfriends,asifyouwerereallyafraid.”
“Well,Iwasafraid,thattime,”admittedtheNomeKing,withadeepsigh,“forDorothyhadaYellowHenthatlaideggs!”
TheKingshudderedashesaid“eggs,”andKalikoalsoshuddered,andsodidtheLong-EaredHearer;foreggsaretheonlythingsthatthenomesgreatlydread.
Thereasonforthisisthateggsbelongontheearth’ssurface,wherebirdsandfowlofallsortslive,andthereissomethingaboutahen’segg,especially,thatfillsanomewithhorror.
Ifbychancetheinsideofaneggtouchesoneoftheseundergroundpeople,hewithersupandblowsawayandthatistheendofhim—unlesshemanagesquicklytospeakamagicalwordwhichonlyafewofthenomesknow.
ThereforeRuggedoandhisfollowershadverygoodcausetoshudderatthemerementionofeggs.
“ButDorothy,”saidtheKing,“isnotwiththisbandofinvaders;noristheYellowHen.AsforTititi-Hoochoo,hehasnomeansofknowingthatweareafraidofeggs.”
“Youmustn’tbetoosureofthat,”Kalikowarnedhim.“Tititi-Hoochooknowsagreatmanythings,beingafairy,andhispowersarefarsuperiortoanywecanboast.”
RuggedoshruggedimpatientlyandturnedtotheHearer.
“Listen,”saidhe,“andtellmeifyouhearanyeggscomingthroughtheTube.”
TheLong-Earedonelistenedandthenshookhishead.ButKalikolaughedattheKing.
“Noonecanhearanegg,YourMajesty,”saidhe.“TheonlywaytodiscoverthetruthistolookthroughtheMagicSpyglass.”
“That’sit!”criedtheKing.“Whydidn’tIthinkofitbefore?Lookatonce,Kaliko!”
SoKalikowenttotheSpyglassandbyutteringamumbledcharmhecausedtheotherendofittotwistaround,sothatitpointeddowntheopeningoftheTube.
ThenheputhiseyetotheglassandwasabletogazealongalltheturnsandwindingsoftheMagicSpyglassandthendeepintotheTube,towhereourfriendswereatthattimefalling.
“Dearme!”heexclaimed.“Herecomesadragon.”
“Abigone?”askedRuggedo.
“Amonster.Hehasanelectriclightontheendofhistail,soIcanseehimveryplainly.Andtheotherpeopleareallridinguponhisback.”
“Howabouttheeggs?”inquiredtheKing.
Kalikolookedagain.
“Icanseenoeggsatall,”saidhe;“butIimaginethatthedragonisasdangerousaseggs.
ProbablyTititi-HoochoohassenthimheretopunishyoufordroppingthosestrangersintotheForbiddenTube.
Iwarnedyounottodoit,YourMajesty.”
ThisnewsmadetheNomeKinganxious.Forafewminuteshepacedupanddown,strokinghislongbeardandthinkingwithallhismight.AfterthisheturnedtoKalikoandsaid:
“Alltheharmadragoncandoistoscratchwithhisclawsandbitewithhisteeth.”
“Thatisnotall,butit’squiteenough,”returnedKalikoearnestly.
“Ontheotherhand,noonecanhurtadragon,becausehe’sthetoughestcreaturealive.
Oneflopofhishugetailcouldsmashahundrednomestopancakes,andwithteethandclawshecouldtearevenyouormeintosmallbits,sothatitwouldbealmostimpossibletoputustogetheragain.
Once,afewhundredyearsago,whilewanderingthroughsomedesertedcaverns,Icameuponasmallpieceofanomelyingontherockyfloor.
Iaskedthepieceofnomewhathadhappenedtoit.
Fortunatelythemouthwasapartofthispiece—themouthandthelefteye—soitwasabletotellmethatafiercedragonwasthecause.
Ithadattackedthepoornomeandscatteredhimineverydirection,andastherewasnofriendneartocollecthispiecesandputhimtogether,theyhadbeenseparatedforagreatmanyyears.
Soyousee,YourMajesty,itisnotingoodtastetosneeratadragon.”
TheKinghadlistenedattentivelytoKaliko.Saidhe:
“ItwillonlybenecessarytochainthisdragonwhichTititi-Hoochoohassenthere,inordertopreventhisreachinguswithhisclawsandteeth.”
“Healsobreathesflames,”Kalikoremindedhim.
“Mynomesarenotafraidoffire,noramI,”saidRuggedo.
“Well,howabouttheArmyofOogaboo?”
“SixteencowardlyofficersandTik-Tok!Why,Icoulddefeatthemsingle-handed;butIwon’ttryto.
I’llsummonmyarmyofnomestodrivetheinvadersoutofmyterritory,andifwecatchanyofthemIintendtostickneedlesintothemuntiltheyhopwithpain.”
“Ihopeyouwon’thurtanyofthegirls,”saidKaliko.
“I’llhurt‘emall!”roaredtheangryMetalMonarch.“AndthatbrayingMuleI’llmakeintohoof-soup,andfeedittomynomes,thatitmayaddtotheirstrength.”
“Whynotbegoodtothestrangersandreleaseyourprisoner,theShaggyMan’sbrother?”suggestedKaliko.
“Never!”
“Itmaysaveyoualotofannoyance.Andyoudon’twanttheUglyOne.”
“Idon’twanthim;that’strue.ButIwon’tallowanybodytoordermearound.I’mKingoftheNomesandI’mtheMetalMonarch,andIshalldoasIpleaseandwhatIpleaseandwhenIplease!”
WiththisspeechRuggedothrewhissceptreatKaliko’shead,aimingitsowellthattheRoyalChamberlainhadtofallflatuponthefloorinordertoescapeit.
ButtheHearerdidnotseethesceptrecominganditsweptpasthisheadsocloselythatitbrokeoffthetipofoneofhislongears.
HegaveadreadfulyellthatquitestartledRuggedo,andtheKingwassorryfortheaccidentbecausethoselongearsoftheHearerwerereallyvaluabletohim.
SotheNomeKingforgottobeangrywithKalikoandorderedhisChamberlaintosummonGeneralGuphandthearmyofnomesandhavethemproperlyarmed.
TheywerethentomarchtothemouthoftheTube,wheretheycouldseizethetravelersassoonastheyappeared.
Share this article to
FINISH