English
JongThinkalothadnotruledoverhisnewkingdomformorethanacoupleofdaysbeforemynotionsaboutkingsandthekindoflivestheyledchangedveryconsiderably.
Ihadthoughtthatallthatkingshadtodowastositonathroneandhavepeoplebowdownbeforethemseveraltimesaday.
Inowsawthatakingcanbethehardest-workingmanintheworld—ifheattendsproperlytohisbusiness.
Fromthemomentthathegotup,earlyinthemorning,tillthetimehewenttobed,lateatnight—sevendaysintheweek—JohnDolittlewasbusy,busy,busy.
Firstofalltherewasthenewtowntobebuilt.
ThevillageofPopsipetelhaddisappeared:theCityofNewPopsipetelmustbemade.
Withgreatcareaplacewaschosenforit—andaverybeautifulpositionitwas,atthemouthofalargeriver.
Theshoresoftheislandatthispointformedalovelywidebaywherecanoes—andshipstoo,iftheyshouldevercome—couldliepeacefullyatanchorwithoutdangerfromstorms.
InbuildingthistowntheDoctorgavetheIndiansalotofnewideas.
Heshowedthemwhattown-sewerswere,andhowgarbageshouldbecollectedeachdayandburnt.
Highupinthehillshemadealargelakebydammingastream.Thiswasthewater-supplyforthetown.
NoneofthesethingshadtheIndianseverseen;andmanyofthesicknesseswhichtheyhadsufferedfrombeforewerenowentirelypreventedbyproperdrainageandpuredrinking-water.
Peopleswhodon'tusefiredonotofcoursehavemetalseither;becausewithoutfireitisalmostimpossibletoshapeironandsteel.
OneofthefirstthingsthatJohnDolittledidwastosearchthemountainstillhefoundironandcoppermines.
ThenhesettoworktoteachtheIndianshowthesemetalscouldbemeltedandmadeintoknivesandplowsandwater-pipesandallmannerofthings.
InhiskingdomtheDoctortriedhishardesttodoawaywithmostoftheold-fashionedpompandgrandeurofaroyalcourt.
AshesaidtoBumpoandme,ifhemustbeakinghemeanttobeathoroughlydemocraticone,thatisakingwhoischummyandfriendlywithhissubjectsanddoesn'tputonairs.
AndwhenhedrewuptheplansfortheCityofNewPopsipetelhehadnopalaceshownofanykind.
Alittlecottageinabackstreetwasallthathehadprovidedforhimself.
ButthistheIndianswouldnotpermitonanyaccount.
Theyhadbeenusedtohavingtheirkingsruleinatrulygrandandkinglymanner;andtheyinsistedthathehavebuiltforhimselfthemostmagnificentpalaceeverseen.
Inallelsetheylethimhavehisownwayabsolutely;buttheywouldn'tallowhimtowriggleoutofanyoftheceremonyorshowthatgoeswithbeingaking.
Athousandservantshehadtokeepinhispalace,nightandday,towaitonhim.
TheRoyalCanoehadtobekeptup—agorgeous,polishedmahoganyboat,seventyfeetlong,inlaidwithmother-o'-pearlandpaddledbythehundredstrongestmenintheisland.
Thepalace-gardenscoveredasquaremileandemployedahundredandsixtygardeners.
Eveninhisdressthepoormanwascompelledalwaystobegrandandelegantanduncomfortable.
Thebelovedandbatteredhighhatwasputawayinaclosetandonlylookedatsecretly.
Staterobeshadtobewornonalloccasions.
AndwhentheDoctordidonceinawhilemanagetosneakoffforashort,natural-historyexpeditionheneverdaredtowearhisoldclothes,buthadtochasehisbutterflieswithacrownuponhisheadandascarletcloakflyingbehindhiminthewind.
TherewasnoendtothekindsofdutiestheDoctorhadtoperformandthequestionshehadtodecideupon—everything,fromsettlingdisputesaboutlandsandboundaries,tomakingpeacebetweenhusbandandwifewhohadbeenthrowingshoesatoneanother.
IntheeastwingoftheRoyalPalacewastheHallofJustice.
AndhereKingJongsateverymorningfromninetoelevenpassingjudgmentonallcasesthatwerebroughtbeforehim.
Thenintheafternoonhetaughtschool.Thesortofthingshetaughtwerenotalwaysthoseyoufindinordinaryschools.
Grown-upsaswellaschildrencametolearn.
Yousee,theseIndianswereignorantofmanyofthethingsthatquitesmallwhitechildrenknow—thoughitisalsotruethattheyknewalotthatwhitegrown-upsneverdreamedof.
BumpoandIhelpedwiththeteachingasfaraswecould—simplearithmetic,andeasythingslikethat.
Buttheclassesinastronomy,farmingscience,thepropercareofbabies,withahostofothersubjects,theDoctorhadtoteachhimself.
TheIndiansweretremendouslykeenabouttheschoolingandtheycameindrovesandcrowds;sothatevenwiththeopen-airclasses(aschool-housewasimpossibleofcourse)theDoctorhadtotaketheminrelaysandbatchesoffiveorsixthousandatatimeandusedabigmegaphoneortrumpettomakehimselfheard.
Therestofhisdaywasmorethanfilledwithroad-making,buildingwater-mills,attendingthesickandamillionotherthings.
Inspiteofhisbeingsounwillingtobecomeaking,JohnDolittlemadeaverygoodone—oncehegotstarted.
Hemaynothavebeenasdignifiedasmanykingsinhistorywhowerealwaysrunningofftowarandgettingthemselvesintoromanticsituations;butsinceIhavegrownupandseensomethingofforeignlandsandgovernmentsIhaveoftenthoughtthatPopsipetelunderthereignofJongThinkalotwasperhapsthebestruledstateinthehistoryoftheworld.
TheDoctor'sbirthdaycameroundafterwehadbeenontheislandsixmonthsandahalf.
Thepeoplemadeagreatpublicholidayofitandtherewasmuchfeasting,dancing,fireworks,speech-makingandjollification.
Towardsthecloseofthedaythechiefmenofthetwotribesformedaprocessionandpassedthroughthestreetsofthetown,carryingaverygorgeouslypaintedtabletofebonywood,tenfeethigh.
Thiswasapicture-history,suchastheypreservedforeachoftheancientkingsofPopsipeteltorecordtheirdeeds.
Withgreatandsolemnceremonyitwassetupoverthedoorofthenewpalace:andeverybodythenclusteredroundtolookatit.
IthadsixpicturesonitcommemoratingthesixgreateventsinthelifeofKingJongandbeneathwerewrittentheversesthatexplainedthem.
TheywerecomposedbytheCourtPoet;andthisisatranslation:
(HisLandingonTheIsland)Heaven-sent,Inhisdolphin-drawncanoeFromworldsunknownHelandedonourshores.TheverypalmsBoweddowntheirheadsInwelcometothecomingKing.
(HisMeetingWithTheBeetle)BymoonlightinthemountainsHecommunedwithbeasts.TheshyJabizribringshimpicture-wordsOfgreatdistress.
(HeliberatesTheLostFamilies)Bigwashisheartwithpity;Bigwerehishandswithstrength.Seehowhetearsthemountainlikeayam!SeehowthelostonesDanceforthtogreettheday!
(HeMakesFire)Ourlandwascoldanddying.Hewavedhishandandlo!
Lightningleaptfromcloudlessskies;Thesunleantdown;AndFirewasborn!
ThenwhilewecrowdedroundThegratefulglow,pushedheOurwayward,floatinglandBacktopeacefulanchorageInsunnyseas.
(HeLeadsThePeopleToVictoryinWar)OnceonlyWashiskindlycountenanceDarkenedbyadeadlyfrown.WoetothewickedenemyThatdaresattackThetribewithThinkalotforChief!
(HeIsCrownedKing)Thebirdsoftheairrejoiced;TheSealaughedandgambolledwithhershores;AllRed-skinsweptforjoyThedaywecrownedhimKing.
HeistheBuilder,theHealer,theTeacherandthePrince;Heisthegreatestofthemall.
Mayheliveathousandthousandyears,Happyinhisheart,ToblessourlandwithPeace.
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