Chapter Eleven
Zella Goes to Coregos
The forest in which Nikobob lived with his wife and daughter stoodbetween the mountains and the City of Regos, and a well-beaten pathwound among the trees, leading from the city to the mines. This pathwas used by the King's messengers, and captured prisoners were alsosent by this way from Regos to work in the underground caverns.
Nikobob had built his cabin more than a mile away from this path, thathe might not be molested by the wild and lawless soldiers of King Gos,but the family of the charcoal-burner was surrounded by many creaturesscarcely less dangerous to encounter, and often in the night they couldhear savage animals growling and prowling about the cabin. BecauseNikobob minded his own business and never hunted the wild creatures toinjure them, the beasts had come to regard him as one of the naturaldwellers in the forest and did not molest him or his family. StillZella and her mother seldom wandered far from home, except on sucherrands as carrying honey to Coregos, and at these times Nikobobcautioned them to be very careful.
So when Zella set out on her journey to Queen Cor, with the two pailsof honey in her hands, she was undertaking a dangerous adventure andthere was no certainty that she would return safely to her lovingparents. But they were poor, and Queen Cor's money, which they expectedto receive for the honey, would enable them to purchase many thingsthat were needed; so it was deemed best that Zella should go. She was abrave little girl and poor people are often obliged to take chancesthat rich ones are spared.
A passing woodchopper had brought news to Nikobob's cabin that QueenCor had made a prisoner of the conquering Prince of Pingaree and thatGos and his warriors were again back in their city of Regos; but thesestruggles and conquests were matters which, however interesting, didnot concern the poor charcoal-burner or his family. They were moreanxious over the report that the warriors had become more reckless thanever before, and delighted in annoying all the common people; so Zellawas told to keep away from the beaten path as much as possible, thatshe might not encounter any of the King's soldiers.
"When it is necessary to choose between the warriors and the wildbeasts," said Nikobob, "the beasts will be found the more merciful."
The little girl had put on her best attire for the journey and hermother threw a blue silk shawl over her head and shoulders. Upon herfeet were the pretty red shoes her father had brought her from Regos.Thus prepared, she kissed her parents good-bye and started out with alight heart, carrying the pails of honey in either hand.
It was necessary for Zella to cross the path that led from the mines tothe city, but once on the other side she was not likely to meet withanyone, for she had resolved to cut through the forest and so reach thebridge of boats without entering the City of Regos, where she might beinterrupted. For an hour or two she found the walking easy enough, butthen the forest, which in this part was unknown to her, became badlytangled. The trees were thicker and creeping vines intertwined betweenthem. She had to turn this way and that to get through at all, andfinally she came to a place where a network of vines and brancheseffectually barred her farther progress.
Zella was dismayed, at first, when she encountered this obstacle, butsetting down her pails she made an endeavor to push the branches aside.At her touch they parted as if by magic, breaking asunder like driedtwigs, and she found she could pass freely. At another place a greatlog had fallen across her way, but the little girl lifted it easily andcast it aside, although six ordinary men could scarcely have moved it.
The child was somewhat worried at this evidence of a strength she hadheretofore been ignorant that she possessed. In order to satisfyherself that it was no delusion, she tested her new-found power in manyways, finding that nothing was too big nor too heavy for her to lift.And, naturally enough, the girl gained courage from these experimentsand became confident that she could protect herself in any emergency.When, presently, a wild boar ran toward her, grunting horribly andthreatening her with its great tusks, she did not climb a tree toescape, as she had always done before on meeting such creatures, butstood still and faced the boar. When it had come quite close and Zellasaw that it could not injure her--a fact that astonished both the beastand the girl--she suddenly reached down and seizing it by one ear threwthe great beast far off amongst the trees, where it fell headlong tothe earth, grunting louder than ever with surprise and fear.
The girl laughed merrily at this incident and, picking up her pails,resumed her journey through the forest. It is not recorded whether thewild boar told his adventure to the other beasts or they had happenedto witness his defeat, but certain it is that Zella was not againmolested. A brown bear watched her pass without making any movement inher direction and a great puma--a beast much dreaded by all men--creptout of her path as she approached, and disappeared among the trees.
Thus everything favored the girl's journey and she made such good speedthat by noon she emerged from the forest's edge and found she was quitenear to the bridge of boats that led to Coregos. This she crossedsafely and without meeting any of the rude warriors she so greatlyfeared, and five minutes later the daughter of the charcoal-burner wasseeking admittance at the back door of Queen Cor's palace.
Rinkitink in Oz Page 11
