Chapter Twenty-One
The Wizard Finds an Enchantment
After Kaliko had failed in his attempts to destroy his guests, as hasbeen related, the Nome King did nothing more to injure them but treatedthem in a friendly manner. He refused, however, to permit Inga to seeor to speak with his father and mother, or even to know in what part ofthe underground caverns they were confined.
"You are able to protect your lives and persons, I freely admit," saidKaliko; "but I firmly believe you have no power, either of magic orotherwise, to take from me the captives I have agreed to keep for KingGos."
Inga would not agree to this. He determined not to leave the cavernsuntil he had liberated his father and mother, although he did not thenknow how that could be accomplished. As for Rinkitink, the jolly Kingwas well fed and had a good bed to sleep upon, so he was not worryingabout anything and seemed in no hurry to go away.
Kaliko and Rinkitink were engaged in pitching a game with solid goldquoits, on the floor of the royal chamber, and Inga and Bilbil werewatching them, when Klik came running in, his hair standing on end withexcitement, and cried out that the Wizard of Oz and Dorothy wereapproaching.
Kaliko turned pale on hearing this unwelcome news and, abandoning hisgame, went to sit in his ivory throne and try to think what had broughtthese fearful visitors to his domain.
"Who is Dorothy?" asked Inga.
"She is a little girl who once lived in Kansas," replied Klik, with ashudder, "but she now lives in Ozma's palace at the Emerald City and isa Princess of Oz--which means that she is a terrible foe to deal with."
"Doesn't she like the nomes?" inquired the boy.
"It isn't that," said King Kaliko, with a groan, "but she insists onthe nomes being goody-goody, which is contrary to their natures.Dorothy gets angry if I do the least thing that is wicked, and tries tomake me stop it, and that naturally makes me downhearted. I can'timagine why she has come here just now, for I've been behaving verywell lately. As for that Wizard of Oz, he's chock-full of magic that Ican't overcome, for he learned it from Glinda, who is the most powerfulsorceress in the world. Woe is me! Why didn't Dorothy and the Wizardstay in Oz, where they belong?"
Inga and Rinkitink listened to this with much joy, for at once the ideacame to them both to plead with Dorothy to help them. Even Bilbilpricked up his ears when he heard the Wizard of Oz mentioned, and thegoat seemed much less surly, and more thoughtful than usual.
A few minutes later a nome came to say that Dorothy and the Wizard hadarrived and demanded admittance, so Klik was sent to usher them intothe royal presence of the Nome King.
As soon as she came in the little girl ran up to the boy Prince andseized both his hands.
"Oh, Inga!" she exclaimed, "I'm so glad to find you alive and well."
Inga was astonished at so warm a greeting. Making a low bow he said:
"I don't think we have met before, Princess."
"No, indeed," replied Dorothy, "but I know all about you and I've cometo help you and King Rinkitink out of your troubles." Then she turnedto the Nome King and continued: "You ought to be ashamed of yourself,King Kaliko, to treat an honest Prince and an honest King so badly."
"I haven't done anything to them," whined Kaliko, trembling as her eyesflashed upon him.
"No; but you tried to, an' that's just as bad, if not worse," saidDorothy, who was very indignant. "And now I want you to send for theKing and Queen of Pingaree and have them brought here immejitly!"
"I won't," said Kaliko.
"Yes, you will!" cried Dorothy, stamping her foot at him. "I won't havethose poor people made unhappy any longer, or separated from theirlittle boy. Why, it's dreadful, Kaliko, an' I'm su'prised at you. Youmust be more wicked than I thought you were."
"I can't do it, Dorothy," said the Nome King, almost weeping withdespair. "I promised King Gos I'd keep them captives. You wouldn't askme to break my promise, would you?"
"King Gos was a robber and an outlaw," she said, "and p'r'aps you don'tknow that a storm at sea wrecked his boat, while he was going back toRegos, and that he and Queen Cor were both drowned."
"Dear me!" exclaimed Kaliko. "Is that so?"
"I saw it in Glinda's Record Book," said Dorothy. "So now you trot outthe King and Queen of Pingaree as quick as you can."
"No," persisted the contrary Nome King, shaking his head. "I won't doit. Ask me anything else and I'll try to please you, but I can't allowthese friendly enemies to triumph over me.
"In that case," said Dorothy, beginning to remove the cover from herbasket, "I'll show you some eggs."
"Eggs!" screamed the Nome King in horror. "Have you eggs in thatbasket?"
"A dozen of 'em," replied Dorothy.
"Then keep them there--I beg--I implore you!--and I'll do anything yousay," pleaded Kaliko, his teeth chattering so that he could hardlyspeak.
"Send for the King and Queen of Pingaree," said Dorothy.
"Go, Klik," commanded the Nome King, and Klik ran away in great haste,for he was almost as much frightened as his master.
It was an affecting scene when the unfortunate King and Queen ofPingaree entered the chamber and with sobs and tears of joy embracedtheir brave and adventurous son. All the others stood silent untilgreetings and kisses had been exchanged and Inga had told his parentsin a few words of his vain struggles to rescue them and how PrincessDorothy had finally come to his assistance.
Then King Kitticut shook the hands of his friend King Rinkitink andthanked him for so loyally supporting his son Inga, and Queen Gareekissed little Dorothy's forehead and blessed her for restoring herhusband and herself to freedom.
The Wizard had been standing near Bilbil the goat and now he wassurprised to hear the animal say:
"Joyful reunion, isn't it? But it makes me tired to see grown peoplecry like children."
"Oho!" exclaimed the Wizard. "How does it happen, Mr. Goat, that you,who have never been to the Land of Oz, are able to talk?"
"That's my business," returned Bilbil in a surly tone.
The Wizard stooped down and gazed fixedly into the animal's eyes. Thenhe said, with a pitying sigh: "I see; you are under an enchantment.Indeed, I believe you to be Prince Bobo of Boboland."
Bilbil made no reply but dropped his head as if ashamed.
"This is a great discovery," said the Wizard, addressing Dorothy andthe others of the party. "A good many years ago a cruel magiciantransformed the gallant Prince of Boboland into a talking goat, andthis goat, being ashamed of his condition, ran away and was never afterseen in Boboland, which is a country far to the south of here butbordering on the Deadly Desert, opposite the Land of Oz. I heard ofthis story long ago and know that a diligent search has been made forthe enchanted Prince, without result. But I am well assured that, inthe animal you call Bilbil, I have discovered the unhappy Prince ofBoboland."
"Dear me, Bilbil," said Rinkitink, "why have you never told me this?"
"What would be the use?" asked Bilbil in a low voice and still refusingto look up.
"The use?" repeated Rinkitink, puzzled.
"Yes, that's the trouble," said the Wizard. "It is one of the mostpowerful enchantments ever accomplished, and the magician is now deadand the secret of the anti-charm lost. Even I, with all my skill,cannot restore Prince Bobo to his proper form. But I think Glinda mightbe able to do so and if you will all return with Dorothy and me to theLand of Oz, where Ozma will make you welcome, I will ask Glinda to tryto break this enchantment."
This was willingly agreed to, for they all welcomed the chance to visitthe famous Land of Oz. So they bade good-bye to King Kaliko, whomDorothy warned not to be wicked any more if he could help it, and theentire party returned over the Magic Carpet to the Land of Oz. Theyfilled the Red Wagon, which was still waiting for them, pretty full;but the Sawhorse didn't mind that and with wonderful speed carried themsafely to the Emerald City.
Rinkitink in Oz Page 21
