If you have a map of the Land of Oz handy, you will find that the great
Nonestic Ocean washes the shores of the Kingdom of Rinkitink, between
which and the Land of Oz lies a strip of the country of the Nome King
and a Sandy Desert. The Kingdom of Rinkitink isn't very big and lies
close to the ocean, all the houses and the King's palace being built
near the shore. The people live much upon the water, boating and
fishing, and the wealth of Rinkitink is gained from trading along the
coast and with the islands nearest it.
Four days' journey by boat to the north of Rinkitink is the Island of
Pingaree, and as our story begins here I must tell you something about
this island. At the north end of Pingaree, where it is widest, the land
is a mile from shore to shore, but at the south end it is scarcely half
a mile broad; thus, although Pingaree is four miles long, from north to
south, it cannot be called a very big island. It is exceedingly pretty,
however, and to the gulls who approach it from the sea it must resemble
a huge green wedge lying upon the waters, for its grass and trees give
it the color of an emerald.
The grass came to the edge of the sloping shores; the beautiful trees
occupied all the central portion of Pingaree, forming a continuous
grove where the branches met high overhead and there was just space
beneath them for the cosy houses of the inhabitants. These houses were
scattered everywhere throughout the island, so that there was no town
or city, unless the whole island might be called a city. The canopy of
leaves, high overhead, formed a shelter from sun and rain, and the
dwellers in the grove could all look past the straight tree-trunks and
across the grassy slopes to the purple waters of the Nonestic Ocean.
At the big end of the island, at the north, stood the royal palace of
King Kitticut, the lord and ruler of Pingaree. It was a beautiful
palace, built entirely of snow-white marble and capped by domes of
burnished gold, for the King was exceedingly wealthy. All along the
coast of Pingaree were found the largest and finest pearls in the whole
world.
These pearls grew within the shells of big oysters, and the people
raked the oysters from their watery beds, sought out the milky pearls
and carried them dutifully to their King. Therefore, once every year
His Majesty was able to send six of his boats, with sixty rowers and
many sacks of the valuable pearls, to the Kingdom of Rinkitink, where
there was a city called Gilgad, in which King Rinkitink's palace stood
on a rocky headland and served, with its high towers, as a lighthouse
to guide sailors to the harbor. In Gilgad the pearls from Pingaree were
purchased by the King's treasurer, and the boats went back to the
island laden with stores of rich merchandise and such supplies of food
as the people and the royal family of Pingaree needed.
The Pingaree people never visited any other land but that of Rinkitink,
and so there were few other lands that knew there was such an island.
To the southwest was an island called the Isle of Phreex, where the
inhabitants had no use for pearls. And far north of Pingaree--six days'
journey by boat, it was said--were twin islands named Regos and
Coregos, inhabited by a fierce and warlike people.
Many years before this story really begins, ten big boatloads of those
fierce warriors of Regos and Coregos visited Pingaree, landing suddenly
upon the north end of the island. There they began to plunder and
conquer, as was their custom, but the people of Pingaree, although
neither so big nor so strong as their foes, were able to defeat them
and drive them all back to the sea, where a great storm overtook the
raiders from Regos and Coregos and destroyed them and their boats, not
a single warrior returning to his own country.
This defeat of the enemy seemed the more wonderful because the
pearl-fishers of Pingaree were mild and peaceful in disposition and
seldom quarreled even among themselves. Their only weapons were their
oyster rakes; yet the fact remains that they drove their fierce enemies
from Regos and Coregos from their shores.
King Kitticut was only a boy when this remarkable battle was fought,
and now his hair was gray; but he remembered the day well and, during
the years that followed, his one constant fear was of another invasion
of his enemies. He feared they might send a more numerous army to his
island, both for conquest and revenge, in which case there could be
little hope of successfully opposing them.
This anxiety on the part of King Kitticut led him to keep a sharp
lookout for strange boats, one of his men patrolling the beach
constantly, but he was too wise to allow any fear to make him or his
subjects unhappy. He was a good King and lived very contentedly in his
fine palace, with his fair Queen Garee and their one child, Prince Inga.
The wealth of Pingaree increased year by year; and the happiness of the
people increased, too. Perhaps there was no place, outside the Land of
Oz, where contentment and peace were more manifest than on this pretty
island, hidden in the besom of the Nonestic Ocean. Had these conditions
remained undisturbed, there would have been no need to speak of
Pingaree in this story.
Prince Inga, the heir to all the riches and the kingship of Pingaree,
grew up surrounded by every luxury; but he was a manly little fellow,
although somewhat too grave and thoughtful, and he could never bear to
be idle a single minute. He knew where the finest oysters lay hidden
along the coast and was as successful in finding pearls as any of the
men of the island, although he was so slight and small. He had a little
boat of his own and a rake for dragging up the oysters and he was very
proud indeed when he could carry a big white pearl to his father.
There was no school upon the island, as the people of Pingaree were far
removed from the state of civilization that gives our modern children
such advantages as schools and learned professors, but the King owned
several manuscript books, the pages being made of sheepskin. Being a
man of intelligence, he was able to teach his son something of reading,
writing and arithmetic.
When studying his lessons Prince Inga used to go into the grove near
his father's palace and climb into the branches of a tall tree, where
he had built a platform with a comfortable seat to rest upon, all
hidden by the canopy of leaves. There, with no one to disturb him, he
would pore over the sheepskin on which were written the queer
characters of the Pingarese language.
King Kitticut was very proud of his little son, as well he might be,
and he soon felt a high respect for Inga's judgment and thought that he
was worthy to be taken into the confidence of his father in many
matters of state. He taught the boy the needs of the people and how to
rule them justly, for some day he knew that Inga would be King in his
place. One day he called his son to his side and said to him:
"Our island now seems peaceful enough, Inga, and we are happy and
prosperous, but I cannot forget those terrible people of Regos and
Coregos. My constant fear is that they will send a fleet of boats to
search for those of their race whom we defeated many years ago, and
whom the sea afterwards destroyed. If the warriors come in great
numbers we may be unable to oppose them, for my people are little
trained to fighting at best; they surely would cause us much injury and
suffering."
"Are we, then, less powerful than in my grandfather's day?" asked
Prince Inga.
The King shook his head thoughtfully.
"It is not that," said he. "That you may fully understand that
marvelous battle, I must confide to, you a great secret. I have in my
possession three Magic Talismans, which I have ever guarded with utmost
care, keeping the knowledge of their existence from anyone else. But,
lest I should die, and the secret be lost, I have decided to tell you
what these talismans are and where they are hidden. Come with me, my
son."
He led the way through the rooms of the palace until they came to the
great banquet hall. There, stopping in the center of the room, he
stooped down and touched a hidden spring in the tiled floor. At once
one of the tiles sank downward and the King reached within the cavity
and drew out a silken bag.
This bag he proceeded to open, showing Inga that it contained three
great pearls, each one as big around as a marble. One had a blue tint
and one was of a delicate rose color, but the third was pure white.
"These three pearls," said the King, speaking in a solemn, impressive
voice, "are the most wonderful the world has ever known. They were
gifts to one of my ancestors from the Mermaid Queen, a powerful fairy
whom he once had the good fortune to rescue from her enemies. In
gratitude for this favor she presented him with these pearls. Each of
the three possesses an astonishing power, and whoever is their owner
may count himself a fortunate man. This one having the blue tint will
give to the person who carries it a strength so great that no power can
resist him. The one with the pink glow will protect its owner from all
dangers that may threaten him, no matter from what source they may
come. The third pearl--this one of pure white--can speak, and its words
are always wise and helpful."
"What is this, my father!" exclaimed the Prince, amazed; "do you tell
me that a pearl can speak? It sounds impossible."
"Your doubt is due to your ignorance of fairy powers," returned the
King, gravely. "Listen, my son, and you will know that I speak the
truth."
He held the white pearl to Inga's ear and the Prince heard a small
voice say distinctly: "Your father is right. Never question the truth
of what you fail to understand, for the world is filled with wonders."
"I crave your pardon, dear father," said the Prince, "for clearly I
heard the pearl speak, and its words were full of wisdom."
"The powers of the other pearls are even greater," resumed the King.
"Were I poor in all else, these gems would make me richer than any
other monarch the world holds."
"I believe that," replied Inga, looking at the beautiful pearls with
much awe. "But tell me, my father, why do you fear the warriors of
Regos and Coregos when these marvelous powers are yours?"
"The powers are mine only while I have the pearls upon my person,"
answered King Kitticut, "and I dare not carry them constantly for fear
they might be lost. Therefore, I keep them safely hidden in this
recess. My only danger lies in the chance that my watchmen might fail
to discover the approach of our enemies and allow the warrior invaders
to seize me before I could secure the pearls. I should, in that case,
be quite powerless to resist. My father owned the magic pearls at the
time of the Great Fight, of which you have so often heard, and the pink
pearl protected him from harm, while the blue pearl enabled him and his
people to drive away the enemy. Often have I suspected that the
destroying storm was caused by the fairy mermaids, but that is a matter
of which I have no proof."
"I have often wondered how we managed to win that battle," remarked
Inga thoughtfully. "But the pearls will assist us in case the warriors
come again, will they not?"
"They are as powerful as ever," declared the King. "Really, my son, I
have little to fear from any foe. But lest I die and the secret be lost
to the next King, I have now given it into your keeping. Remember that
these pearls are the rightful heritage of all Kings of Pingaree. If at
any time I should be taken from you, Inga, guard this treasure well and
do not forget where it is hidden."
"I shall not forget," said Inga.
Then the King returned the pearls to their hiding place and the boy
went to his own room to ponder upon the wonderful secret his father had
that day confided to his care.