The Scarlet Prince
"Would you mind not using my drinking cup for a bath," observed the
Hungry Tiger mildly, as Carter continued to gurgle and splash about in
the tub. Laughing with relief, Betsy seized the Vegetable Man's hands
and pulled him out of the water.
"Don't be scared," whispered Betsy comfortably. "This tiger's a friend
of mine and he wouldn't hurt anybody!"
"Then what's he doing here?" asked Carter accusingly. "Is this
parsnippy Pasha his friend, too?" The Hungry Tiger winced guiltily at
Betsy's kind little speech, but resolved that she should never know he
had willingly come to Rash.
"I'm his prisoner," he explained in a hollow voice. (And, indeed, he
was terribly hollow by this time.) "I'm a prisoner like yourselves." In
a husky roar, he told of his trip by hurry-cane to Irashi's Kingdom and
of his imprisonment in the Rash courtyard.
"So this light fingered Ippty brought you here," mused Carter
wonderingly. "But why?"
"To eat the Rash Prisoners," answered the Hungry Tiger faintly.
"And have you eaten any?" Betsy regarded her old friend anxiously.
"Well, not yet," admitted the Hungry Tiger, rolling his eyes mournfully
at the little girl. "Not yet!"
"Have a cabbage," quavered Carter, waving toward the overturned
vegetable cart. "Have a cauliflower or a nice bunch of beets." The
Hungry Tiger was a perfect stranger to him, and Carter could not feel
the same confidence in the beast that Betsy seemed to feel.
"More vegetables," groaned the tiger, sniffing the air sadly. "Well, I
suppose they are better than nothing. But tell me Betsy, how in Oz did
you ever get here and who," he blinked rapidly at the strange figure of
Carter Green, "who is this person?"
With a little chuckle, Betsy introduced the Vegetable Man, then as
quickly as she could told of their amazing adventures with the winding
road and quick sandals and of Carter's unfortunate experience in the
Pasha's garden.
"Isn't there some way out of here?" asked the little girl, looking
around nervously. "Oh! What's that?" A dismal wail, issuing from the
stones beneath her feet, made Betsy leap into the air.
"It's that singer again," growled the Hungry Tiger and, lashing his
tail a little, he put his nose close to the crevice in the blocks.
"Less noise down there," he roared warningly.
"I always sing when I'm hungry," answered the singer. "Oh, I'm so
hungry!"
"Hand me a tomato or something," rumbled the Hungry Tiger. "Quick!" The
Vegetable Man made haste to obey, bringing several tomatoes and a dozen
apples as well. Looking up at the wall to see that he was not observed,
the Hungry Tiger pushed them hurriedly through the crevice. As the last
apple disappeared, a moist song, punctuated with sobs, came sighing
upward.
"Oh beautiful Tiger, I love you so,
To you, snif snuffle, my life I owe.
And I'll devote it to songs of praise
And sing, snif, snif, to you, all of my days!"
"Mercy!" gasped Betsy Bobbin. The Hungry Tiger was so embarrassed by
the sad singer's ditty that, for a few minutes, he couldn't roar a
word. Then, as Carter and Betsy continued to look at him inquiringly,
he explained how he had hidden the Rash Singer instead of eating him.
"See!" cried Betsy, turning proudly to the Vegetable Man. "I told you
he wouldn't hurt anyone! I think you're just the dearest splendidest
tiger I ever--."
"Sh!" cautioned the Hungry Tiger. "Here comes another prisoner. Quick,
now, pretend you're afraid of me!" Betsy and the Vegetable Man had just
time to crouch back against the wall, when the guards dropped another
Rasher into the courtyard.
"It's a barber," whispered Betsy, in an interested voice, and she was
right, for clutched in one hand the prisoner had a mug full of suds and
in the other a gleaming razor.
"What frightful luck," moaned the Hungry Tiger. "If it had only been
a bandit or a robber I could have eaten him without a qualm, but a
barber, ugh, he smells of bay rum. Stop that racket, fellow, and let me
think!"
And certainly, the poor tiger had plenty to occupy his thoughts, for
if things went on in this fashion the underground cavern would soon
be full and then what would happen? And how ever was he to get little
Betsy Bobbin safely back to Oz? Paying no attention to the terrified
squeals of the barber, the Hungry Tiger began to pace restlessly up and
down the courtyard, till Betsy, feeling sorry for the frightened little
man, ran out and assured him he was in no danger of being eaten.
It was a long time before the barber stopped shivering, but at last,
thoroughly convinced, he hurried impetuously after the tiger. "Let me
trim your beautiful whiskers," he begged tremulously.
"Trim mine," invited Carter, as the Hungry Tiger impatiently shook his
head. The Vegetable Man's rootlike beard had sprouted a foot since
morning, so, trembling with relief and gratitude, the Rash barber stood
upon the edge of the tub and trimmed it most skillfully, trying at the
same time to bring Carter's celery top hair into some kind of order.
When the Vegetable Man, in answer to the barber's questions, had told a
bit about himself and Betsy, the barber related how he had accidently
cut the cheek of Irashi, while shaving him.
"Just a tiny scratch," explained the barber, "and for that I was
condemned to die."
"But why do you have such a bad King?" exclaimed Betsy, impatiently.
"Why don't you put him out and elect another?"
"We've tried," sighed the barber dolefully, "but Irashi has the army in
his power, and with Ippty's help has outwitted us every time."
"Is Ippty the fellow with the fountain pen finger?" asked Betsy
curiously.
The barber nodded. "He has a handful of odd fingers," he continued
despondently, "a pencil, a sealing wax finger, an eraser, a candle
thumb and a pen-knife besides. Oh, he's a handy rogue for a fellow like
Irashi, but the real ruler of Rash is Asha, the brother of the present
Pasha. Weary of the cares of state, he retired to an unknown country to
study radio, leaving his small son and Fizzenpop to govern the Kingdom.
No sooner had he gone than Irashi seized the throne and hid the little
Prince away. Until we find the lost Prince, nothing can be done,"
finished the Rash Barber sorrowfully.
"Well, I'll tell Ozma on him," declared Betsy determinedly, "just as
soon as I get back to the Emerald City."
"Do you think we ever _will_ get back?" The Hungry Tiger paused in
his restless walk and regarded the little group mournfully. "I've been
here two days and there's not a chink anywhere in this wall."
"Let's all look," proposed Betsy, jumping up, and encouraged by her
cheerfulness, the four prisoners made a careful tour of the pink
courtyard. But after several hours had been spent in an unsuccessful
search, even Betsy grew down-hearted.
"Shall we have something to eat?" asked the little girl, as they all
dropped down wearily beside the Hungry Tiger's water tub. "It's a good
thing they threw that cart over. At least, we won't starve!" Insisting
that this was his part of the performance, Carter passed round tomatoes
and apples, till everyone felt refreshed. Even the Hungry Tiger, after
swallowing several dozen of each, admitted that he felt a little less
hollow.
"Make the most of the day time," advised the Hungry Tiger gloomily,
"for to-night you are supposed to be eaten and will have to hide
down below till we find some way out of Rash!" It was not a pleasant
prospect, and though Carter did what he could to keep things cheerful,
Betsy and the barber grew quieter and quieter as the afternoon advanced.
No more prisoners were flung over the wall, and as the first stars
twinkled out, the three slipped silently into the underground cave. The
Hungry Tiger had just pushed the pink paving stone back, when Irashi
and Ippty, preceded by the pink Guards bearing torches, stepped out
upon the wall.
"Good evening, furious feline!" called Ippty shrilly. "How do you do
and how do you do it? He's eaten the entire lot," he explained in a
breathless whisper to Irashi.
"We've brought you some dessert," announced the Pasha, who seemed to
be in a high good humor. "A tempting little waif. Throw the little
waif over," he called playfully to the Guards. The Hungry Tiger had
immediately turned his back upon these Rash rascals, but as a crumpled
little bundle came tumbling down beside him, he swung around. What he
saw made him roar so ferociously that Irashi, Ippty and the pink Guards
covered their ears and fled from the wall.
"What's he saying?" gasped the Pasha, sinking down on a pink settee and
clapping his fat hands to his quivering middle.
"He's talking tiger, your Highness," stuttered Ippty, with a slight
shudder, "and tiger is a language I never studied. But never mind, from
now on, we are the sole rulers of Rash!" Thumping the Pasha upon the
back, Ippty led him into the throne room. As soon as they had gone, the
Hungry Tiger stopped roaring and gently approached the small prisoner.
"Don't cry," begged the Hungry Tiger miserably. It was dreadful to
have everyone afraid of him, especially a helpless little boy. "Why,
he's no older than Betsy," thought the Hungry Tiger, bristling with
anger at Irashi's wickedness. "If you stop crying, I'll take you for a
ride all round the courtyard," he promised breathlessly. This offer so
astonished the little fellow that he took his arm from before his face
and blinked through his tears at the huge beast. There was no mistaking
the kindly expression in the Hungry Tiger's eyes, and with a gasp of
relief he jumped up and was about to mount the great beast, when a
thin figure leapt from the top of the wall and came hurtling down
between them.
"Spare him! Spare him, cruel monster!" wheezed the newcomer hoarsely.
"I am old and thin, but eat me instead." Placing himself between the
Hungry Tiger and the boy, the old Rasher extended his arms pleadingly.
It was Fizzenpop, and as the Hungry Tiger drew back with embarrassment
and surprise, the Grand Vizier of Rash flung himself at his feet.
"It is the Scarlet Prince!" panted Fizzenpop, beating his head up and
down upon the stones, "Prince Evered of Rash!"
"Sh--!" warned the Hungry Tiger, looking about uneasily. Then as
Fizzenpop continued his entreaties, he held up his paw for silence.
"You're a nice old bone," sighed the Hungry Tiger. "But even so, I have
no desire to eat you. It's my conscience," he continued heavily. "I've
lived among people too long to hold a position like this." The Grand
Vizier could scarcely believe his ears.
"But the other prisoners?" he demanded wildly. "You have eaten them?"
The Hungry Tiger, with a tired shake of his head, waved toward the
loosened paving stone. The two corn ears of the Vegetable Man were
sticking up through the crevice and he was carefully repeating to those
below everything as it happened.
"How can I ever thank you!" exclaimed Fizzenpop, prostrating himself
again at the Hungry Tiger's feet.
"Don't thank me, help me," begged the Hungry Tiger uncomfortably. "And
tell me more about this little chap. Perhaps together we can plan a way
to escape." Fizzenpop's brave action in offering himself in place of
the little Prince made the Hungry Tiger feel terribly ashamed. More
and more he was coming to realize that he would never be able to devour
a live man. It was a long story, and sitting down beside the water tub
with Prince Evered in his lap, the Grand Vizier told how Irashi had
stolen the throne of the Kingdom and made himself Pasha of Rash.
"There are three magic rubies to protect the rightful rulers of
Rash," explained Fizzenpop in a low voice. "One protects him from all
danger by water, one protects him from all injury in the air and the
other from all harm on the earth or under the earth. The rubies are
embedded among other gems in the Rash scepter. No sooner had Evered's
father retired than Irashi began to scheme and plan to make himself
king. Knowing he could do nothing while the Rash rubies were in our
possession, he managed, with Ippty's help, to steal the royal scepter.
Next he had the little Prince seized and hidden away. After searching
in vain for many months, I chanced yesterday into a Rash Cobbler's shop
and found Evered playing with the cobbler's children. Hoping to get him
safely out of the country I hurried him back to the palace, but Irashi
soon discovered him and the rest," Fizzenpop groaned heavily, "the
rest, you know!"
"But what became of the rubies?" asked the Hungry Tiger, as Fizzenpop
continued to stroke the head of the little Prince. So much had happened
in the last few hours that even Fizzenpop's story could not keep the
Prince awake.
"One he hurled from the highest turret of the palace, another he
flung into the Rash River and the last he buried somewhere in the
garden," answered the Grand Vizier sadly. "Until we recover the three
magic rubies the Prince's very life is in danger and Rash must remain
under the wicked rule of Irashi, the Rough. Every evening, when I am
unobserved, I have searched most diligently for these precious gems,
but without any success."
"Well, Irashi won't rule long if I can find a way out of here," growled
the Hungry Tiger. "Think, man! Is there no way out?" Fizzenpop shook
his head dejectedly and then, as it was growing late, they thought it
best to conceal the little Prince with the rest of the prisoners.
"Betsy," called the Hungry Tiger softly. There was no answer and,
pulling aside the pink paving block, he peered down into the cavern.
"They must be asleep," muttered the Hungry Tiger in surprise. "Here,
Mr. Fizzenpop, you keep watch while I lower the boy." It was too dark
to see, and after the Hungry Tiger had eased the ragged little Prince
into the cave, he decided to step in himself and see how everything was
going. So he slipped gently down into the darkness.
For nearly ten minutes Fizzenpop kept an anxious eye upon the wall.
Then, feeling he had given the Hungry Tiger ample time to replace the
block, he turned round. There was no one in the courtyard.
"Merciful mustard!" gasped the Grand Vizier, dashing over to the
opening. Hanging down by his heels, he glared into the damp little
chamber. But it was perfectly empty. No tiger! No Prince! No barber! No
anything! Falling in, head first, Fizzenpop began feeling all over the
walls and floors. Then, as his search yielded nothing, he raised his
voice in a long dismal wail.
"What's wrong?" Three Rash Guards appeared sleepily on the wall and
presently Irashi, himself, wrapped in a pink bath robe, rushed out to
see what was the matter.
"The Tiger!" gulped Fizzenpop wildly, "the Hungry Tiger has escaped!"
Fizzenpop was already in great disfavor, owing to his discovery of the
lost Prince, and realizing instantly that it would never do to tell
Irashi the whole truth he resolved to save himself for his country and
Evered by a clever story. So, while Irashi listened breathlessly from
the wall, he told how he had come out to observe the great creature
from Oz, how he had seen him prying up a paving stone and had sprung
into the courtyard to prevent him from escaping. "But I was too late!"
lamented Fizzenpop shaking his head mournfully. "The Hungry Tiger has
disappeared by some miracle of magic!"
"And such a useful beast," sniffed Irashi. "But you shall be rewarded
Fizzenpop, for this brave action," and ordering the Guards to let down
ropes to the Grand Vizier, the Pasha of Rash went regretfully back to
bed. "Oh, well," he yawned as he dropped into a doze, "he's eaten that
pest of a Prince and that is something."