"No," I said, "although I must admit that I was at first inclined to
think that something of the sort was concealed there. I've had it all
explained to me, though," and I proceeded to inform him of what the
guide had told me concerning the matter.
"Pooh! Rubbish! He doesn't know what he's talking about," said Shin
Shira contemptuously; "I'll tell you the real story of those rocks as it
occurred, let's see--about eight or nine hundred years ago. I remember
it quite well, for it was one of those occasions when I was _most_
distressed at having to disappear at what was for me the very worst
possible moment."
I settled myself comfortably on the rocks beside Shin Shira and prepared
to listen with great interest.
"Let's think for a moment," said the little Yellow Dwarf, looking about
him.
"It began--oh, yes! I know now. In that cave over yonder--I was eight
or nine hundred years younger then, and a very warm-blooded and
impressionable young fellow at that time; and I can remember being
struck with the extreme beauty of the charming Princess whom I
discovered in tears there when I suddenly appeared.
"The cave itself was hung about with the most beautiful silken curtains
and tapestries, and on the floor were spread rugs and carpets and
cushions of Oriental magnificence. Tiny tables, inlaid with ivory and
mother-of-pearl, were scattered about, on which were caskets filled with
beautiful jewels and rare curios from foreign lands.
"The Princess herself was reclining on one of the cushions, sobbing as
though her heart would break, and her beautiful hair was lying in
dishevelled glory about her shoulders.
"I was afraid of alarming her, so I coughed slightly to attract her
attention.
"She started up immediately with a look of terror, but was calmed in an
instant when she saw who it was.
"'Oh!' she cried, 'have you slain him? You must have done in order to
have reached here. Oh! have you come to save me?' and she looked at me
with wild, eager eyes.
"'Calm yourself, fair lady!' said I. 'What is it that alarms you? Be
sure that I will do all in my power to protect you from any evil that
threatens you.'
"'The Dragon!' gasped the Princess. 'Have you not slain him? How else
can you have entered? He lies at the door of the cave.'
"She caught me by the hand and led me to the entrance, and then,
clasping one hand over her eyes and shuddering with terror, she pointed
to where, a short distance beyond, under the shadow of some rocks, lay a
terrible Dragon, watching with cruel and expectant eyes for any prey
that might come his way.
"'I cannot get away from here except I pass him, and I have been
imprisoned here now for two days,' sobbed the Princess. 'The King, my
father, must indeed be distraught at my absence,' and she burst into
fresh weeping.
"I pressed her to tell me how she came there, and she explained to me
that one day, while walking on the sands with one of her maidens in
attendance, they had together discovered this cave, which was only
accessible at low tide; and they had secretly brought the rugs and
tapestries and other furniture with which the cave was filled and made a
bower of it, to which the Princess was wont to retire whenever she
wished to be alone.
"And, venturing here two days since without attendance, the Princess
had found, when she had wished to depart, the terrible monster lying in
her path.
"'And so,' she cried, 'I have been a prisoner all this time.'
"I cheered her as well as I was able, and turned to my little book to
see if by chance it gave me any directions how I might slay a Dragon by
means of my fairy powers; and I read there that though one might not
slay it (for a Dragon lives for a thousand years), one might rob it of
its power by casting at it a jewel of great brilliancy, at the same time
wishing that he might become dazed and impotent till one could escape,
and it would be so.
"I told this to the Princess, and she hastened to unfasten from her
bosom a jewel of great value set in gold of curious workmanship, which
she gave to me, imploring me at the same time to do immediately as the
book directed.
"'Nay,' said I, 'the jewel is yours; you must cast it at the Dragon, and
I will _wish_ that the fairies may aid us.'
"And so we stood at the door of the cave, and the Dragon, seeing us,
came forward with wide-opened jaws.
"The Princess clung to my arm with one hand, but with the other she cast
the jewel, while with all my desire I wished that my fairy powers might
not fail me now.
"Whether, however, it was that the fairies willed it so, or perchance
because she was a girl, the Princess's aim was not straight, and she
hit, not the Dragon, but a great boulder in the shadow of which he was
lurking; and then a truly remarkable thing occurred, for the boulder,
immediately it was struck by the jewel, tumbled forward, and falling
upon one beside it, imprisoned the Dragon between the two, where he has
remained to this day."
And Shin Shira pointed dramatically to the rocks, from which an extra
large puff of spray belched forth, with a groan and a cry which almost
convinced me that what he told me must be true.
"And what became of the Princess after that?" I inquired, being anxious
to hear the end of the story.
"Why," resumed Shin Shira, "we picked up the jewel and hurried away from
the spot, and presently came at the top of the cliffs to the Castle, the
ruins of which may still be seen up yonder--to where the King dwelt.
"I cannot tell you with what joy the Princess was received, nor with
what honour and favour I was rewarded by the King--and, indeed, by all
of the people--as the Princess's deliverer.
"It is enough to say that the King called a great assembly of people,
and before them all said that as a fitting reward he should give me the
fairest jewel in all his kingdom, and handed me the very stone which had
been cast at the Dragon, and which was valuable beyond price, being one
of the most perfect and flawless stones in the world.
"I was glad enough to have the gem, but I had fallen madly in love with
the Princess's beauty, so I made bold to remind the King that the
fairest jewel in his kingdom was not the gem he had given me, but the
Princess, his daughter.
"The answer pleased the King and the people, though I remember sometimes
sadly, even now, that the Princess's face fell as she heard the King
declare that his word should be kept, and the fairest jewel of all, even
the Princess herself, should be mine.
"But now, alas! comes the sorrowful part, for, before the ceremony of our
marriage could be completed, I was doomed by the fairies to disappear,
and so I lost for ever my beautiful bride," and Shin Shira gave a deep
sigh. "The jewel though," he added, "remained mine, and I have always
worn it in the front of my turban in honour and memory of the lovely
Princess. You may like to see it," and Shin Shira reached up to his head
for the turban in which I had noticed the jewel sparkling only a moment
before.
It was gone!
"Dear me! I'm disappearing again myself, I'm afraid," said Shin Shira,
looking down at his legs, from which the feet had already vanished.
"Good-bye!" he had just time to call out, before he departed in a little
yellow flicker.
"Hi! Hi!" I heard voices shouting, and looking up to the cliffs I saw
some people waving frantically. "Come up quickly, or you'll be cut off,"
they shouted.
And I hurried along the sands, only just in time, for I had been so
interested in Shin Shira's story that I had not noticed how the tide had
been creeping up. I shall have a good look at that jewel in Shin Shira's
turban next time I see him--and as for "the Bellows," I hardly know
which explanation to accept, Shin Shira's or that of the guide.