THE LAST DECREE OF ONALBA. DOWNFALL OF THE PLOTTERS. BRIGHT-WITS
RECEIVES HIS REWARD
In a voice that rang through the great hall the stranger commanded
silence. Then tearing the parchment open he read the amazing decree
which Onalba had written thereon. "This decree, I, Onalba, Rajah of
Parrabang, give to my people. Let all hearken, and obey these my
instructions. Knowing that my days are soon to cease, and that my well
beloved daughter Azalia will come to rule in my place, I, filled with a
desire that my kingdom be governed wisely and my beloved child wed
worthily, decided to absent myself from the affairs of my realm and to
journey out into the world that I might seek among the princes of the
earth one who would be full of the promise of wisdom and of high
courage. One fitted to be the consort of the matchless Azalia and in
whom I could see my fondest desires bear fruit. Now that none might know
me, I permitted my beard to grow to my girdle, and stained it with a
white pigment. Then I had only to reverse my name, Onalba, to become
Ablano; and in the Holy Brahman none knew the Rajah of Parrabang.
Hearing tidings of the fame of Prince Bright-Wits, I journeyed hence to
Mogadore. There I tarried studying the heart and instructing the mind of
this jewel among sons and star among princes. Nor has he failed me. In
him I have found one who will be a fitting lord for my child Azalia and
a worthy successor to the great Rajahs who have sat upon the throne of
Parrabang.
"His wisdom has been tested by the plotting of those whom I had trusted
as mine own sons. Yet naught has availed against him. Here before the
Council of Emirs, and all my people, I now decree Bright-Wits to be my
chosen successor, and bestow upon him the hand of the Princess Azalia.
Seven weeks from this day, on the Feast of Yama, shall their wedding be
celebrated."
Loud cries now came from all parts of the great hall, while Garrofat
roared, "Up guards. Cut down these rascally impostors." But with a wave
of his hand, the stranger stayed the tumult. "Peace," he cried, "I have
not yet ended." Then, still concealing his face he continued to read
from the decree.
"Now because of my absence there has risen envy and treachery in the
hearts of those who beforetime I have heaped with honours and riches.
Know you, Garrofat, and thee, Doola, that because of your villainy your
lives are forfeit. All your plotting has come to naught. Many times has
my rage almost betrayed my secret; which none knew but my dear child
Azalia. Her I could not long deceive. Let the guards drag from our sight
these wretches whose fat carcasses are to make a banquet for the royal
beasts in the pits beneath the palace."
Terror now blanched the faces of the fallen conspirators. "It is a lie,"
they screamed in concert. "Onalba is dead."
"Look then, and believe," cried the stranger. Throwing the robe from
before his face, Onalba, the Rajah, stood before them. In an instant he
was gathering Azalia and Bright-Wits to his bosom, while the villainous
Garrofat and his cowardly brother fell stricken into the arms of the
guards.
Loud cheers now rent the air. Into the great square before the palace
thousands of the people had gathered to greet their beloved Rajah, and
to lay rich gifts at the feet of Prince Bright-Wits and the happy
princess. The next day the Rajah ordered a great feast in honour of the
espousals. Swift couriers were despatched to Mogadore to inform the
father of Bright-Wits of the great good fortune that had befallen his
son.
The seven weeks flew by on wings of love; and as Onalba had decreed,
Bright-Wits and Azalia were married in the famous garden of the
fountains.
_Now if you have worked out all the tasks which were set to the
prince during his wonderful adventures in Parrabang, you can tell
whether his happiness was easily won._
HOW PRINCE BRIGHT-WITS SOLVED THE PUZZLES
_The Five Shields_
To simplify explanation, set the spindles in a row. We will then refer
to them as L. for left, C. centre, and R. for the right hand spindle.
Move as follows, numbers refer to the shields.
Place No. 1 on C. Place No. 1 on L.
" " 2 " R. " " 2 " C.
" " 1 " R. " " 1 " C.
" " 3 " C. " " 3 " L.
" " 1 " L. " " 1 " R.
" " 2 " C. " " 2 " L.
" " 1 " C. " " 1 " L.
" " 4 " R. " " 4 " C.
" " 1 " R. " " 1 " C.
" " 2 " L. " " 2 " R.
" " 1 " L. " " 1 " R.
" " 3 " R. " " 3 " C.
" " 1 " C. " " 1 " L.
" " 2 " R. " " 2 " C.
" " 1 " R. " " 1 " C.
Four are now And the riddle is solved.
transferred. 31 moves.
Place No. 5 on C.
_The Nine Disks_
No absolute rule would apply to all positions, which makes this game
more fascinating. The following solution of one random placing of the
disks will illustrate the general process. To simplify explanation we
will designate the counters as follows.
The gray counter with the square we will call G.s., the one with a
triangle G.t., and the one with the circle G.c. W.s., etc., for the
white disks, and B.s., etc., for the black, placed at random on the
following spots.
On spot No. 1 place B.c. On spot No. 6 place W.t.
" " " 2 " B.t. " " " 7 " B.s.
" " " 3 " W.c. " " " 8 " G.t.
" " " 4 " G.s. " " " 9 " G.c.
" " " 5 " W.s.
With the above arrangement of the disks the solution is as below:
Move G.c. from 9 to 10. Move G.s. from 4 to 2.
" G.t. " 8 " 9. " B.c. " 6 " 4.
" W.t. " 6 " 8. " W.s. " 5 " 6.
" B.c. " 1 " 6. " B.c. " 4 " 5.
" W.c. " 3 " 1. " G.t. " 9 " 4.
" B.t. " 2 " 3. " G.c. " 10 " 9.
_The Soldiers and Guards_
Before beginning to select the men for his escort, Bright-Wits arranged
the thirty men in a circle, the black spots representing his own men.
Then he began to count with the man marked A.
[Illustration]
_Doola's Game_
The key to this puzzle lies in following these two rules:
1. After moving a counter, one of the _opposite colour_ must invariably
be passed over it.
2. After having passed one counter over another, the next move will be
with a counter of the colour of the first one moved.
After the ninth move, the nest will be with one of the same colour.
Beginning with the white counters the moves are:
[Illustration]
1. D. moves into space 4.
2. C. passes over D. into space 5.
3. B. moves into space 3.
4. D. passes over B. into space 2.
5. E. passes over C. into space 4.
6. F. moves into space 6.
7. C. passes over F. into space 7.
8. B. passes over E. into space 5.
9. A. passes over D. into space 3.
10. D. moves into space 1.
11. E. passes over A. into space 2.
12. F. passes over B. into space 4.
13. B. moves into space 6.
14. A. passes over F. into space 5.
15. F. moves into space 3, and the trick is done.
Every move must be in a forward direction, white going one way, black
the other.
_The Eight Pieces of Money_
He who had 5 loaves was entitled to 7 pieces and he who had 3 loaves to
but 1. Divide the loaves into thirds and one had 15 thirds, the other
but 9 thirds, or 24 thirds in all. Now as all three ate alike they had 8
thirds each. Therefore he of the 5 loaves contributed 7 parts of the
stranger's meal, while the other, who had only 3 loaves or 9 thirds in
all, gave but one part.
The serpent puzzle can be worked out in a number of ways by placing the
head and tail at random and then endeavouring to connect them with the
remaining pieces.
[Illustration: THE EIGHT PROVINCES SOLUTION.]
[Illustration: THE RUG SOLUTION.]
[Illustration: THE THREE FOUNTAINS AND THE THREE GATES SOLUTION.]
[Illustration: THE ZOLTAN'S ORCHARD SOLUTION.]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]