Produced by Al Haines
[Frontispiece: "With these on you will see everything as it really is,
no matter how it may look to other people."]
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
BY
FANNIE LOUISE APJOHN
NEW YORK
E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY
681 FIFTH AVENUE
Copyright 1919
By E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY
All rights reserved
ILLUSTRATIONS
"With these on you will see everything as it
really is, no matter how it may look to other
people" . . . _Frontispiece_
The toucan . . . seized the basket by the handle
and flew away
Up sprang the lid, and there behold! were the
wonderful big pellets
He was trying to induce her to make an effort to
pass the dead tigers
THE ENCHANTED ISLAND
CHAPTER I
Once upon a time many years ago there lay five islands in the South
Pacific ocean where the weather was always fine.
Four of them were set in a kind of square, but the fifth, which was
much smaller than any of the others, stood in the center of the group
so that it was nearer to each island than they were to each other, for
they were all so many miles apart that they could not see each other's
shores.
The little island in the middle was not inhabited, but was surrounded
by very dangerous reefs. It was called the Island of Despair, though
nobody seemed to know how it got its name, and was supposed to be
haunted.
It had not always been there, and that was another reason why it was
looked upon as an uncanny place, for all the grandmothers and
grandfathers could remember when there had been nothing but the great
sea between the four islands, and then suddenly one morning a ship had
come upon the small island and nearly wrecked itself on the great rocks
about it. After that of course it was put on all the charts, but even
so, many a ship had since gone on the rocks in a storm and been lost.
Each of the four big islands was a separate kingdom, and had nothing to
do with the others. The largest of all was called the Island of Sunne
because it was the nicest and had the finest weather. It never rained
there in the day time, but only at night, which you must admit was very
convenient.
However, every place has disadvantages, and instead of mothers telling
their children that it was not fine enough to go for a picnic they
often said it was too fine, which meant that the very bright sunshine
and blue sky would be apt to dazzle them, and then they would have to
sit in a dark room every day for a week before they would be able to
see anything again.
The King of Sunne was a good, kind man, who never made war with any of
the other kingdoms, and was quite satisfied with all that he had. The
Queen was very nice too, and gave a great deal of money to the poor, so
it was not to be wondered at that the country was very prosperous, and
the people thought their rulers the best in the world.
The King and Queen had only one son, who was called Daimur. When
Prince Daimur was sixteen years of age his father gave him the most
beautiful horse he could find in the kingdom, and the Prince was so
delighted with his present that he used to ride all day long in the
forests, sometimes with his servants, and sometimes alone.
One day, as he was returning from a long ride, he passed a small hut
deep in a wood, which he did not remember ever having seen there
before. He dismounted, and going up to the door asked for a drink of
water.
An old man opened the door and asked him to come in. He did so, and
the old man got him a pitcher of water from the well, but did not offer
him anything to eat. The Prince wondered at this, as it was nearly
noontime, and the people of the forest were extremely hospitable.
"You are wondering, my dear young Prince," said he, "why I have no
dinner cooking. It is because I am so poor that I have nothing to eat
in the house, and I do not know what is to become of me."
Thereupon the Prince pulled out of his knapsack a package of meat, some
bread and butter, cakes, and a big piece of fine cheese.
"Poor old man," he cried, "take this food, which I will not need, and I
will send you some more to-morrow."
The old man thanked him with tears in his eyes, and the Prince rode
away.
Next day, when Daimur was again setting out to ride he called some of
his servants and bade them fill up several baskets with food and
provisions of various kinds, which he intended to give to the old man
at the cottage.
When all was ready they set out, and soon reached the wood, but what
was Daimur's surprise to find the cottage door broken down and the poor
old man lying upon the floor.
Daimur ran forward and attempted to raise him.
"Tell me what has happened, my poor old friend," he cried, "who has
done this?"
"Alas, my enemy has found me," whispered the old man, "and I am dying."
Then he motioned to Daimur to send the servants away from the room, as
he had something he wished to tell him. As soon as Daimur had shut the
door the old man said:
"Prince Daimur, I am not merely the old man you see lying here; I am
also a fairy, and am called the Good Old Man of Sunne. By my powers I
have been able to keep away all evil and unhappiness from this island,
and at one time from all the other islands in this Land of Brightness.
But I have had for the last two hundred years a very powerful enemy who
is known as the Evil Man of Despair. He makes his home now upon the
Island of Despair, and wicked men consult him when they have deeds of
treachery to do.
"He has a great many chemical secrets which he learned in foreign
lands, and as I am older than he and not so clever he has outwitted me
many times upon the other islands, and evil times have followed, with
wars and bloodshed. I have always lived upon this island, and of late
took refuge in your father's wood, as I had a warning that he was going
to seek me out and kill me.
"Last night when it was very dark a tremendous wind sprang up and the
fury of it burst my door open. I knew it was he, although he did not
speak, but in a moment the cottage was filled with a sweet smell of
spices which soon became overpowering and I lay like one stupefied, too
weak to move. I heard him moving around searching for my treasures.
He did not find them, however, and I am going to give them to you, as
in a few moments I will be dead, and then I do not know what will
become of this Land of Sunne. Alas! Alas!"
Prince Daimur was greatly moved, and tried to tell him that he might
get better if he sent back and fetched the Court doctor, who was very
wise, but the old man shook his head feebly.
"No, it is of no use," he said, "I am very old, and the poison has
killed me. My brain is already growing numb, and I must act quickly,
Look on that nail behind the door and you will find the door key.
Bring it to me."
Daimur did so, and the old man pinched it. It split in two and there
could be seen a smaller key resting in a groove in the middle.
"Now," said the old man, "put this in the lock which you will find in
the under side of the window sill and turn it. Bring me what you see."
Daimur did as he was told, and after fitting the little key into the
lock and turning it, he found that a piece of the window sill rose up
and disclosed a small black morocco case like a pocketbook lying in the
cavity. This he carried to the old man, who grasped it eagerly in his
feeble hands.
"This," he said, "contains my greatest treasures. In this case is a
small black velvet cap. It is a poor, worn-looking one, but whoever
wears it knows all things, and will be able to act wisely. Inside the
cap you will find a pair of silver-rimmed spectacles. With these on
you will see everything as it really is, no matter how it may look to
other people. You must, however, be careful, as the Evil Magician has
always coveted these treasures and if he finds out that you have them
he will do his best to get them from you. Let no one know that you
possess them, and always keep them concealed about you. As the
Magician will no doubt came back to search the cottage I advise you to
burn it up as soon as I am gone. See, you had better take the magic
key too, as it will open any lock, however large or small. Beware of
evil times, my poor Prince, as my good influence will no longer be felt
in this kingdom."
With these words the old man began to shrink thinner and thinner,
narrower and narrower, until Daimur could see through him, and finally
he was just a streak of pale sunlight upon the floor, which wavered and
faded, and at last went out completely.
Daimur was so surprised that he sat quite still for a time. Then
rising to his feet and putting the key into the black case with the
spectacles, he hid it in his bosom, and went out to call his servants.
He told them that the old man was dead and would not need the food, and
sent them on with it to the home of a poor farmer who had a sick wife,
telling them to ride around by the high road and meet him, as he was
going to ride that way.
As soon as they were out of sight he built a little pile of chips and
dry leaves under the edge of the house, and set fire to it. What was
his astonishment to see the flames leap up at once over the whole
cottage, which burnt like paper. In a moment there was nothing left
but a little pile of ashes, which the light wind took up into the air,
where it formed a white cloud that sailed off into the sky, leaving a
perfectly green space where the cottage had been, with no marks of fire
at all.
Prince Daimur rode slowly out of the forest, thinking of all the good
old man had said, and wondering very much, as he had never heard before
of the Evil Magician of Despair, although he had heard his father say
that a good fairy had always presided over the fortunes of his kingdom,
but Daimur had thought it only a saying.
He longed to put on the magic cap and spectacles, but was afraid the
Evil Magician might be hovering around, so he made up his mind that he
would wait until some need arose before he took them from their case
again.