All the next day the King and Queen and little Princess Maya went about
quietly among the doves in the woods and told them about Daimur, and
about the tablets they hoped to get to release them from their
enchantment, and begged them if they valued their lives to leave the
fruit they were eating and come and live in the cave with them.
They soon had nearly all the brightest doves fluttering excitedly to
the cave, so anxious were they to seize any chance that might set them
free.
The very stupid ones were harder to rouse, but by dint of coaxing and
driving they managed to get them all into the cave, where pure food and
fresh water soon began to clear their poisoned brains, and in a few
days' time they were nearly all as bright and wide awake as when they
came to the island.
The cave at night now was full of chattering and whispering, and Daimur
had put up a great many more branches for them to sleep on.
He had plenty to do, for there was now a large number of doves to
provide for, and they ate a surprising quantity of food, and for fear
the Magician should see him he had to go for potatoes and other
provisions at night.
It was thought best for the birds to fly through the island
occasionally in the day time, so that the Magician might not be
suspicious.
The first night, after they were all inside and had finished supper,
Daimur told them of the ship which was anchored at the Magician's door,
and they immediately cried out, "It is the one he stole from Prince
Redmond," and Prince Redmond, a big black dove with a huge red ruff and
red crest, nodded, and said he knew it must be his.
Then they talked about the magic tablets, and Daimur told them he felt
sure his little key would open the glass box.
Now Daimur was naturally very much interested to know who these doves
were and from which of the islands they came, so they decided that each
should tell his own story.
King Cyril was the first one called upon, and after Daimur had stirred
up the fire he began:
"I am, as most of you know, Cyril, King of the Island of Shells.
"My father was a kind, gentle man, who was more interested in study
than in governing his kingdom. He had only two sons, my brother
Arnolde and myself, and we grew up together and were the greatest
friends until I married.
"As my father was getting very old, and I was the elder son, I soon had
to devote a good deal of my time to the management of the kingdom, and
my brother, who was three years younger than I, and who took absolutely
no interest in matters of state, was now left very much to himself.
"One day he announced to my father that he was about to marry a
charming young lady who was living with her aunt, a duchess, in another
part of the kingdom. My father was naturally displeased that he should
have chosen for his wife some one who was not very high in rank, but
upon making inquiries he found to his horror that the young lady was
the daughter of a magician who had never liked our family.
"My father did everything in his power to try and persuade my brother
to give up the idea of marrying the lady, saying that she would no
doubt have some of her father's secrets and might be dangerous, but my
brother would not listen, and was married almost immediately, taking
his bride to a castle of his own which was near the royal palace.
"In a short time the new Princess began to show what she was. Not that
she was ever disagreeable, but she was too nice. My wife and I began
to suspect her of magic at once, and were quite sure of it when we saw
her effect on my brother. He became so unfriendly that he actually
would not speak to me at all, and gradually many of the ministers were
the same. My father was so broken-hearted over the affair that he died
inside of a year, and I ascended the throne.
"Hardly had the Queen and I been crowned when there began to be strange
murmurings among the nobles. They said that my brother was such a
clever fellow, and I so stupid, that he should be reigning in my stead.
As he had always been noted throughout the kingdom as a very athletic
young man, who found learning a great trouble, I was convinced that my
sister-in-law was at the bottom of this opinion.
"By accident I found out how she accomplished her evil purpose. She
had a little gold snuff box full of a magic powder, which when thrown
into people's eyes made them see everything just as she wished they
should.
"One day the Queen was seated in the garden reading, and I was walking
towards her, when I saw my sister-in-law creep noiselessly across the
lawn behind the Queen's chair, open a little gold box, and take out a
pinch of something, which she was just in the act of throwing into the
Queen's eyes when I screamed at her. In her fright she dropped the
snuff box and ran away, and upon opening it we found that it contained
a rose-colored powder. We guessed what it was for, and walking to the
river bank we threw box and all into the stream, but the incident you
may be sure made us very uneasy.
"After that my sister-in-law did not try to hide her hatred for us, and
it was only a few weeks later, when we were one day out driving, that
we were set upon by a large band of men in disguise, among whom I
recognized my own brother and many of the gentlemen of my court.
"We were seized, bound, tied up in sacking, and hidden away in a cellar
until night, when we were brought out here and left on the shore, more
dead than alive. Here we have been for four years, living in a state
of enchantment, until now Prince Daimur has come to bring us the hope
of freedom."
Everybody sympathized with King Cyril and the Queen and Princess, and
Daimur assured him that as soon as he had taken his own kingdom from
his wicked uncle he would go with him and help him to win back his
country from his brother and witch of a sister-in-law.
Then as it was quite dark Daimur took his shovel and went off to get as
many potatoes as he could before going to bed.