The Enchanted Island Part 3

Queen Emily and the Princess begged to go too, so they all set out together.

It was a long way across the island, but finally they came to the poisoned spring which flowed near the Magician's hill, and there they saw many doves of all colors drinking and splas.h.i.+ng around in the shallow well, while others sat stupidly on the branches of the trees devouring fruit.

The poor King and Queen shuddered at the sight and kept close to Daimur, who was so busy thinking that he hardly noticed them.

"By my cap," he said to himself, "I know there is a stair to the Magician's house from the sh.o.r.e on the other side of this hill, and the house is a strong stone one built into the hill. I wonder," he thought, "if we can find the stair."

They walked, or rather Daimur walked and the doves flew slowly towards the hill, but soon came to a great wall of rock that jutted out for half a mile, and over which they could see by the tree tops a terrific wind was blowing.

Daimur announced his intention of trying to scale the wall, but even as he spoke a sudden gust of wind swept down upon them, causing the trees to scatter fruit in all directions, and almost upsetting the three doves.

"What did I tell you?" said King Cyril. "We do not get much of it here, but look how the treetops are bending above us. It is of no use to try to climb up."

Feeling rather disconsolate Daimur turned around and started following the great wall of rock which ran away around the hill, winding in and out until it ran right into the sea.

"This wall is the same on the other side of the island," said the King, "it runs into the sea on that side also, so that the Magician's dwelling is completely shut off from the rest of the island."

They went on, keeping close beside the wall, until they came to the place where it crossed the sand of the seash.o.r.e, and Daimur stood lost in thought, gazing at the rough stones which towered above his head.

Then with a sudden exclamation he took his spade from his shoulder and commenced digging in the sand at the foot of the wall.

He soon found that it was only buried about three feet in the sand, and in a few minutes he had succeeded in making a hole under it wide enough to crawl through on his hands and knees, the doves immediately following him.

Once inside, the sh.o.r.e looked very much the same as it did elsewhere, and the only wind was the natural breeze, fresh and briny, which blew in from the sea.

They crept along, keeping close to the ground, under the shade of the trees, and after a while came up close to the hill, which at this side seemed to be of solid rock, and ran very close to the water.

Built against the hill was a long, low house of white stone, with a flight of marble steps leading up to the door, while directly in front of it running out a short distance was a wide landing, seemingly composed of one immense slab of white stone.

They crept close to the house, but Daimur was afraid to mount the stair for fear of being seen from one of the windows which faced the sea on each side of the door. He was very anxious to know who was in the house, but to his surprise his cap could not tell him anything about it.

The Princess eagerly volunteered to go.

"I am white like the gulls that are flying about," she said, "and will not likely be noticed."

Up she flew and alighted on the window sill, which was open, and after looking carefully in, she disappeared inside.

The King and Queen and Daimur waited in the greatest suspense for more than half an hour. At the end of that time she reappeared, looking very frightened.

"There is a witch in there," she whispered. "Let us go back at once."

They said nothing further, but all hurried away as fast as they could, crawled under the stone wall, and Daimur threw back the sand against it, and smoothed it down. They did not stop until they had reached the cave. Then they all sat down, very tired, and the Princess told them what she had seen.

"I went in at the window," she began, "and was in a great kitchen. At the far end of it I saw a room with a window in the end of it, so as there seemed to be no one about I cautiously slipped into the other room, which from the bottles and pots on the shelves I thought must be a sort of chemist's work-room.

"I hopped up on the window sill and looked out, and saw a beautiful large s.h.i.+p with three masts tied up in a small bay at the end of the house. I was then coming away, when I heard a noise and looking around, saw coming through the kitchen a very ugly old crone hobbling towards me, muttering to herself.

"I crept into a large box that stood empty in a corner, and saw her go up to a big wicker basket near the window out of which I had just been looking. She opened the basket and out came a long green snake, which fastened itself around her neck. I quite quivered with terror.

"'How are you to-day, my daughter?' asked the old crone.

"'Oh, much better, thank you,' said the reptile, in a horrible rattling voice. 'Did you find the magic tablets yet, mother?'

"'Alas, my dear,' replied the witch, 'I found hundreds of them. They are on a shelf behind the cupboard, in a dark corner, but are locked up in a gla.s.s box. I am afraid the Magician carries the key with him, and I dare not break the lock.'

"'Oh, dear, how much longer must I wait to get out of this horrid shape? I wish I had not touched his old bottles and made him angry,'

said the snake, and it began to shed streams of tears which ran down and made little green lizards that crawled about on the floor.

"'Not much longer, dear,' replied the witch. 'The Magician is coming back to-night, and nothing can be done now, but he is going away again on a special journey in five days' time, to hunt for some treasures which he says he must have, so I will go out across the fields as soon as he is gone and consult my old cat as to what is best to be done.'

"The Witch then put the snake back in the basket, fastened down the lid, and went away, so after a while, not seeing anything more of her, I crept out of my hiding place, determined to get some of the tablets which will give us back our human shapes."

"Did you see them?" asked the Queen quite breathlessly.

"I did," replied the Princess, "I got in behind the cupboard, which has a piece gone out of the back, hopped up on the shelf, and found them quite easily. They are locked up in a strong gla.s.s box, and are as big as corn kernels."

"Well, well," said Daimur, after a pause. "Why, I have a key here that will unlock anything. We shall go back when the Magician goes away next time, and see if we cannot get some of the magic tablets."

Feeling very cheerful indeed they then went with Daimur while he dug a great many more potatoes, nuts and yams, and helped him to make a fire afterwards to cook them for supper. While the fire was getting hot Daimur went out along the sh.o.r.e to see what he could find. The tide was out, and he went looking about for clams. He was not disappointed, for he soon found a great many nice big ones, and you may be sure they tasted very delicious when baked in their sh.e.l.ls.

Long after they had had their supper, when it was quite dark, they heard a great wind blowing, and Daimur, putting on his cap knew that it was the Magician coming home.

CHAPTER VII

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 quant.i.ty 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 s.h.i.+p which was anch.o.r.ed 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 gla.s.s 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 Sh.e.l.ls.

"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.