Page:Zangwill-King of schnorrers.djvu/364

350 P,oO THE QUEEN'S TRIPLETS.

Now, when the Green Prince saw the puny pigeon, he was like to die of laughing.

"Dost thou think to feed the Serpent with thy pigeon?"

he sneered. "I fear me thou wilt not choke him off thus."

, " And what hast thou to laugh at?" retorted the Black

Prince, interposing. " Dost thou think to find the Serpent

of the Sea in the air?"

" He is always in the air," murmured the Blue Prince, inaudibly.

" Nay," said the Green Prince, scratching his head dubiously. " But thou didst so hastily annex the magic boat, I had to take the next best thing."

"Dost thou accuse me of unfairness?" cried the Black Prince in a pained voice. " Sooner than thou shouldst say that, I would change with thee."

"Wouldst thou, indeed?" enquired the Green Prince eagerly.

" Ay, that would I," said the Black Prince indignantly. " Take the magic boat, and may the gods speed thee." So saying he jumped briskly into the magic car, cut the rope, and sailed aloft. Then, looking down contemptuously upon the Blue Prince, he shouted : " Come, mount thy pigeon, and be off in search of the monster."

But the Blue Prince replied, " I will await you here."

Then the Green Prince pushed off his boat, chuckling louder than ever. " Dost thou expect to keep the creature off our coasts by guarding the head of the river ? " he scoffed.

But the Blue Prince replied, " I will await you both here till the ninth moon."

No sooner were his brothers gone than the Blue Prince set about building a hut. Here he lived happily, fishing his meals out of the river or snaring them out of the sky. The pigeon was never for a moment in danger of being eaten.