第40章

I think it was because Pon had known the Scarecrow such a short time that he lacked confidence in the straw man's wisdom.It was easy to say: "We will conquer King Krewl,"but when Pon drew near to the great castle he began to doubt the ability of a straw-stuffed man, a girl, a grasshopper and a frozen-hearted Princess to do it.As for himself, he had never thought of defying the King before.

That was why the gardener's boy was not very bold when he entered the castle and passed through to the enclosed court where the King was just then seated, with his favorite courtiers around him.None prevented Pon's entrance, because he was known to be the gardener's boy, but when the King saw him he began to frown fiercely.He considered Pon to be to blame for all his trouble with Princess Gloria, who since her heart had been frozen had escaped to some unknown place, instead of returning to the castle to wed Goqgly-Goo, as she had been expected to do.So the King bared his teeth angrily as he demanded:

"What have you done with Princess Gloria?""Nothing, your Majesty! I have done nothing at all,"answered Pon in a faltering voice."She does not love me any more and even refuses to speak to me.""Then why are you here, you rascal?" roared the King.

Pon looked first one way and then another, but saw no means of escape; so he plucked up courage.

"I am here to summon your Majesty to surrender.""What!" shouted the King."Surrender? Surrender to whom?"Pon's heart sank to his boots.

"To the Scarecrow," he replied.

Some of the courtiers began to titter, but King Krewl was greatly annoyed.He sprang up and began to beat poor Pon with the golden staff he carried.Pon howled lustily and would have run away had not two of the soldiers held him until his Majesty was exhausted with punishing the boy.Then they let him go and he left the castle and returned along the road, sobbing at every step because his body was so sore and aching.

"Well," said the Scarecrow, "did the King surrender?""No; but he gave me a good drubbing!" sobbed poor Pon.

Trot was very sorry for Pon, but Gloria did not seem affected in any way by her lover's anguish.The grasshopper leaped to the Scarecrow's shoulder and asked him what he was going to do next.

"Conquer," was the reply."But I will go alone, this time, for beatings cannot hurt me at all; nor can lance thrusts -- or sword cuts -- or arrow pricks.""Why is that?" inquired Trot.

"Because I have no nerves, such as you meat people possess.Even grasshoppers have nerves, but straw doesn't; so whatever they do -- except just one thing --they cannot injure me.Therefore I expect to conquer King Krewl with ease.""What is that one thing you excepted?" asked Trot.

"They will never think of it, so never mind.And now, if you will kindly excuse me for a time, I'll go over to the castle and do my conquering.""You have no weapons," Pon reminded him.

"True," said the Scarecrow."But if I carried weapons Imight injure someone -- perhaps seriously -- and that would make me unhappy.I will just borrow that riding-whip, which I see in the corner of your hut, if you don't mind.It isn't exactly proper to walk with a riding-whip, but I trust you will excuse the inconsistency."Pon handed him the whip and the Scarecrow bowed to all the party and left the hut, proceeding leisurely along the way to the King's castle.