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.Well, Ihave asked that lout of a brother of yours to kill it, and he says ""That he does not believe in Firedrakes," interrupted Prigio."The weather's warm enough without going out hunting!""Not believe in Firedrakes!" cried Alphonso."I wonder what you do believe in!Just let me get at the creature!" For he was as brave as a lion."Hi! page, mychain-armour, helmet, lance, and buckler! A Molinda! A Molinda!" (which washis war cry).The page ran to get the armour, but it was 50 uncom-monly hot that he dropped it, and put his fingers to his mouth, crying!"You had better put on flannels, Aiphonso, for this kind of work," saidPrigio."And if I were you I'd take a light garden engine, full of water, tosquirt at the enemy.""Happy thought!" said Alphonso."I will!" And off hePRINCE PRIGIO 45file:///F|/rah/Isaac%20Asimov/Asimov,%20Isaac%20-%20Mythical%20Beasties%20(SSC)%20UC.txt (32 of 251) [5/21/03 2:06:10 AM]Page 26ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlfile:///F|/rah/Isaac%20Asimov/Asimov,%20Isaac%20-%20Mythical%20Beasties%20(SSC)%20UC.txt went, kissed his dear Molinda, bade her keep a iot of dances forhim (there was to be a dance when he had killed theFiredrake), and then he rushed to the field!But he never came back any more!Everyone wept bitterly everyone but Prince Prigio; for he thought it was apractical joke, and said that Alphonso had taken the opportunity to start offon his travels and see the world."There is some dreadful mistake, sir," said Prigio to theKing."You know as well as I do that the youngest son has always succeeded upto now.But I entertain great hopes forEnrico!"And he grinned; for he fancied it was all nonsense, and that there were noFiredrakes.Enrico was present when Prigio was consoling the King in this unfeeling way."Enrico, my boy," saidtiis Majesty, "the task awaits you and the honour.Whenyou come back with the horns and tail of the Firedrake you shall be crownprince; and Prigio shall be made an usher at the grammar school it is all heis fit for."Enrico was not quite so confident as Alphonso had been.He insisted on makinghis will; and he wrote a poem about the pleasures and advantages of dyingyoung.This is part of it:The violet is a blossom sweet, That droops before the day is doneSlain by thine overpowering heat, OSun!And I, like that sweet purple flower, May roast, or boil, or broil, or bake.If burned by thy terrific power, Firedrake!This poem comforted Enrico more or less, and he showed it to Prigio.But thePrince only laughed, and said that the second line of the last verse was notvery good, for violets do not "roast, or boil, or broil, or bake."46 Andrew LongEnrico tried to improve it but could not.So he read it to his cousin.LadyKathleena, just as it was; and she cried over it(though I don't think she understood it); and Enrico cried a little too-However, next day he started, with a spear, a portable refrigerator, and a lotof bottles people throw at fires to put them out-But he never came back again!file:///F|/rah/Isaac%20Asimov/Asimov,%20Isaac%20-%20Mythical%20Beasties%20(SSC)%20UC.txt (33 of 251) [5/21/03 2:06:10 AM]file:///F|/rah/Isaac%20Asimov/Asimov,%20Isaac%20-%20Mythical%20Beasties%20(SSC)%20UC.txtAfter shedding torrents of tears the King summoned PrincePrigio to his presence."Dastard!" he said."Poltroon! Your turn, which should have come first, hasarrived at last.You must fetch me the horns and the tail of the Firedrake.Probably you will be grilled, thank goodness; but who will give me back Enricoand Alphonso?""Indeed, Your Majesty," said Prigio, "you must permit me to correct yourpolicy.Your only reason for dispatching your sons in pursuit of thisdangerous but I believe fabulous animal was to ascertain which of us wouldmost worthily succeed to your throne, at the date long may it be de-ferred! of your lamented decease.Now, there can be no further question aboutthe matter.I, unworthy as I am, repre-sent the sole hope of the royal family.Therefore to send me after theFiredrake were* both dangerous and unnecessary.Dangerous, because, if he treats me as you say he did my brothers my unhappybrothers the throne of Pantouflia will want an heir.But if I do come backPage 27ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlalive why, I cannot be more the true heir than I am at present; now can I? AsktheLord Chief Justice, if you don't believe me."These arguments were so clearly and undeniably correct that the King, unableto answer them, withdrew into a soli-tary place where he could express himself with freedom and give rein to hispassions."Subjunctive mood- He was a great grammarian!47PRINCE PRIGIOCHAPTER IVHow Prince Prigio Was Deserted byEvesybodyMeanwhile Prince Prigio had to suffer many unpleasant things.Though he was the crown prince (and though his arguments were unanswerable)everybody shunned him for a coward.The Queen, who did not believe in Firedrakes, alone took his side.He was notonly avoided by all, but he had most disagreeable scenes with his own cousins.Lady Molinda andLady Kathleena.In the garden Lady Molinda met him walk-ing alone, and did not bow to him."Dear Molly," said the Prince, who liked her, "how haveI been so unfortunate as to offend you?""My name.sir, is Lady Molinda." she said very proudly;"and you have sent your own brother to his grave!""Oh, excuse me." said the Prince, "1 am certain he has merely gone off on histravels.He'll come back when he is tired: there are no Firedrakes; a Frenchwriter says they are purement fabuleux.purely fabulous, you know.""Prince Alphonso has gone on his travels, and will come back when he is tired!And was he then tired of me?"file:///F|/rah/Isaac%20Asimov/Asimov,%20Isaac%20-%20Mythical%20Beasties%20(SSC)%20UC.txt (34 of 251) [5/21/03 2:06:10 AM]file:///F|/rah/Isaac%20Asimov/Asimov,%20Isaac%20-%20Mythical%20Beasties%20(SSC)%20UC.txt cried poor Molinda, bursting into tears, and forgetting herdignity [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]