Get your own Free Home Page"Your Majesty, and Your Princeness," announced the Royal Cook, with a low bow toward his ruler, and another bow to the visiting Prince, "dinner tonight will be mutton-chops with gravy, and sparkling apple cider to drink."
"Sounds delicious," said King Rinkitink, looking up from the scroll that he was reading and laughing about. The scroll, as any Ozophile would probably know, was entitled, "How To Be Good."
The dinner was indeed delicious, as were nearly all meals in the Royal Palace of Rinkitink. In fact, the entire Kingdom of Rinkitink was extremely pleasant, and Prince Bobo was enjoying his stay immensely. However, this Prince felt that he needed to return to his own Kingdom of Boboland, and he told this to the King.
"I suppose you must return," stated Rinkitink, whose mood was considerably less jolly than it had been before Bobo's announcement. "But the old Kingdom won't be the same without you."
"I haven't been there in years, you know," explained Prince Bobo, "and there's no telling what could have happened."
"I'll have a ship made ready to sail to Boboland in the morning. And I shall accompany you."
"I cannot allow Your Majesty to leave the Kingdom again," objected Lord Pinkerbloo. "Especially not so soon after your last journey. Why, we almost didn't find you."
"I sometimes wish you hadn't found me. But, in some ways, it is more comfortable to remain at home than to travel. The voyage tomorrow, though, will not be as long or involved as my last one. I just want to see Prince Bobo safely restored to his home."
"Well, all right. But this time, a bodyguard must come with you, to make sure that you are safely restored to this country."
Not long before the beginning of this story, King Rinkitink had sneaked out of his castle, and, accompanied only by a few rowers and Bilbil, his talking goat, journeyed to the Island of Pingaree. While the King was on the island, fierce pirates from Regos and Coregos had attacked the place, capturing everyone except Rinkitink, Bilbil, and Prince Inga of Pingaree. The three had travelled to Regos and Coregos to free the captives, and then to the Nome Kingdom to rescue Inga's parents. With the aid of three magical pearls, and the assistance of Princess Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, the mission was successful. The Wizard discovered that Bilbil was really Prince Bobo of Boboland under an evil enchantment, and Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, restored the Prince to his proper form. Bobo then accompanied Rinkitink to the great Domain of Rinkitink, where the former goat had remained for three months.
Well, on the day after the mutton dinner, a large ship, with a crew of ninety men and fifty bodyguards, was ready to sail. King Rinkitink and Prince Bobo boarded this ship, and the boat sailed away, while the people of Gilgad, the capital of Rinkitink, waved farewell from the shore.
The ship stayed close to the coast throughout the voyage. King Rinkitink pointed out the mountains that separated his domain from the Land of Ev. The travellers then noticed a group of people diving into the sea, similar to lemmings. These people were the Squeedoneezers of Squeedonia, who always leap into the ocean after a century of life. Not far south of the Jumping Off Place was a rushing river, which formed the boundary between Ev and Boboland. Finally, the Rinkitinkian boat reached Port Bristorn, the major harbor of the Kingdom of Boboland.
Rinkitink's boat dropped anchor near the major dock in the town of Port Bristorn, which Prince Bobo pointed out to the Gilgadian captain. A few sailors stayed behind to watch the vessel, but Rinkitink, Bobo, the bodyguards, the captain, and most of the crew left the ship and headed toward the Bristorn Inn.
The captain led the way into the inn, where the Innkeeper stood behind the counter, serving food and drink. When the Prince's party entered, the Keeper observed, "You're not from around here, are you? You all look like foreigners, except for the child. And you," he said, pointing to Rinkitink, "must be a foreign King."
Indeed, the Rinkitinkians did look quite different than the Bobolanders. While the natives of Boboland all had light skin and hair, King Rinkitink's subjects had browner skin and darker hair.
"Right the first try," replied Rinkitink. "Hoo, hoo, the first try. I am King Rinkitink, Ruler of the great Dominion of Rinkitink, and these men are my bodyguards and the crew of the ship that brought me here."
"And I," announced Prince Bobo, "am the long-lost Prince of Boboland, returning at last to my native land."
Most of the Bobolanders at the counter laughed at this, but the Innkeeper stated, "He does look somewhat like our old Prince."
"Come to think of it, he does," agreed a tall man who had been eating meat from a chicken leg.
"The Prince has been missing for years," added another Bobolander, "and this youth is about the correct age."
"Wait a minute," argued a large, muscular man. "Are you just going to believe that this stranger is our Prince?"
"Well, there's only one way to find out for sure," declared the Innkeeper.
"Yes," said a man who had not yet spoken. "We must ask the King and Queen."
"Do you actually mean we have to go?" asked a lazy Bobolander.
"Well, no, but the Prince should go. I trust he knows the way to the Royal Castle."
"I certainly do," stated Prince Bobo.
"Well, watch out for Groanos," warned the Innkeeper.
"And who is Groanos?"
"Some sort of Giant who lives along the road to the capital city. Acts like he owns the road. He's stopped all traffic to and from the city, since he attacks all travellers."
"If this child really is our brave Prince, he should have no trouble disposing of Groanos," stated the muscular man in a disagreeable voice.
"We shall leave for the capital in the morning," announced Bobo. "But for tonight, we wish to stay at this Inn."
The Keeper gave good dinners to the visitors, and then showed them to some of the nicest rooms. In the morning, Rinkitink paid the Innkeeper, and the travellers held a conference.
"I don't think I want to face that Giant," said the captain.
"But you have the reputation of being the bravest seaman in my dominions," objected King Rinkitink.
"Well, I am the bravest man on sea. But on land, I'm not at my best. I could easily conquer a sea serpent or a man-eating shark, but not a land giant."
"Well, I don't really want to face Groanos, either," stated the King, "but I swore to see Prince Bobo safely returned to his home, and I shall stand by my words."
"Our duty is to protect you, Your Majesty," the head of the bodyguards told Rinkitink, "so we shall accompany you."
"Well, then, the sailors will return to the ship, and King Rinkitink, his bodyguards, and I will travel to the capital," decided Bobo.
So, after a quick breakfast at the Inn, the party of fifty-two set out along the road to the capital. Rinkitink sang songs to amuse the company on the journey. A few miles down the path, the travellers heard a horrible noise.
"What was that?" asked Prince Bobo.
"I don't know," replied a bodyguard, "but it sounded sort of like a groan."
"A groan? It must be Groanos!" exclaimed another guard.
"Now, we can't be sure of that," said Bobo.
However, a minute later, everyone was sure of it. A great giant, at least forty feet tall, stomped into the center of the road. He was an albino, with pink eyes and blond hair. He was clothed in plate mail, which did not cover his arms, legs, or head. Groanos, for that was who the giant was, carried a sickle in his left hand, and an hour-glass in his right.
"How dare you?" demanded the giant, in a gruff voice.
"How dare we what?" questioned Bobo.
"How dare you walk on my road? And worst of all, you sang while you were on it. I hate singing! Now, I shall destroy all of you trespassers!"
King Rinkitink's bodyguards turned tail (even though they had no tails) and ran back in the direction from whence they had come. Prince Bobo, however, calmly stood his ground and said, "We are not trespassing. This is a public road, belonging to the people of Boboland, and you have no right to claim it as your own."
"Oh! And who are you to tell me what I don't have the right to do?"
"I am Prince Bobo of Boboland."
"Prince Bobo? You're lying! Prince Bobo is enchanted, and will never return to Boboland. The Mistress said so!"
"I have been disenchanted, and have returned to my homeland. I'm sorry, but your Mistress was wrong."
"Well-Wait a minute! I don't care if you're Queen Lurline! I'm not giving up this road, and I still intend to destroy you!"
So saying, Groanos turned over his hour-glass, and stood perfectly still. While the Giant was standing, Bobo grabbed a sword that one of the guards had dropped, and brought the flat down on the bare right foot of his enemy. It made no impact on the foot. The Prince then tried using the sword to sever a toe, but his efforts were to no avail. The monster seemed invincible, but he was making no attempt to harm Rinkitink or Bobo.
"Why don't we just run past him?" suggested the King. "I'm not much of a runner, myself, but I believe I could do it now."
When our two heroes were ready to begin running, the sand in the Giant's hour-glass had all reached the bottom. Groanos quickly swung his sickle, barely missing Bobo and Rinkitink.
As soon as the two travellers had recovered from their shock, they tried to lift their feet. However, they found that they could not move at all. Groanos lifted his foot, and began to bring it down on top of the Prince and the King. However, when the foot had almost touched the adventurers, it flew back up into the air, taking the Giant's entire body with it. Groanos fell to the ground, dropping his hour-glass as he did so. As the helpless monster helplessly waved his arms and legs, an old Dwarf rode up on a horse and grabbed the glass.
"Give that back!" whined the Giant. "Without that hour-glass, I'm powerless!"
"I'm quite aware of that," laughed the Dwarf. This stranger mumbled under his breath, and then turned the hour-glass over. As soon as the sand had run to the bottom, the Dwarf pointed to the Giant, and Groanos promptly disappeared.
"What happened?" asked Bobo, who was now able to move.
"It looks like we conquered the Giant, Bobo," laughed Rinkitink. "We're a couple of Giant-slayers, aren't we?"
"But why couldn't the Giant crush us?"
"That was my doing," replied the Dwarf. "I created a force-field around you with my magic."
"So you're a magician?"
"Yes, Your Highness. I am Gwarin, Dwarf Wizard from Castle Svarnin, which is on Mount Svarnel."
"I've never heard of Mount Svarnel. Is it in Boboland?"
"No, it's in the Nonestic Ocean, to the south of here. I was sent here by King Svarnin, to aid Prince Bobo on his journey."
"And how did you know I was here?"
"There's an observatory on top of Castle Svarnin, and the King saw you, King Rinkitink, and those cowardly soldiers walking along this road. So I rode Swift-As-Light, the fastest horse on the mountain, to the road. He's not really swift as light, you know, but he is fast, and he got my here at the right time. I used my magic to find out about Groanos, and it turns out that he has great magical powers, but he cannot cast a spell until all the sand in his hour-glass has fallen. Without the hour-glass, he is helpless, but its power enabled me to send Groanos to Limbo."
"Well, thank you for your help, Gwar-What was your name again?"
"Gwarin, of Castle Svarnin."
"Well, Gwarin, would you like to accompany us to my castle?"
"I was ordered by my King to accompany you, Your Highness."
The King, the Prince, and the wizard, who was mounted on Swift-As-Light, continued along the road. King Rinkitink sang songs of praise to Gwarin, throughout which the dwarf stated that he was merely doing his duty. Eventually, the travellers came upon a great stone castle, complete with multiple turrets and a moat.
"Boboland Castle!" exclaimed Bobo. "My old home! How long has it been since I've seen this place?"
"It's not as impressive as Castle Svarnin," observed Gwarin, "but it's all right for a human castle."
The party reached the front of Boboland Castle, and Prince Bobo called, "Lower the draw-bridge!"
"Be you friend or foe?" shouted a voice from inside.
"Friend!"
"All right." The draw-bridge was quickly lowered, and the travellers entered the castle. Once they had entered, the man who had shouted to the heroes began to raise the draw-bridge.
"What's the use of asking if strangers are friends or foes?" Gwarin asked this man. "Even if they are foes, they will say they're friends, in order to gain access to the castle."
"I never thought of that," replied the man. "By the way, who are you, and why are you here?"
"I am Bobo, the long-lost Prince of this Kingdom!" answered Prince Bobo.
"Really? Then you'd better go to the Throne Room at once!"
The Prince followed this advice. He led his friends through numerous halls, finally coming to a large door, with an armored guard in front of it.
"Halt, and tell me thy business!" boomed the guard, pointing a spear at the Prince.
"I am Prince Bobo, and I demand entrance!" shouted Bobo.
The door flew open, knocking the guard to the floor. An aged King, with white hair and beard, stepped into the corridor, followed by a grey-haired Queen with kindly eyes.
"Is it really you, my son?" asked the King.
"Yes, father," answered Bobo. "A sorceror turned me into a goat, and I went to live in Rinkitink. But Glinda, the great Sorceress of Oz, restored me to my proper form."
"You're finally back home, my dear!" exclaimed the Queen, as she embraced her son.
"How do we know he's telling the truth?" inquired the guard, who was in a foul mood after his fall.
"Because he arrived in ze right company!" shouted a female voice. And a blond-haired woman, who was dressed in a star-studded blue cloak, rushed out of the Throne Room, holding a scroll.
"This is the Royal Prophetess," explained the King, as the woman unrolled the scroll.
"Ze Prince will return to Boboland Castle, in ze company of an overweight King and a short wizard on a swift horse. He and his companions will zen save ze Kingdom of Boboland from a great danger," read the Royal Prophetess.
"Short! I'm not short!" argued Gwarin. "I'm one of the tallest dwarves in Castle Svarnin!"
"And I may be rather stout," added Rinkitink. "But I'm not over-weight. I'm just the right weight for myself!"
"But you fit ze descriptions better zan anyone else who has come to the castle," stated the Prophetess.
"But the Kingdom isn't in great danger," said the King, "unless the prophecy is talking about Groanos."
"Oh, Gwarin already defeated Groanos," Bobo told his father.
"Then the prophecy has been fulfilled!" said Prince Bobo's mother happily.
"No, he hasn't!" yelled the Prophetess. "Ze prophecy says ze Prince will ZEN save ze Kingdom of Boboland from great danger. Zat means he will save ze Kingdom AFTER he has returned to ze castle. Zerefore, anozer danger will soon zreaten ze Kingdom."
"Maybe the prophecy is referring to Narlana," suggested the dwarf wizard.
"Who is Narlana?" questioned the Prince.
"Narlana is a wicked witch from the Land of Oz, who came to Boboland many years ago. Both Groanos and the Sorceror who enchanted Prince Bobo were minions of hers."
"How did you know all of zis?" asked the Prophetess.
"My master, King Svarnin, goes to the Observatory on top of his castle every day, and takes notes on what he sees."
"And do you know where Narlana lives?" inquired Bobo.
"She lives in a cave to the southeast of here. I can lead the way to the cave, but I can't tell you what to expect when you go in, because it is far too dark in there."
"Well, zen," said the Royal Prophetess, "ze Prince Bobo must travel to zis cave and defeat zis Narlana."
"I shall fulfill the orders of my King by travelling with the Prince," announced Gwarin.
"I'll go, too," stated King Rinkitink.
"And I'll set up a proper escort," said the King of Boboland.
"No, you must not," the Prophetess told her master. "Heroic feats are never performed in zat manner."
So, after a quick luncheon, Gwarin, mounted on Swift-As-Light, led Bobo and Rinkitink along various paths, through a forest, a swamp, and a sandy desert. At dinner-time, the travellers stopped at a road-side Inn for a good meal.
"Should we stay here for the night?" inquired Rinkitink, after he had finished eating.
"No," replied Gwarin. "We're not far from Narlana's cave now, and if we keep going, we'll reach it by midnight."
The adventurers followed Gwarin's advice. The dwarf had excellent night vision, and could guide his companions just as well by night as by day. At about ten o'clock, Bobo noticed a light, which was coming toward the party.
"Must be someone with a torch," observed Gwarin.
But the man who approached our heroes was not bearing a torch. His head was glowing with a bright light, allowing the King and the Prince to see the rest of the man's body. The stranger was about six feet tall, and he wore a red coat, a light green kilt, and silver sandals.
"Who are you?" asked Prince Bobo.
"My name is Glowinpate, and I am a Light-Head. Our village is about three miles to the east of here. Now that you know who I am, who are you?"
"I am Prince Bobo of Boboland," replied the Prince, "and these are my friends, King Rinkitink, Gwarin, and Swift-As-Light."
"Is this horse really as swift as light?"
"No, but I thought it was a good name," answered Gwarin.
"It is a pretty good name. By the way, where were you headed?"
"We're going to Narlana's cave. We think that the Prince's destiny is to defeat that witch."
"I would love to see Narlana destroyed. That wicked witch is always robbing our village. Well, I hope you succeed."
"Wait! How would you like to come with us?" questioned Bobo.
"I don't know. Why do you want me to join you? I'm just a Light-Head. I don't have any magical powers or anything."
"A Light-Head may be just what we need. Gwarin, didn't you say that Narlana's cave was dark?"
"Yes," said the dwarf. "Come to think of it, a Light-Head would be a great help in our quest."
"Very well, I'll join you," stated Glowinpate. "I didn't have anything better to do tonight."
It was not long before the party reached a mountain, with a cave entrance in the side. Fortunately, no one was on guard in front of this entrance, and Glowinpate, Rinkitink, and Bobo entered and walked down a staircase. Gwarin dismounted from his horse and followed his friends. The stairway was quite dark, but Glowinpate's head allowed the adventurers to descend in safety.
A great steel door stood at the bottom of the stairs. When Bobo tested the knob, he found that it was locked tightly. However, Gwarin chanted a quick spell, and the door opened.
"Who turned on that light?" complained a witchy voice.
"That light is from my head," replied Glowinpate. "I am a Light-Head."
"Well, what are you doing in my cave, and how did you open the security door?"
"I am a wizard," answered the dwarf, "so it was an easy matter for me."
"Now I recognize you! You're the one who sent Groanos to Limbo! And you others are King Rinkitink, and the Prince that I told that excuse for a Sorceror to enchant! He obviously failed, but I won't!"
Narlana, for that was who the travellers had encountered, began chanting a spell. However, Gwarin recited one of his own incantations at the same time. After they had both finished, the Prince and the witch vanished.
"Where did Bobo and Narlana go?" asked the Light-Head.
"I don't know yet," replied Gwarin, "but they're both alive, and we'll find both of them soon. But for now, we have to find the Sword of Boboland."
"The Sword of Boboland?"
"Yes. The only weapon that can defeat Narlana."
Meanwhile, the Princess of Noland was sitting in the library, reading one of her favorite books. When she looked up, she was shocked to find Prince Bobo standing in front of her chair.
"How did you get here?" asked the Princess.
"Magic," replied the Prince. "By the way, where am I?"
"You're in the Royal Library, in the Palace of Noland."
"And who are you?"
"I'm Princess Margaret, but most people call me Fluff."
"Fluff?"
"My father always called me that, because I had fluffy hair."
"Well, my name's not much better. It's Bobo."
"And where are you from, Bobo?"
"Boboland."
"Then you're Bobo of Boboland?" laughed Fluff.
"Prince Bobo of Boboland."
"Oh, you're a Prince? You don't really seem like a Prince."
"I don't? How many Princes do you know?"
"Oh, more than I'd like to. You see, Princes are coming from all over, asking for my hand in marriage. It's extremely tiring, so I had to go to the Library to relax."
"Then you don't like Princes?"
"Not most of them. But you seem different. You're more pleasant than those other Princes."
"Pleasant?" said a jolly voice. "You should have seen him as the goat! Oh, hoo, hoo, keek-eek-eek!"
"Rinkitink!" exclaimed Bobo, turning around to face his old friend. "How did you get here?"
"Gwarin transported us here."
"Yes," stated the dwarf. "We found the Sword of Boboland, the only weapon that can defeat Narlana, but only you can wield it, Your Highness."
Glowinpate presented a large sword, with many runes carved into it, to Prince Bobo. The Light-Head then asked, "Who is that lovely lady?"
"Oh, I'm the Princess of Noland," replied Margaret. "You can call me Fluff."
"Oh, I've heard of you," said Rinkitink.
"And I think I've heard of you. Aren't you King Rinkitink?"
"Yes, that's who I am. Hoo, hoo, hoo, keek-eek, who I am!"
"You're just as jolly as the stories say."
"And you're just as beautiful."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"By the way, Gwarin, how did you get here so quickly?" inquired the Prince.
"I brought us back in time, when I transported us here," was the wizard's reply. "But now, we'd better go to where Narlana is."
The dwarf chanted a short transportation spell, while waving his arms in the air. When he was finished, everyone in the Library suddenly disappeared, and just as suddenly materialized in a hidden room of Narlana's cave. The witch shouted, "How did you find me? Well, it doesn't matter. I'll turn all of you into mushrooms!"
Narlana began to recite an evil incantation, but, at the same moment, Bobo drew his sword and rushed toward the wicked woman. When the sword-point had almost touched Narlana, the witch turned into a mushroom.
"So now the witch is a mushroom?" questioned the Light-Head.
"How long will she stay that way?" inquired Fluff.
"Until she repents," replied the dwarf.
"Knowing her," said Rinkitink, "that won't be for a long time. Ho, ho, hee, hee, a long time."
"Well, I fulfilled my destiny," stated Bobo. "So why don't we all return to Boboland Castle?"
"Maybe I'd better return Fluff to her own castle," said the dwarf wizard.
"No, I'll go to Boboland Castle," announced the Princess. "I haven't had a vacation in quite some time, and I need one."
So Gwarin magically transported the party to Prince Bobo's castle, where celebrations occurred for an entire month. Prince Bobo and Princess Fluff quickly fell in love, and the Prince gave the Princess the same ring that the King of Boboland had given to the Queen.
The wedding ceremony for the young couple was a grand affair, and many foreigners were invited. King Kitticut, Queen Garee, and Prince Inga came from the Island of Pingaree. The Queen of Merryland came to the wedding, as did King John Dough of Hiland-Loland, accompanied by his Head Booleywag and by Para Bruin, the Rubber Bear. The Queen of Ev brought her ten children to the event. Queen Ozma of Oz used the Magic Belt to transport herself, the Wizard of Oz, Princess Dorothy, Betsy Bobbin, Trot, the Scarecrow, and Glinda the Good to Boboland for the ceremony. King Bud, brother of Princess Fluff, was present at the wedding, as were Queen Zixi of Ix, and King Svarnin from Mount Svarnel. But the most important personage at the wedding was Fairy Queen Lurline.
On the day after the wedding, the foreigners returned to their homes. They all promised that they would someday visit the royal couple. Not long afterward, the former King and Queen of Boboland retired, leaving Bobo and Fluff to rule the great nation. The two have ruled the country well ever since, and, since they received the blessing of Lurline, I have no doubt that they will continue to rule far into the future.
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