King Bud of Noland had an army of seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven men, besides a general ten feet high; but the Queen of Ix had an army more than twice as big, and she decided to lead it in person, so that when she had conquered the city of Nole she herself could seize the precious magic cloak which she so greatly coveted. [Illustration: “QUEEN ZIXI RODE OUT AT THE HEAD OF HER ARMY, CLAD IN A SUIT OF MAIL.”] Therefore Queen Zixi rode out at the head of her army, clad in a suit of mail, with a glittering helmet upon her head that was surmounted by a flowing white plume. And all the soldiers cheered their queen and had no doubt at all that she would win a glorious victory. Quavo the minstrel, who wandered constantly about, was on his way to Noland again; and while Queen Zixi’s army was cutting a path through the forest and making a bridge to cross the river, he came speedily by a little-known path to the city of Nole, where he told Tullydub, the lord high counselor, what was threatening his king. So, trembling with terror, Tullydub hastened to the palace and called a meeting of the five high counselors in the king’s antechamber. When all were assembled, together with Bud and Fluff, the old man told his news and cried: “We shall all be slaughtered and our kingdom sacked and destroyed, for the army of Ix is twice as big as our own—yes, twice as big!” “Oh, pooh! What of that?” said Tollydob, scornfully; “have they a general as tall as I am?” “Certainly not,” said the chief counselor. “Who ever saw a man as tall as you are?” “Then I’ll fight and conquer them!” declared Tollydob, rising and walking about the room, so that all might see where his head just grazed the ceiling. “But you can’t, general; you can’t fight an army by yourself!” remonstrated Tullydub, excitedly. “And being so big, you are a better mark for their arrows and axes.” At this the general sat down rather suddenly and grew pale. “Perhaps we can buy them off,” remarked the lord high purse-bearer, jingling the purse that now never became empty. “No, I’m afraid not,” sighed Tullydub. “Quavo the minstrel said they were bent upon conquest, and were resolved upon a battle.” “And their queen is a witch,” added Tallydab, nervously. “We must not forget that.” “A witch!” exclaimed Princess Fluff, with sudden interest. “What does she look like?” But all shook their heads at the question, and Tullydub explained: “None of us has ever seen her, for we have never been friendly with the people of Ix. But from all reports, Queen Zixi is both young and beautiful.” [Illustration: “THE GENERAL SAT DOWN SUDDENLY AND GREW PALE.”] “Maybe it’s the one who wanted to teach me witchcraft in order to steal my magic cloak!” said Fluff, with sudden excitement. “And when she found she couldn’t steal it, she went back after her army.” “What magic cloak do you refer to?” asked Tullydub. “Why, the one the fairies gave me,” replied Fluff.