But they all worked away every day, just the same as they used to, because they were so accustomed to toil, that they would not have been happy without work. So, of course, they became richer and richer, and jollier and jollier until at last they became so prosperous and happy that other nations began to take notice of them. It was rather unusual, in those days to see a whole nation so jolly. The people in the adjoining countries were by no means so happy and prosperous. Most of them were much better pleased with fighting than with work, and it, therefore, often happened that they were hungry when there was very little to eat. For war is a very bad thing for crops. It is sometimes as injurious as a long drought. For somebody must plant and hoe or there will be little to eat in a land, and if the people spend most of their time in warfare there cannot be much agricultural work going on. But these outside people, especially those who lived in the land of Voldor to the north of the country of the Cabordmen, had an idea that it was a great deal easier to make war and capture supplies than to raise crops themselves. This is why, after having carefully watched the Cabordmen for some years, and noting their great possessions, they resolved to make war upon these industrious and jolly people. So they gathered together an army, which was an easy thing for them to do, and invaded the country of the Cabordmen. Our jolly friends were much astounded and distressed when the great army of the Voldorites marched over their borders. [Illustration: THE VOLDORITES MARCH INTO THE COUNTRY OF THE CABORDMEN.] Now the poor Cabordmen knew not what to do. They were not soldiers, and, indeed, there was not so much as a single sword or spear or shield in the whole country. They never had gone to war and they were not prepared for it, nor did they know anything about fighting. It was altogether a new business to them. They gathered together and held hasty consultations, but they could decide upon no plan to repel the invaders. What could they—a nation of simple, jolly husbandmen—do against a great army of well armed and practised warriors? There seemed to be nothing left for them but to surrender at once, and let the Voldorites help themselves to whatever they wanted. In this case the poor Cabordmen and their families would not only be stripped of every thing, but it was very likely indeed that the invaders would carry off many of them as prisoners, and take them to Voldor, and make them cultivate the land of their captors. This was terrible to think of. But they could devise no plan to escape this dreadful fate. The Voldorites were now encamped upon the northern edge of their territory, which was yet uninhabited and barren. The enemy so far had met with none of the Cabordmen, but many of the latter had seen the great army from afar without having made themselves visible.