The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2)Paltock, Robert
Science
The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2)
Paltock, Robert
Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction
"When they were met, the woman and child being amongst them, he told
them that child was their king, and that his loins should produce them
a race of kings for fifteen hundred years, during which time they should
be happily governed; but then a female inhabitant of the skies
should claim the dominion, and, together with the kingdom, be utterly
destroyed, unless a messenger from above, with a crown in each hand,
should procure her a male of her own kind; and then the kingdom should
remain for the like number of years to her posterity. Now," says he,
"the time will expire very soon, and as no one has been, or it is
believed will ever come, with two such crowns, the princess Stygee,
though she undoubtedly will try for it, has little hopes of succeeding
her father; for her cousin Felbamko pretends, as no woman ever reigned
with us, he is the right heir, and will have the kingdom."--"Pray," says
I, "what do you mean by an inhabitant of the air?"--"Oh," says he,
"she flies."--"And do most of your country folks fly?" says I; "for
I perceive you don't."--"No," says he, "no one but the princess
Stygee."--"How comes that about?" says I.--"Her mother, when she was
with child with her," says he, "being one day in a wood near the palace,
and having straggled from her company, was attacked by a man with a
graundee, who, not knowing her, clasped her within his graundee, and
would have debauched her; but perceiving her cries had brought some
of her servants to her assistance, he quitted her and went off: this
accident threw her into such a fright, that it was a long time
before she recovered; and then was delivered of a daughter with a
graundee."--"My friend," says I, "your meeting with me will be a very
happy affair for your kingdom. I am the man the princess expects: go
back to the princess and let her and her father know I will be with them
in six days, and establish his dominions in the princess."
The fellow looked at me, thinking I joked, but never offered to stir a
foot. "Why don't you go?" says I. "And for the good news you bear to the
princess, I'll see you shall be made one of the greatest men in Norbon."
The man smiled still, but could not conceive I was in earnest. I asked
him then how long he should be in going to the palace; he said, "Three
days at soonest."--"Deliver but your message right," says I, "and I'll
assure you it shall be the better for you." The man seeing me look
serious, did at length believe me, and promised he would obey me
punctually; but he had not seen how I came to the place he met me at,
for I had ordered my bearers into the wood with my chair before I showed
myself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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