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Prince Zingle had now seen enough of foreign countries to remain contented with his own beautiful Valley, and, although it was many years before he again attempted to fly a kite, it was noticed that, when he at last did indulge in that sport, the kite was of a very small size. The Thirteenth Surprise The King's plum-pudding crop had for some time suffered from the devastations of a secret enemy.
"We will capture the brute and put him in the Zoo," said one of the soldier-monkeys. "What kind of animal is it?" asked the other. "I do not know. But some of our college professors can doubtless tell, and even if they can't they will give it some scientific name that will satisfy the people just as well." All this time Prince Zingle remained clinging to the branches of the tree.
Indeed, so amazed were they by this remarkable escape of their prisoner that the monkeys remained staring into the air until Prince Zingle had become a little speck in the sky above them and finally disappeared. That was the last our Prince ever saw of the strange country of the monkeys, for the wind carried his kite straight back to the Valley of Mo.
What is the meaning of this strange conduct? I am Prince Zingle, eldest son of the Monarch of Mo, and, since I have been blown into your country through an accident, I certainly deserve kind treatment at your hands." But this speech had no meaning in the ears of the monkeys, who said to each other: "Hear him bark! He jabbers away almost as if he could talk!"
Therefore, being filled with anger against his father, the King, he wandered away until he chanced to come near to the castle of the Purple Dragon. When the wicked monster saw the Prince, it decided that here was a splendid opportunity to make mischief; so it said, politely: "Good morning, King Zingle." "I am not a king I am only a prince," replied Zingle.
I must now tell you of a very strange adventure that befell Prince Zingle, which, had it not turned out exactly as it did, might have resulted in making him a captive for life in a remarkable country.
"Stand back, all of you!" shouted one of the soldiers. "We're going to capture this remarkable beast for the royal menagerie, and unless you stand out of the way he may show fight and bite some one." So they moved back to a safe distance, and the soldier-monkey prepared to throw a rope. "Stop!" cried Zingle, again; "do you take me for a thief, that you try to bind me?
When the King had rowed away in the boat and Zingle was left alone, he said to himself: "Why, this is delightful! I shall have a jolly time here, and can eat all the cake I want, without any one scolding me for being greedy." He broke off a large piece of the island where the raisins and citron were thickest, and commenced to eat it.
When Zingle found himself above his father's palace, he took out his pocket-knife and cut the string of the kite, and immediately fell head foremost into a pond of custard that lay in the back yard, where he dived through a floating island of whipped cream and disappeared from view.
At once it filled and mounted to the sky, lifting Zingle from the tree and carrying him with perfect ease. It was fortunate he got away at that moment, for several of the monkeys had scrambled up the tree after him, and were almost near enough to seize him by the legs when, to their surprise, he shot into the air.
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