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Nerle also sang a song about the King of Thieves whom Prince Marvel had conquered, and another about the Red Rogue of Dawna, so that altogether the evening passed pleasantly enough, and they managed to forget all their uneasy doubts of the morrow. When at last they separated for the night, Prince Marvel alone did not seek his bed; there was still some business he wished to transact.
The Red Rogue of Dawna One morning, while they were all standing in the courtyard waiting for their horses, as they were about to go for a ride, a courier came galloping swiftly up to the palace and cried: "Does any one know where Prince Marvel can be found?" "I am Prince Marvel," replied the young knight, stepping out from among the others.
On account of his bushy hair, which was fiery red in color, and the bushy red beard that covered his face when he became older, people came to call him the Red One. And after his evil deeds and quarrelsome temper had made him infamous throughout the island, people began to call him the Red Rogue of Dawna.
While they stood talking and congratulating one another outside of the castle, the Red Rogue of Dawna appeared among them. He had heard the noise of the smashing of his great mirror, and had come running downstairs from his hiding-place to find his cunning had all been for naught and his captives were free.
Prince Marvel knew little concerning this personage, but Nerle had much to tell of him. The Red Rogue had once been page to a wise scholar and magician, who lived in a fine old castle in Dawna and ruled over a large territory. The boy was very small and weak smaller even than the average dwarf and his master did not think it worth while to watch him.
Before then I hope to visit the Kingdoms of Dawna and Auriel and Plenta; so I must not delay, but beg you will permit me to depart at once." "Very well," answered Terribus. "Come with me, and I shall show you the way." He led the prince and Nerle to a high wall of rock, and placing his hand upon its rough surface, touched a hidden spring.
And from amid the ruins rose the gigantic form of a man. His hair and beard were a fiery red, and he gazed at the desolation around him in absolute amazement. It was the Red Rogue of Dawna, set free from his imprisonment. He wandered out and found strange scenes confronting him, for during the hundred years a great change had taken place in the Enchanted Island.
"And who has done this evil thing?" asked Prince Marvel, looking very stern and grave. "The Red Rogue of Dawna," answered the messenger. "He quarreled with the Baron Merd and sent his savage hordes to tear down his castle and slay him.
"Prince Marvel?" exclaimed the Baron. "I have never heard of him. Does he come from the Kingdom of Dawna, or that of Auriel, or Plenta?" "That I do not know," said Seseley, with truth. "Where did you meet him?" continued the baron. "In the forest, my father, and he kindly escorted us home." "Hm!" muttered the baron, thoughtfully. "Did he say what adventure brought him to our Kingdom of Heg?"
And while he looked a sudden fit of anger came over him at being outwitted by this Red Rogue of Dawna. Scarcely knowing what he did, he seized his sword by the blade and struck the mirror a powerful blow with the heavy hilt. It shattered into a thousand fragments, which fell clattering upon the stone floor in every direction.
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