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"The best thing to do," declared Timtom, "is to cut off its legs; for then it could not walk into our gardens." "The scales on its legs are too hard and thick," said the King. "We have tried that, and failed." "We might take a red-hot iron, and put the Dragon's eyes out," ventured Prince Jollikin. "Its eyes are glass," replied the King with a sigh, "and the iron would have no effect on them."
Malaprop was very indignant, when she found that some of her friends had spoken lightly of her parts of speech. Mr. Snarling was wroth, when he learned that Mr. Jollikin thought him no great preacher. Miss Brown was so, on hearing that Mr. Smith did not admire her singing; and Mr. Smith, on learning that Miss Brown did not admire his horsemanship.
At length Prince Jollikin, who had been watching the monster earnestly, stepped forward and offered to fight the Gigaboo alone. "In a matter of this kind," said he, "one man is as good as a dozen. So you will all stand back while I see where the beast can best be attacked." "Is your sword sharp?" asked his father, the King, anxiously. "It was the sharpest on the tree," replied the Prince.
Suddenly, just as Prince Jollikin had made a home run and everybody was applauding him, a terrible roaring noise sounded in their ears, and they heard a great crashing of trees on the mountain side and saw a monstrous man approaching the Valley.
Now you must remember, when you read what follows, that no inhabitant of the Valley of Mo can ever be killed by anything. If one is cut to pieces, the pieces still live; and, although this seems strange, you will find, if you ever go to this queer Valley, that it is true. Perhaps it was the knowledge of this fact that made Prince Jollikin so courageous.
"That is work," said Fiddlecumdoo, sulkily, "and I hate work." "Yet somebody has to pick the collar buttons," returned the King, "or we should be unable to keep our collars on." "Then let Jollikin help my mother. I am horribly tired of this stupid place, and shall not be happy until I have traveled around and seen something more of the world."
In the center there was one place where the crust was quite thin, and just as the merriment was at its height, crack! went the ice or candy, rather and down into the sugar-syrup sank the Princess Truella, and the Prince Jollikin, and the King's royal chamberlain, Nuphsed.
The King was so pleased that he presented his son with a tin badge, set with diamonds, on the back of which was engraved the picture of a Gigaboo. Although Prince Jollikin was glad to be the hero of his nation, and enjoyed the triumph of having been able to conquer his ferocious enemy, he did not escape some inconvenience.
Then all the people shouted for joy and the Queen took the Princess Truella home to change her clothes, for they were very sticky. "What does the Prince Jollikin like best?" asked the King. "A laugh!" replied a dozen at once, for every one knew the Prince's failing. Then one of the girls laughed quite hard, and the King tied it to the end of the line and dropped it into the lake.
Then the Gigaboo rolled over on its back and died, for wild and ferocious beasts may be killed in Mo as well as in other parts of the world. Having vanquished his enemy, Prince Jollikin climbed down from the tree and went to tell the people that the Gigaboo was dead. When they heard this joyful news they gave their Prince three cheers, and loved him better than ever for his bravery.
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