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The mighty Forest of Mystery, too, would be cut down and sold for firewood; and the elves and fairies would fly westward in pursuit of the flying sun. You may be sure, therefore, that Rumpty-Dudget tried with all his might to get hold of a child to put into that hundred-and-first corner.
At that Rumpty-Dudget took a piece of black string from his pocket and held one end of it to the black spot on Hector's chin; and it stuck to it so fast that all the pulling in the world could not pull it off. Then Rumpty-Dudget put the string over his shoulder, and so dragged Hector into his tower, and put him in the hundred-and-first corner.
So he said, as amiably as he could, though in reality he felt very angry: 'Well, then, Prince Harold, my fine fellow, you are the next eldest; take my hand, and in we go. 'No, said Prince Harold, drawing back; 'I think I am too big to get through that little hole. Somebody else must go first. Rumpty-Dudget trembled with rage and fear; and there was only the smallest bit of the sun yet visible.
'Who could have been so unkind as to tell you that? cried Rumpty-Dudget, as if he was very much shocked. 'Besides, one side of the hedge is just the same as another; and if it is wrong to go on the other side, how much more wrong it must be to stay on this! Hilda thought awhile before answering, for what Rumpty-Dudget had said certainly sounded reasonable.
And Harold remembered what Tom the Cat had said, and he leaped back into the circle, and as the last bit of flame flickered at the end of the stick he laid himself down upon it. Whereupon Rumpty-Dudget gave a hoarse cry and vanished; and the enchanted fire blazed up famously, red, blue, and yellow, with poor Harold in the midst of it.
'Jump down now, said Tom, 'and leave the Golden Ivy to do the rest. Down they all jumped accordingly, and stood at one side, near the castle gates. In the midst of this room stood Rumpty-Dudget, having fled to it for safety; for it was defended by enchantments which only the Golden Ivy could have overcome.
And when Rumpty-Dudget had ceased to exist of course all the children who had been made prisoners by his spells became free; and they came racing and shouting out of the grey tower, with little Prince Hector at their head.
'Let me lift you in, my little hero, said Rumpty-Dudget, taking Hector round the waist with his little bony hands; 'and I'll warrant you won't come back in a hurry. Now, then jump!
'What are you crying for, my poor dear little boy? asked Rumpty-Dudget of Prince Harold in his most coaxing voice. 'Because I have used up all my faggots, he answered. 'Used them all up! But surely there are plenty more in the forest where those came from? the dwarf answered in pretended surprise. 'Besides, what harm if the fire does go out?
He flew straight at Rumpty-Dudget and leaped upon his hump, and bit and scratched him soundly. Rumpty-Dudget yelled with pain, and dropping Prince Hector, he vanished through the hole in the hedge like a hot chestnut into a hungry boy.
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