الفصل الفصل 16 · The Enchanted Fishes

. The Enchanted Fishes

I must now tell you what happened to Ervic and the three other Skeezers

who were left floating in the iron boat after Queen Coo-ee-oh had been

transformed into a Diamond Swan by the magic of the Flathead Su-dic.

The four Skeezers were all young men and their leader was Ervic.

Coo-ee-oh had taken them with her in the boat to assist her if she

captured the Flathead chief, as she hoped to do by means of her silver

rope. They knew nothing about the witchcraft that moved the submarine

and so, when left floating upon the lake, were at a loss what to do.

The submarine could not be submerged by them or made to return to the

sunken island. There were neither oars nor sails in the boat, which was

not anchored but drifted quietly upon the surface of the lake.

The Diamond Swan had no further thought or care for her people. She had

sailed over to the other side of the lake and all the calls and

pleadings of Ervic and his companions were unheeded by the vain bird.

As there was nothing else for them to do, they sat quietly in their

boat and waited as patiently as they could for someone to come to their

aid.

The Flatheads had refused to help them and had gone back to their

mountain. All the Skeezers were imprisoned in the Great Dome and could

not help even themselves. When evening came, they saw the Diamond Swan,

still keeping to the opposite shore of the lake, walk out of the water

to the sands, shake her diamond-sprinkled feathers, and then disappear

among the bushes to seek a resting place for the night.

"I'm hungry," said Ervic.

"I'm cold," said another Skeezer.

"I'm tired," said a third.

"I'm afraid," said the last one of them.

But it did them no good to complain. Night fell and the moon rose and

cast a silvery sheen over the surface of the water.

"Go to sleep," said Ervic to his companions. "I'll stay awake and

watch, for we may be rescued in some unexpected way."

So the other three laid themselves down in the bottom of the boat and

were soon fast asleep.

Ervic watched. He rested himself by leaning over the bow of the boat,

his face near to the moonlit water, and thought dreamily of the day's

surprising events and wondered what would happen to the prisoners in

the Great Dome.

Suddenly a tiny goldfish popped its head above the surface of the lake,

not more than a foot from his eyes. A silverfish then raised its head

beside that of the goldfish, and a moment later a bronzefish lifted its

head beside the others. The three fish, all in a row, looked earnestly

with their round, bright eyes into the astonished eyes of Ervic the

Skeezer.

"We are the three Adepts whom Queen Coo-ee-oh betrayed and wickedly

transformed," said the goldfish, its voice low and soft but distinctly

heard in the stillness of the night.

"I know of our Queen's treacherous deed," replied Ervic, "and I am

sorry for your misfortune. Have you been in the lake ever since?"

"Yes," was the reply.

"I--I hope you are well--and comfortable," stammered Ervic, not knowing

what else to say.

"We knew that some day Coo-ee-oh would meet with the fate she so richly

deserves," declared the bronzefish. "We have waited and watched for

this time. Now if you will promise to help us and will be faithful and

true, you can aid us in regaining our natural forms, and save yourself

and all your people from the dangers that now threaten you."

"Well," said Ervic, "you can depend on my doing the best I can. But I'm

no witch, nor magician, you must know."

"All we ask is that you obey our instructions," returned the

silverfish. "We know that you are honest and that you served Coo-ee-oh

only because you were obliged to in order to escape her anger. Do as we

command and all will be well."

"I promise!" exclaimed the young man. "Tell me what I am to do first."

"You will find in the bottom of your boat the silver cord which dropped

from Coo-ee-oh's hand when she was transformed," said the goldfish.

"Tie one end of that cord to the bow of your boat and drop the other

end to us in the water. Together we will pull your boat to the shore."

Ervic much doubted that the three small fishes could move so heavy a

boat, but he did as he was told and the fishes all seized their end of

the silver cord in their mouths and headed toward the nearest shore,

which was the very place where the Flatheads had stood when they

conquered Queen Coo-ee-oh.

At first the boat did not move at all, although the fishes pulled with

all their strength. But presently the strain began to tell. Very slowly

the boat crept toward the shore, gaining more speed at every moment. A

couple of yards away from the sandy beach the fishes dropped the cord

from their mouths and swam to one side, while the iron boat, being now

under way, continued to move until its prow grated upon the sands.

Ervic leaned over the side and said to the fishes: "What next?"

"You will find upon the sand," said the silverfish, "a copper kettle,

which the Su-dic forgot when he went away. Cleanse it thoroughly in the

water of the lake, for it has had poison in it. When it is cleaned,

fill it with fresh water and hold it over the side of the boat, so that

we three may swim into the kettle. We will then instruct you further."

"Do you wish me to catch you, then?" asked Ervic in surprise.

"Yes," was the reply.

So Ervic jumped out of the boat and found the copper kettle. Carrying

it a little way down the beach, he washed it well, scrubbing away every

drop of the poison it had contained with sand from the shore.

Then he went back to the boat.

Ervic's comrades were still sound asleep and knew nothing of the three

fishes or what strange happenings were taking place about them. Ervic

dipped the kettle in the lake, holding fast to the handle until it was

under water. The gold and silver and bronze fishes promptly swam into

the kettle. The young Skeezer then lifted it, poured out a little of

the water so it would not spill over the edge, and said to the fishes:

"What next?"

"Carry the kettle to the shore. Take one hundred steps to the east,

along the edge of the lake, and then you will see a path leading

through the meadows, up hill and down dale. Follow the path until you

come to a cottage which is painted a purple color with white trimmings.

When you stop at the gate of this cottage we will tell you what to do

next. Be careful, above all, not to stumble and spill the water from

the kettle, or you would destroy us and all you have done would be in

vain."

The goldfish issued these commands and Ervic promised to be careful and

started to obey. He left his sleeping comrades in the boat, stepping

cautiously over their bodies, and on reaching the shore took exactly

one hundred steps to the east. Then he looked for the path and the

moonlight was so bright that he easily discovered it, although it was

hidden from view by tall weeds until one came full upon it. This path

was very narrow and did not seem to be much used, but it was quite

distinct and Ervic had no difficulty in following it. He walked through

a broad meadow, covered with tall grass and weeds, up a hill and down

into a valley and then up another hill and down again.

It seemed to Ervic that he had walked miles and miles. Indeed the moon

sank low and day was beginning to dawn when finally he discovered by

the roadside a pretty little cottage, painted purple with white

trimmings. It was a lonely place--no other buildings were anywhere

about and the ground was not tilled at all. No farmer lived here, that

was certain. Who would care to dwell in such an isolated place?

But Ervic did not bother his head long with such questions. He went up

to the gate that led to the cottage, set the copper kettle carefully

down and bending over it asked:

"What next?"