L. Frank Baum Read Online Free PDF

us
encourage them in this. If we mistrusted all who have ever done an
evil act there would be fewer honest people in the world. And if it
were as interesting to do a good act as an evil one there is no doubt
every one would choose the good."

6 - The Troubles of Nerle
*
    That night Prince Marvel slept within the cave, surrounded by the
fifty-nine reformed thieves, and suffered no harm at their hands. In
the morning, accompanied by his esquire, Nerle, who was mounted upon a
spirited horse brought him by Wul-Takim, he charged the honest men to
remember their promises, bade them good by, and set out in search of
further adventure.
    As they left the clearing by the narrow passage that led between the
overhanging rocks, the prince looked back and saw that the sign above
the gate of the cave, which had told of the thieves' treasure house,
had been changed. It now read as follows:
    WUL-TAKIM
KING OF HONEST MEN
——
HIS PLEASURE HOUSE
WALK IN
    "That is much better," laughed the prince. "I accomplished some good
by my adventure, anyway!"
    Nerle did not reply. He seemed especially quiet and thoughtful as he
rode by his master's side, and after they had traveled some distance in
silence Prince Marvel said:
    "Tell me how you came to be in the cave of thieves, and perched upon
the casks where I found you."
    "It is a sad story," returned Nerle, with a sigh; "but since you
request me to tell it, the tale may serve to relieve the tedium of your
journey.
    "My father is a mighty baron, very wealthy and with a heart so kind
that he has ever taken pleasure in thrusting on me whatever gift he
could think of. I had not a single desire unsatisfied, for before I
could wish for anything it was given me.
    "My mother was much like my father. She and her women were always
making jams, jellies, candies, cakes and the like for me to eat; so I
never knew the pleasure of hunger. My clothes were the gayest satins
and velvets, richly made and sewn with gold and silver braid; so it was
impossible to wish for more in the way of apparel. They let me study
my lessons whenever I felt like it and go fishing or hunting as I
pleased; so I could not complain that I was unable to do just as I
wanted to. All the servants obeyed my slightest wish: if I wanted to
sit up late at night no one objected; if I wished to lie in bed till
noon they kept the house quiet so as not to disturb me.
    "This condition of affairs, as you may imagine, grew more and more
tedious and exasperating the older I became. Try as I might, I could
find nothing to complain of. I once saw the son of one of our servants
receive a flogging; and my heart grew light. I immediately begged my
father to flog me, by way of variety; and he, who could refuse me
nothing, at once consented. For this reason there was less
satisfaction in the operation than I had expected, although for the
time being it was a distinct novelty.
    "Now, no one could expect a high-spirited boy to put up with such a
life as mine. With nothing to desire and no chance of doing anything
that would annoy my parents, my days were dreary indeed."
    He paused to wipe the tears from his eyes, and the prince murmured,
sympathetically: "Poor boy! Poor boy!"
    "Ah, you may well say that!" continued Nerle. "But one day a stranger
came to my father's castle with tales of many troubles he had met with.
He had been lost in a forest and nearly starved to death. He had been
robbed and beaten and left wounded and sore by the wayside. He had
begged from door to door and been refused food or assistance. In
short, his story was so delightful that it made me envy him, and I
yearned to suffer as he had done. When I could speak with him alone I
said: 'Pray tell me how I can manage to acquire the misfortunes you
have undergone. Here I have everything that I desire, and it makes me
very unhappy.'
    "The stranger laughed at me, at first; and I found some pleasure in the
humiliation I then felt. But it did not last long, for presently he
grew sober and advised me to