The next day Don Juan set out for the court. When he reached the palace, he saluted the king, who was astonished. "How! Don Juan, have you given up so soon? How goes the quest?"

"Here, I have found the reliquary," said Don Juan, taking it out and putting it on the table. Then he continued, "Let your Majesty examine to see if it is the right one."

The king looked at it carefully. Indeed, it was his own reliquary. He said to himself, "What a wonder Don Juan is! In two days without any difficulty he has found the reliquary. I did not even tell him the exact place where I lost it, and many people failed to come across it as soon as it was missed. Here in Ma.r.s.ella he has no equal." Then he said to Don Juan, "I am astonished at the ability you have shown. There is no tongue that can express my grat.i.tude to you for bringing me back my reliquary, the delight of my heart."

Don Juan replied, "If there is yet something to be done, let your Highness command his loyal va.s.sal, who is always ready to obey."

"If that is so, in order that you may obtain what you wish," said the king, "go to Rome and take my letter to the Pope. Wait for his answer. I will also send another person to carry the same message. The one who comes after the other shall receive death as a punishment,"

said the king.

"Your loyal subject will try to obey you," said Don Juan.

So the king wrote two letters to the holy Pope, and gave one to Don Juan, who immediately left the palace and went to his friends. He was sad, meditating on his fate.

The king's messenger, Bruja, [45] set out for Rome that very moment. He was told to use his charm and to hurry up. So he went flying swiftly, like an arrow shot from a bow.

When Don Juan reached his comrades, he said, "I gave the reliquary to the king. Now he wants me to go to Rome to deliver this letter to the Pope and wait for his answer. At the same time the king has sent another messenger. If I come after his arrival in Ma.r.s.ella, I shall lose my life. You see what a hard task the king has given me. I do not know very well the way to Rome, and, besides, the wise Bruja is winged."

"Do not worry," said Noet Noen. "If G.o.d will, we shall defeat the king. Even if he has Bruja to send, you have some one also: so pluck up your courage!"

"What do you say, Curan Curing? Show your skill, and go to Rome flying like the wind," said Noet Noen.

"Do not be troubled, Don Juan," said Curan Curing. "I will carry the letter even to the gates of heaven. For me a journey to Rome is not far--in just one leap I shall be there. Give me the letter. To-morrow I will set out. To-day I will rest, so that I can walk fast." Don Juan gave Curan Curing the letter, and they all went to sleep. Perhaps by this time Bruja had already arrived at Rome.

The next morning Curan Curing started on his journey to deliver the letter to the Pope. When he was half way to Rome, he met Bruja walking very swiftly, and already returning to Ma.r.s.ella. "Are you Don Juan?" said Bruja, "and are you just going to Rome now? You are beaten. Do not waste your energy any more. If you walk like that, you cannot reach Rome in two months."

Bruja spoke so, because Curan Curing was walking on only one leg. But when he heard these words, he let loose his other leg and went faster than a bullet. He arrived almost instantly at Rome, and delivered the letter to the holy Pope, who, after reading it, wrote an answer and gave it to the messenger.

Curan Curing then made his way back towards his companions. He went as fast as the wind, and overtook Bruja on the road. "What! Are you still here? What is the matter? How is it that you have not reached Ma.r.s.ella yet? Where is that boast of yours, that I am already beaten? Now I am sure that you will disappoint your king, who relies too much upon your skill," said Curan Curing.

Bruja, fearing that he should be defeated, for Don Juan's messenger was very spry, planned to trick Curan Curing. So Bruja said, "Friend, let us rest here a while! I have a little wine with me. We will drink it, if it pleases you, and take a little rest while the sun is so hot."

"Oh, yes! if you have some wine. It will be a fine thing for us to drink to quench our thirst," replied Curan Curing.

The wine was no sooner handed to him than he fell asleep. Then Bruja put on one of Curan Curing's fingers a ring, so as to insure victory for the king. Whoever had Bruja's ring would sleep soundly and never wake as long as the charmed ring was on his finger. So Bruja, with a light heart, flew away and left the sleeping messenger. Bruja flew so swiftly, that in a moment he was seen by Curan Curing's companions. When they saw the king's messenger coming swiftly near them, they felt very sad. But as soon as Supla Supling was sure that it was Bruja flying through the air toward them, he said, "Let me manage him! I will make his journey longer. I will blow him back, so that he will not win." Supla Supling then breathed deeply and blew. Bruja was carried back beyond Rome. How Don Juan's companions rejoiced! Bruja did not sleep during the whole night: he was trying his best to reach Ma.r.s.ella.

The next morning Noet Noen said, "I never thought that our friend Curan Curing would be so slow. He has not come yet. Bruja has made him drink wine and has put him to sleep. The trickish fellow has placed on one of Curan Curing's fingers a magic ring, which keeps him in a profound sleep."

When Punta Punting heard Noet Noen's words, he shot his arrow, though he could not see the object he was aiming at. But the ring was. .h.i.t, and the arrow returned to its master with the magic ring on it. Such was the virtue of Punta Punting's arrow. As for Curan Curing, he was awakened. He felt the ring being moved from his finger; but the charm was still working in him, and he fell asleep again.

Noet Noen, knowing that Curan Curing was again asleep, called Miran Miron, and said, "Pray, wake the sleeper under the tree !"

Miran Miron then shouted. Curan Curing awoke suddenly, frightened at the noise. Now, being wide awake, he realized the trick Bruja had played on him. He looked to see if he still had the Pope's letter. Luckily Bruja had not stolen it. Curan Curing then began his journey. Though he went faster than the lightning, he could not overtake Bruja, who was very far ahead of him. In the mean time Bruja was seen by Miran Miron. He was enraged, and cried out loud. When Supla Supling heard his friend shout, he blew strongly. Bruja got stuck in the sky: he was scorched by the glowing sun. Not long afterwards Curan Curing arrived, and gave the letter to Don Juan.

Don Juan at once set out for Ma.r.s.ella. When he reached the palace, he delivered the Pope's letter to the king. The king, realizing that he was beaten, said to Don Juan, "Though you have won, I will not grant your request, for you are too inferior. You may go."

Don Juan replied, "Great King, n.o.body ordered your Highness to issue the decree to which your hand did sign your name. I trusted your word, and I ventured to take part in the wager. Now, honorable king, my complaint is that your Majesty breaks his word."

The king was meditating as to what to do next to check Don Juan. At last he said, "I want you to show me some more of your wisdom. If you can sail on dry land, and I can see your ship to-morrow morning moored here in front of the palace, I will believe in your power and wisdom. So you may go. My subjects, the queen, and I will be here to see you sail on dry land to-morrow morning."

Don Juan did not complain at all. He rose from his seat, sad and melancholy, and bade the king good-by. When he reached his companions, Noet Noen said, "You need not speak. I know what is the matter. I will manage the business, and all our comrades will help, so that our sailing on dry land to-morrow will not be delayed.--Carguen Cargon, my friend, go to the inn and fetch a large strong ship."

Carguen Cargon went on his errand. It was not long before he found the right ship. So, shouldering it, he brought it back to his companions.

The next day everything was ready for the journey. Noet Noen said, "You will be in charge of the rudder, Carguen Cargon, so that the ship may go smoothly.--Supla Supling, sit at the stern and blow the sails, so that we may go fast.--The rest of us will serve as mariners. Cry 'Happy voyage!' as soon as we enter the city."

Accordingly Supla Supling blew the sails. The wind roared, and many trees fell down. The little band sailed through the kingdom. All the people who saw them were wondering. They said, "Were this deed not by enchantment, they could not sail on dry land. Where do you think this ship came from, if not from the land of enchanters?"

When the sailors reached the city, they found King Palmarin looking out of the window of his palace. Don Juan then disembarked from his ship and went before the king to greet him. Don Juan said, "Your Majesty's servant is here. He is ready to obey your will: so, if there is anything more to be done, let your Highness order him."

The king felt ashamed for being a liar, and did not ask Don Juan to perform any more miracles. "Don Juan, I have now seen your wonderful wisdom. You may return to your country, for I will not give you the hand of my daughter," said King Palmarin.

"Farewell, O king! Your own order has caused all that has happened. Though I have not succeeded in accomplishing my purpose, I have no reason to be ashamed to face anybody. What troubles me is, that, in spite of your widespread reputation for honor, you do not keep even one of your thousand million words. After some one has done you some service, you turn him away. Farewell, king! To my own country I will return," said Don Juan as he left the palace.

The king did not say anything, for he realized the truth of the knight's statement. Don Juan went to the boat. He and his companions sailed back to their station. As they pa.s.sed out of the city, the people hailed them. His companions cheered him up and encouraged him. When they arrived at their lodging-place, Noet Noen said, "Let us stay a little longer and wait for G.o.d's aid, which He always gives to the humble! All that has happened is G.o.d's will, so do not worry, Don Juan."

"I will do whatever you wish," said Don Juan.

So they staid in the ship. Several months pa.s.sed by, but nothing was heard. At last the Moors invaded Ma.r.s.ella. They put to death many of the inhabitants, and shut up the king and the rest of his men in jail. He, the queen, and the princess grieved very much, for they suffered many hardships in their narrow prison. When news of this conquest reached the seven, Noet Noen said to his companions, "Now is our turn to help Ma.r.s.ella. Use all your skill; for in driving away the Moors we serve a double purpose: first, we help the Christians; second, Don Juan."

"Let me be general!" said Curan Curing. "If I rush at the Moors, they will not know what to do."

Supla Supling said, "As for me, no Moor can stay near me, for I will blow him away, and he will be lost in the air."

"Though I have no weapons, no one can face me in battle without tumbling down in fear," said Miran Miron.

Carguen Cargon joined in. "I will pull up a tree and carry it with me; so that, even if all the Moors unite against me, they shall lie prostrate before me."

"My arrow is enough for me to face Moors with," said Punta Punting.

At the command of Noet Noen they set out. Curan Curing walked with one leg; still he was far ahead of his companions. He then would stop, return to his friends, and say impatiently, "Hurry up!"

At last they told him that he would be overtired. "The general ought to get weary if he commands," said Curan Curing. "But I shall never get tired from walking at this rate!"

When they arrived at Ma.r.s.ella, Noet Noen encouraged his companions. Carguen Cargon pulled up a tree fifteen yards tall and six yards in circ.u.mference. He rushed at the Moors, and, by swinging the tree constantly, he swept away the enemy. Curan Curing walked with both his legs. He crushed the enemy, who fell dead as he stepped on them. Miran Miron shouted. His loud voice frightened the Moors. Punta Punting shot with his arrow. Whenever it had killed a Moor, it returned to its master. After many Moors had fallen, the rest could not maintain the fight, and they fled. Noet Noen then gathered together his men, and said, "Let us look for the king!"

They opened all the jails and freed the prisoners. The six victors cried, "Hurrah for Don Juan!" and said to the released persons, "All of you who have been held prisoners must thank Don Juan; for, were it not for him, we should not have come to your aid."

"Who is this benefactor? We wish to know to whom we owe our lives,"

said the king.

Noet Noen said, "By G.o.d's will we gained the victory. It is Don Juan who brought us here to save you from the hands of the infidels. So he is indeed the benefactor."

"Don Juan!" the crowd then shouted. "Our lives we owe to you.--Hurrah for our savior! Hurrah for the whole kingdom!"

The king, queen, princess, counsellors, and the victors went to the palace. They were all happy. When they had taken their seats, the king spoke thus: "What shall we give the victor? As for me, even the whole kingdom is too small a reward for saving us. Lend me your advice."

Noet Noen answered, "Let me make a suggestion, O king! You already know what Don Juan desires. Do him justice, for he not only beat you in the wager, but also succeeded in accomplishing all your commands. Now he saves you and your kingdom, and restores you to power. Let your issued decree be carried out." The king then consulted the queen, and said that the stranger was right.