“What do you say?”
“Why don’t the King and Queen go and fight, like the Mer Royal Family do?”
“Against the law,” said the Under-lad. “We took a King prisoner once, and our people were afraid our King and Queen might be taken, so they made that rule.”
“What did you do with him—the prisoner King?” the Princess asked.
“Put him in an Iswater,” said the lad, “a piece of water entirely surrounded by land.”
“I should like to see him,” said the Princess.
“Nothing easier,” said the Under-lad, “as soon as you get your tickets-of-leaves. It’s a good long passage to the lake—nearly all water, of course, but lots of our young people go there three times a week. Of course, he can’t be a King anymore now—but they made him Professor of Conchology.”
“And has he forgotten he was a King?” asked the Princess.
“Of course: but he was so learned the oblivion-cup wasn’t deep enough to make him forget everything: that’s why he’s a Professor.”
“What was he King of?” the Princess asked anxiously.