"No," replied the monkey, wretchedly; "but then I'm always afraid it will be, and that's just as bad. Oh, what a world this is!"
The monkey upon this fell to weeping more bitterly than before, and the Prince sneezed violently three times.
"There!" exclaimed the monkey, dismally; "now you're taking cold because I'm so damp with crying."
"Oh, never mind that!" replied the Prince, politely. "It really doesn't matter. A good sneeze is really quite refreshing."
"That reminds me," said the monkey, "that I was sent to tell you to go back again; this isn't the road."
"Not the—" began the Prince, looking puzzled.
"Road," finished the monkey, beginning to cry once more. "To the Crushed Strawberry Wizard's, you know. You have just come back by another way nearly to the Castle of Bogarru, where the giant lives. The Funny Man told you wrong."
"Told me wrong!" repeated the poor Prince, now thoroughly discouraged.
"Yes," said the monkey, "for a joke, you know. Oh, my beautiful brass tail! What a world this is!"
"This is the very worst and meanest joke of the whole!" cried the Prince.