Ting-a-ling

by Frank R. Stockton

"Ah!" said the sorceress, "that is certainly not much to ask. You shall be gratified. Allow me to conduct you to her; she will be delighted, I am sure."

Then taking in her hand a staff, and opening the door by which she had entered, she requested the Prince to follow her. Passing quickly through several apartments, they entered a wide, long, and dim avenue.

"Come," said the sorceress, "give me your hand; we will lose no time."

But the Prince, remembering his former experience of her touch, drew back from the bony hand which she extended to him.

"Ah!" cried she, with a hideous grin, "you are able to get along by yourself, are you, my dear? I dare say your young legs are very strong and nimble. You don't need any old woman's help. Ha, ha! Well, come on! The Princess awaits you!"

With these remarks, the aged hag set off at a pace, which, considering her years, was truly wonderful, putting the Prince to his best endeavors to keep up with her. The underground avenue in which they ran seemed of great length; and very shortly the old lady varied the exercise by introducing certain gymnastics. Sometimes, as she stretched out her staff, the ground would suddenly open before her, and she sprang over the wide chasm with the greatest ease; while the poor Prince, all unprepared, would have to strain every muscle in his body to clear, in the midst of his rapid career, the yawning gulf. Then she would wave her staff upwards, and the ground rise in front of her, like a steep and rocky hill, up which she would lightly run, while the Prince could scarcely restrain himself from dashing violently against its stony face. Then, while heated and breathless with the ascent of one of these, he would see her wave her staff downward, and plunge down a steep declivity, into the darkness of which he followed her pell-mell, not knowing whether he was going to descend a few yards or a mile. Very soon, however, he began to get his blood up, and, kicking out his legs like a wild goat of Cashmere, he prepared to show her that it would have to be a very smart old woman who could beat him in a race. So away they went, like a cat and a dog, the Prince clearing the great gaps as fast as Mahbracca could make them. At last he actually gained on her, and kept ahead of her for a few minutes, during which time he had level running. But with a great effort, she passed him, and, violently throwing up the end of her staff, caused a great rock to rise with such promptness, that the Prince came within an inch of braining himself against it. But over it they went, and for half a mile kept neck and neck; but the old woman soon put an end to this, for, whirling her staff round her head, the Prince instantly found himself wading in sand up to his armpits.

"That's mean!" he cried, with tears of indignation in his eyes. But Mahbracca jumped up and down on top of the sand, waving her arms, and laughing and screaming like a hyena.

"Ah ha! my vigorous Prince," cried she, "why do you stop? Hasten, hasten! Swiftest of youths, the Princess awaits us!"

Incensed by her mockery, he gave a mighty plunge into the sand before him, and surged along like a ship in the ocean, while Mahbracca skipped gayly by him, playfully kicking the sand into his eyes.