But these strangers had no
desire to come here and were wickedly thrust into
the Tube by a cruel King on the other side of the
world, named Ruggedo. This King is an immortal,
but he is not good. His magic powers hurt mankind
more than they benefit them. Because he had
unjustly kept the Shaggy Man's brother a prisoner,
this little band of honest people, consisting of
both mortals and immortals, determined to conquer
Ruggedo and to punish him. Fearing they might
succeed in this, the Nome King misled them so that
they fell into the Tube.
"Now, this same Ruggedo has been warned by me,
many times, that if ever he used this Forbidden
Tube in any way he would be severely punished. I
find, by referring to the Fairy Records, that this
King's servant, a nome named Kaliko, begged his
master not to do such a wrong act as to drop these
people into the Tube and send them tumbling into
our country. But Ruggedo defied me and my orders.
"Therefore these strangers are innocent of any
wrong. It is only Ruggedo who deserves punishment,
and I will punish him." He paused a moment and
then continued in the same cold, merciless voice:
"These strangers must return through the Tube to
their own side of the world; but I will make their
fall more easy and pleasant than it was before.
Also I shall send with them an Instrument of
Vengeance, who in my name will drive Ruggedo from
his underground caverns, take away his magic
powers and make him a homeless wanderer on the
face of the earth--a place he detests.
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