Wood Magic: A Fable
from sheer hunger. He despatched a starling with a message, describing
the course he had taken at once to the copse, and the starling, flying
with great speed, arrived there in a few minutes. Meanwhile the
assembly, delighted with the success which had attended Bevis's
cannonading, crowded round and overwhelmed him with their thanks. Then
when their excitement had somewhat abated, they remembered that the idea
had emanated from the fox, and it was resolved to proceed with his
coronation at once. Just then the starling arrived from the Khan.
"Ah! yes," said Eric, the missel-thrush, who wanted Tchack-tchack to
ascend the throne of his fathers, "it is true Choo Hoo is driven back
and his camp surrounded. But do you bear in mind that Tu Kiu is not in
it. He, they say, has gone into the west and has already collected a
larger host than even Choo Hoo commanded, who are coming up as fast as
they can to avenge the Battle of the Eclipse. You must also remember
that Sir Bevis cannot be always here with his cannon-stick; he is not
often here in the morning, and who can tell that some day while he is
away Tu Kiu may not appear and, while Choo Hoo makes a sortie and
engages Ah Kurroo's attention, come on here and ravage the whole place,
destroy all our stores, and leave us without a berry or an acorn! It
seems to me that the fox has only got us into a deeper trouble than
ever, for if Choo Hoo or Tu Kiu ever does come down upon us, they will
exact a still worse vengeance for the disgrace they have suffered. The
fox has only half succeeded; he must devise something more before he can
claim our perfect confidence."
"Hear, hear!" shouted the assembly, "the missel-thrush is right. The fox
must do something more!"
Now the fox hated the missel-thrush beyond all expression, for just as
he was, as it seemed, about to grasp the object of his ambition, the
missel-thrush always suggested some new difficulty and delayed his
triumph, but he suppressed his temper and said: "The missel-thrush is a
true patriot, and speaks with a view not to his own interest but to the
good of his country. I myself fully admit the truth of his observations;
Choo Hoo is indeed checked for a time, but there is no knowing how soon
we may hear the shout of 'Koos-takke' again. Therefore, gentlemen, I
would, with all humility, submit the following suggestion.
"There can be no doubt but that this invasion has gone on year after
year, because the kingdom of Kapchack had become somewhat unwieldy with
numerous annexations, and could not be adequately defended. This policy
of annexation which the late government carried on for so long, bore,
indeed, upon the surface the false glitter of glory. We heard of
provinces and principalities added to the realm, and we forgot the cost.
That policy has no doubt weakened the cohesive power of the kingdom: I
need not pause here to explain to an audience of the calibre I see
before me the difference between progress and expansion, between
colonisation and violent, uncalled-for, and unjust annexation.
"What I am now about to suggest will at once reduce taxation, fill our
impoverished treasury, secure peace, and I believe impart a lasting
stability to the state. It will enable us one and all to enjoy the
fruits of the earth. I humbly propose that a treaty be made with Choo
Hoo ('Oh! Oh!' from the missel-thrush and Tchack-tchack), that upon the
payment of an ample war indemnity--say a million nuts, two million
acorns, and five million berries, or some trifling figure like that, not
to be too exorbitant--he be permitted to withdraw ('Shame!' from
Tchack-tchack), and that the provinces torn by force and fraud by the
late government from their lawful owners be restored to them ('Which
means,' said the missel-thrush, 'that as the lawful owners are not
strong enough to protect themselves, Choo Hoo may plunder half the world
as he likes'), and that peace be proclaimed. I, for my part, would far
rather--if I be so fortunate as to be your king--I say I would far
rather rule over a contented and prosperous people than over an empire
in which the sword is never in the scabbard!"
"Hear, hear!" shouted the assembly. "We have certainly selected the
right person: this is truly wisdom. Let the treaty be concluded; and
what a feast we will have upon the war indemnity," they said to one
another.
"It is selling our honour--making a bargain and a market of our
ancestors' courage," said the missel-thrush.
"It is a vile infringement of my right," said Tchack-tchack; "I am
robbed of my inheritance, and the people of theirs, under a false
pretext and sham. The country will be ruined."
"Begone," shouted the crowd, "begone, you despicable wretches," and away
flew the missel-thrush and Tchack-tchack in utter disgust and despair.
So soon as they had gone the assembly proceeded to appoint a Commission
to negotiate the treaty of peace. It consisted of the woodpecker, the
thrush, and Cloctaw: the stoat muttered a good deal, for having been
almost the only adherent of the fox in his former lowly condition, he
expected profitable employment now his friend had obtained such dignity.
The fox, however, called him aside and whispered something which
satisfied him, and the Commission having received instructions proceeded
at once to Ah Kurroo, who was to furnish them with a flag of truce. A
company of starlings went with them to act as couriers and carry
intelligence. When the Commission reached Ah Kurroo, he declined to
open a truce with Choo Hoo, even for a moment, and presently, as the
Commission solemnly demanded obedience in the name of the fox, he
decided to go himself to the king-elect and explain the reasons--of a
purely military character--which led him to place this obstruction in
their way.
The fox received Ah Kurroo with demonstrations of the deepest respect,
congratulated him upon his achievements, and admired the disposition he
had made of his forces so as to completely blockade the enemy. Ah
Kurroo, much pleased with this reception, and the appreciation of his
services, pointed out that Choo Hoo was now so entirely in his power,
that in a few days he would have to surrender, as provisions were
failing him. Long ere Tu Kiu could return with the relieving column the
emperor would be a captive. Ah Kurroo begged the fox not to throw away
this glorious opportunity.
The king-elect, who had his own reasons for not desiring the Khan to
appear too victorious, listened attentively, but pointed out that it was
not so much himself, but the nation which demanded instant peace.
"Moreover," said he in a whisper to the Khan, "don't you see, my dear
general, that if you totally destroy Choo Hoo your occupation will be
gone; we shall not require an army or a general. Now as it is my
intention to appoint you commander-in-chief for life----"
"Say no more," said Ah Kurroo, "say no more;" then aloud: "Your royal
highness' commands shall be immediately obeyed;" and away he flew, and
gave the Commission the flag of truce.
Choo Hoo, confined in his camp with a murmuring and mutinous soldiery,
short of provisions, and expecting every moment to see the enemy pouring
into his midst, was beyond measure delighted when he heard that peace
was proposed, indeed he could scarcely believe that any one in his
senses could offer such a thing to an army which must inevitably
surrender in a few hours. But when he heard that the fox was the
king-elect, he began to comprehend, for there were not wanting
suspicions that it was the fox who, when Choo Hoo was only a nameless
adventurer, assisted him with advice.
The Commission, therefore, found their task easy enough so far as the
main point was concerned, that there should be peace, but when they came
to discuss the conditions it became a different matter. The fox, a born
diplomat, had instructed them to put forward the hardest conditions
first, and if they could not force these upon Choo Hoo to gradually
slacken them, little by little, till they overcame his reluctance. At
every step they sent couriers to the king-elect with precise information
of their progress.
The negotiations lasted a very long time, quite an hour, during which
the couriers flew incessantly to and fro, and Bevis, lying on his back
on the moss under the oak, tried which could screech the loudest,
himself or the jay. Bevis would easily have won had he been able to
resist the inclination to pull the jay's tail, which made the latter
set up such a yell that everybody started, Bevis shouted with laughter,
and even the fox lost his gravity.
Choo Hoo agreed to everything without much difficulty, except the
indemnity; he drew back at that, declaring it was too many millions, and
there was even some danger of the negotiations being broken off. But the
fox was equally firm, he insisted on it, and even added 10,000 bushels
of grain to the original demand, at which Choo Hoo nearly choked with
indignation. The object of the fox in requiring the grain was to secure
the faithful allegiance of all his lesser subjects, as the sparrows, and
indeed he regarded the indemnity as the most certain means of beginning
his reign at the height of popularity, since it would be distributed
among the nation. People could not, moreover, fail to remark the extreme
disinterestedness of the king, since of all these millions of berries,
acorns, nuts, grain, and so forth, there was not one single mouthful for
himself. Choo Hoo, as said before, full of indignation, abruptly turned
away from the Commission, and, at a loss what to do, they communicated
with the fox.
He ordered them to inform Choo Hoo that under certain restrictions
travellers would in future be permitted access to the spring in the
copse which did not freeze in winter. The besieged emperor somewhat
relaxed the austerity of his demeanour at this; another pourparler took
place, in the midst of which the fox told the Commission to mention (as
if casually) that among others there would be a clause restoring
independence to all those princes and archdukes whose domains the late
Kapchack had annexed. Choo Hoo could scarce maintain decorum when he
heard this; he could have shouted with delight, for he saw in a moment
that it was equivalent to ceding half Kapchack's kingdom, since these
small Powers would never be able to defend themselves against his hosts.
At the same moment, too, he was called aside, and informed that a
private messenger had arrived from the fox: it was the humble-bee, who
had slipped easily through the lines and conveyed a strong hint from the
king-elect. The fox said he had done the best he could for his brother,
the emperor, remembering their former acquaintance; now let the emperor
do his part, and between them they could rule the earth with ease. Choo
Hoo, having told the humble-bee that he quite understood, and that he
agreed to the fox's offer, dismissed him, and returned to the
Commission, whose labours were now coming to a close.
All the clauses having been agreed to, Ess, the owl, as the most
practised in such matters, was appointed by the fox to draw up the
document in proper form for signature. While this was being done, the
king-elect proceeded to appoint his Cabinet: Sec, the stoat, was
nominated treasurer; Ah Kurroo Khan, commander-in-chief for life; Ess,
the owl, continued chief secretary of state; Cloctaw was to be grand
chamberlain; Raoul, the rat, lieutenant-governor of the coast (along the
brook and Long Pond), and so on.
Next the weasel, having failed to present himself when summoned by the
woodpecker, was attainted as contumacious, and sentenced, with the
entire approval of the assembly, to lose all his dignities and estates;
his woods, parks, forests, and all his property were escheated to the