But this Bilbil did not
like at all. He became very cross and disagreeable at
being left alone and he did not speak nicely to the
servants who came to bring him food; therefore those
people decided not to wait upon him any more, resenting
his conversation and not liking to be scolded by a
lean, scraggly goat, even though it belonged to a
conqueror. The servants kept away from the room and
Bilbil grew more hungry and more angry every hour. He
tried to eat the rugs and ornaments, but found them not
at all nourishing. There was no grass to be had unless
he escaped from the palace.
When Queen Cor came to capture Inga and Rinkitink,
both the prisoners were so filled with despair at their
own misfortune that they gave no thought whatever to
the goat, who was left in his room. Nor did Bilbil know
anything of the changed fortunes of his comrades until
he heard shouts and boisterous laughter in the
courtyard below. Looking out of a window, with the
intention of rebuking those who dared thus to disturb
him, Bilbil saw the courtyard quite filled with
warriors and knew from this that the palace had in some
way again fallen into the hands of the enemy.
Now, although Bilbil was often exceedingly
disagreeable to King Rinkitink, as well as to the
Prince, and sometimes used harsh words in addressing
them, he was intelligent enough to know them to be his
friends, and to know that King Gos and his people were
his foes.
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