August 6, 2025 • 10 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fourteen, Bulgar and I turn our backs on the
fair domain of Queen Cristallina, Nature's wonderful speaking tube. Cristallina's
attempt to turn us back, How I kept Bulgar from yielding.
Some incidents of our journey along the Marble Highway, and
how we came to the glorious gateway of solid silver.
(00:22):
Me the sorrowing Sebastian, loaded with as heavy a heart
as ever in mortal of my size, had borne away
with him. Did the wise Bulgar lead along the broad
and silent highway, farther and yet farther from the city
of the Micamenks, until at last the music of the
fountains pattering in their crystal basins died away in the distance,
(00:42):
and the darkness far behind me. I felt that my
wise little brother was right, and so I followed on after,
with not a sigh or a syllable to stay him.
But he halted at last, And as I felt about me,
I discovered that I was standing beside one of the
richly carved seats that one so often and meets with
along the Marble Highway. I was quite as foot weary
(01:04):
as I was, heart heavy, and reaching out I touched
the spring, which I knew would transform the seat into
a bed, and clambering upon it with my wise bulgar
nestled beside me, I soon fell into a deep and
refreshing sleep. When I awoke, and, sitting up, looked back
toward Queen Cristallina's capital, I could see the river of
light pouring down its flood of white rays far away
(01:26):
in the distance, But only a faint reflection came out
to where we had passed the night. And then I
knew that my faithful companion had led me to the
very uttermost limits of the Micamenki domain before he had halted. Yes,
sure enough, for as I raised my eyes, there, towering
above the bed stood the slender crystal column which marked
(01:48):
the end of goggle Land, and upon its face I
read the extract from a royal decree forbidding a Mcamenky
to overstep this limit under pain of incurring the Queen's
most serious displeasure. Before army was darkness and uncertainty. Behind
me lay the fair kingdom of the transparent folk. Yet
in sight lighted up like a long line of happy
homes in which the fires were blazing bright and warm
(02:11):
on the hearthstones. Did I turn back? Did I hesitate? No?
I could see a pair of speaking eyes fixed upon me,
and I could hear a low whine of impatience, coaxing
me along. Stooping down, I fastened a bit of silken
cord taken from the bed to Bulger's collar and bade
him lead the way. It was a long while before
the light of Queen Cristallina's city faded away entirely, and
(02:34):
even when it ceased to be of any service in
making known to me the grandeur and beauty of the
vast underground passage, I could still see it glitter like
a silver star, away away behind me. But it disappeared
at last, and then I felt that I had parted
forever with the dear little princess with the speck in
her heart. Bulger didn't seem to have the slightest difficulty
(02:55):
in keeping in the center of the marble highway, and
never allowed the leading string to slap up for a moment. However,
it was by no means a tramp through utter darkness,
for the lizards of which I have already spoken, aroused
by the sound of my footfalls, snapped their tails and
lighted up their tiny flashed torches in eager attempts to
discover whence the noise proceeded, and what sort of a
(03:17):
being it was that had invaded their silent domains. We
had covered possibly two leagues when suddenly a low and
mysterious voice, as soft and gentle as if it had
dropped from the clear, starry heavens of my own beautiful world,
reached my ear, Sebastion, Sebastian, it murmured. Before I could
stop to think, I uttered a cry of wonder, and
(03:38):
the noise of my voice seemed to awake ten thousand
of the tiny living flashlights inhabiting the cracks and crevices
of a vast arched corridor, flooding it for a moment
or so with a soft and rosy at radiance. Sebastion
Sebastion again murmured the mellow, an echo like voice coming
from the very walls of rock beside me, hastily drawing
(04:02):
near to the spot whence the words seemed to come.
I laid my ear against the smooth face of the rock. Again,
the same soft, sighing voice pronounced my name so clearly
and so close beside me, that I reached out to
grasp Crystalline's hand, for hers was the voice, the same
low sweet voice that had told me of her sorrow
in the spectral garden, but there was no one there.
(04:25):
In reaching out, however, I had passed my left hand
along the face of the wall, and it had marked
the presence of a round, smooth opening in its rock face,
and opening about the size of a rain water pipe
in the upper world. Instantly it flashed upon my mind that,
through some whim of nature, this opening extended for leagues
back towards the city of the mcaminkeys, through the miles
(04:48):
of solid rock, and opened in the very throne room
of the Princess Cristallina. Yes, I was right, for after
a moment or so again the same low sweet voice
came through the speaking tube of Nati making and fell
upon my ear. I waited until it had ceased, and
setting my mouth in front of the opening, I murmured,
in strong but gentle tones, farewell, dear Princess Cristelina. Bulgar
(05:12):
and the little baron both bid thee a long farewell,
and then, raising Bulgar in my arms, I bade him
weep for his royal friend, whom he would never see again.
He gave a long, low, piteous cry, half whine, half howl,
and then I listened for Cristellina's voice. It was not
long in coming. Farewell, dear Bulgar, Farewell, dear Sebastian. Cristallina
(05:35):
will never forget you until her poor heart with the
speck and it runs down, and the crystal throne knows
her no more. Poor Bulgar, it now became my turn
to tear him from this spot. For Cristelina's voice, sounding
thus unexpectedly in his ears, had aroused all the deep
affection which he had so ruthlessly smothered in order to
(05:57):
bring his little master to his senses, and freed him
from the charm of Cristellina's grace and beauty. But in vain,
all my strength, all my entreaties, were powerless to move
him from the place. Evidently Christellina had heard me pleading
with Bulgar, and had imagined that I now would waver
and stand irresolute heed dear Bulger's prayer, Oh beloved, she
(06:20):
pleaded and turned back, turned back to thy disconsolate Cristellina,
whom thou madest so happy for a brief moment turn back, Oh,
turn back. Bulgar now began to whine and cry most piteously.
I felt that something must be done at once, or
the most direful consequences might ensue, that Bulgar, crazed by
the sweet tones of Crystallina's voice, might break away from
(06:43):
me and dart away in mad race, back to the
city of the Micaminkey's, back to the fair young Queen
of the crystal throne. It became necessary for me to
resort to trick and artifice to save my dear little
brother from his own loving heart, John Ryining his head
up against my body and covering his eyes with my
left arm, I quickly unloosened my neckerchief, and, thrusting it
(07:07):
into this wonderful speaking tube, closed it effectively. And thus
I saved my faithful Bulger from himself. Thus I closed
his ears to the music of Crystallina's voice. But it
was not until after a good hour's waiting, that he
could bring himself to believe that his beloved friend would
speak no more. After several hours more of journeying along
(07:30):
the Marble highway, a speck of light caught my eye
far on ahead, and I redoubled my pace to reach
it quickly. I was soon rewarded for my trouble by
injuring a wonderful chamber, circular in form with a domed roof.
In the center of this fair temple of the underground
world sprang a glorious fountain with a mighty rush of waters,
which brought with them such a phosphorescence that this vast
(07:53):
round chamber was lighted up with a pale yellow light,
in which the countless crystals of the roof and side
sparkled magnificently. Here we passed the night are what I
called the night, refreshing ourselves with food which I had
brought from the Kingdom of the Macamenkes, and drinking and
bathing in the wonderful fountain, which leaped into the air
with a rush and a whir, and filled it with
(08:16):
a strange and fitful radiance. Upon awaking, both Bulgar and
I felt greatly refreshed, both in body and mind, and
we made haste to seek out the lofty portal opening
upon the Marble Highway, and were soon trudging along it again.
Hour after hour. We kept on our feet, for something
told me that we could not be far away from
(08:36):
the confines of some other domain of this world within
a world. And this inward prompting of mine proved to
be correct, for Bulgar suddenly gave a joyful bark and
began to caper about as much as to say, O,
little Master, if thou only hadst ma consent, thou wouldst
know that wert own near to human habitations of some kind.
Sure Enough, in a few moments, a faint light came
(08:58):
creeping in beneath the mid archers of the broad corridor,
and every incident gathered in strength, until now I could
see clearly about me. And then all of a sudden
I caught sight of the source of this shy and
unsteady light. There in front of me towered two gigantic candelabra,
carved and chased and polished silver, both crowned with a
hundred lights, one on each side of the marble highway.
(09:20):
Not the dull, soft flames of oil or wax, but
the white tongues of fire produced by ignited gas escaping
from the chemist's retort. It was marvelous, it was magnificent.
And I stood looking up at these great clusters of
tongues of flames, spell bound by the glorious illumination thus
set in silent majesty at this gateway to some city
(09:41):
of the underworld. Bulgar's warning growl brought me to myself,
But I must end this chapter here, dear friends, and
halt to collect my thoughts before I proceed to tell
you what I saw after passing this glorious gateway illumined
by these two gigantic candelabra of sullid silver. End of
Chapter fourteen,
Chapter fourteen, Bulgar and I turn our backs on the
fair domain of Queen Cristallina, Nature's wonderful speaking tube. Cristallina's
attempt to turn us back, How I kept Bulgar from yielding.
Some incidents of our journey along the Marble Highway, and
how we came to the glorious gateway of solid silver.
(00:22):
Me the sorrowing Sebastian, loaded with as heavy a heart
as ever in mortal of my size, had borne away
with him. Did the wise Bulgar lead along the broad
and silent highway, farther and yet farther from the city
of the Micamenks, until at last the music of the
fountains pattering in their crystal basins died away in the distance,
(00:42):
and the darkness far behind me. I felt that my
wise little brother was right, and so I followed on after,
with not a sigh or a syllable to stay him.
But he halted at last, And as I felt about me,
I discovered that I was standing beside one of the
richly carved seats that one so often and meets with
along the Marble Highway. I was quite as foot weary
(01:04):
as I was, heart heavy, and reaching out I touched
the spring, which I knew would transform the seat into
a bed, and clambering upon it with my wise bulgar
nestled beside me, I soon fell into a deep and
refreshing sleep. When I awoke, and, sitting up, looked back
toward Queen Cristallina's capital, I could see the river of
light pouring down its flood of white rays far away
(01:26):
in the distance, But only a faint reflection came out
to where we had passed the night. And then I
knew that my faithful companion had led me to the
very uttermost limits of the Micamenki domain before he had halted. Yes,
sure enough, for as I raised my eyes, there, towering
above the bed stood the slender crystal column which marked
(01:48):
the end of goggle Land, and upon its face I
read the extract from a royal decree forbidding a Mcamenky
to overstep this limit under pain of incurring the Queen's
most serious displeasure. Before army was darkness and uncertainty. Behind
me lay the fair kingdom of the transparent folk. Yet
in sight lighted up like a long line of happy
homes in which the fires were blazing bright and warm
(02:11):
on the hearthstones. Did I turn back? Did I hesitate? No?
I could see a pair of speaking eyes fixed upon me,
and I could hear a low whine of impatience, coaxing
me along. Stooping down, I fastened a bit of silken
cord taken from the bed to Bulger's collar and bade
him lead the way. It was a long while before
the light of Queen Cristallina's city faded away entirely, and
(02:34):
even when it ceased to be of any service in
making known to me the grandeur and beauty of the
vast underground passage, I could still see it glitter like
a silver star, away away behind me. But it disappeared
at last, and then I felt that I had parted
forever with the dear little princess with the speck in
her heart. Bulger didn't seem to have the slightest difficulty
(02:55):
in keeping in the center of the marble highway, and
never allowed the leading string to slap up for a moment. However,
it was by no means a tramp through utter darkness,
for the lizards of which I have already spoken, aroused
by the sound of my footfalls, snapped their tails and
lighted up their tiny flashed torches in eager attempts to
discover whence the noise proceeded, and what sort of a
(03:17):
being it was that had invaded their silent domains. We
had covered possibly two leagues when suddenly a low and
mysterious voice, as soft and gentle as if it had
dropped from the clear, starry heavens of my own beautiful world,
reached my ear, Sebastion, Sebastian, it murmured. Before I could
stop to think, I uttered a cry of wonder, and
(03:38):
the noise of my voice seemed to awake ten thousand
of the tiny living flashlights inhabiting the cracks and crevices
of a vast arched corridor, flooding it for a moment
or so with a soft and rosy at radiance. Sebastion
Sebastion again murmured the mellow, an echo like voice coming
from the very walls of rock beside me, hastily drawing
(04:02):
near to the spot whence the words seemed to come.
I laid my ear against the smooth face of the rock. Again,
the same soft, sighing voice pronounced my name so clearly
and so close beside me, that I reached out to
grasp Crystalline's hand, for hers was the voice, the same
low sweet voice that had told me of her sorrow
in the spectral garden, but there was no one there.
(04:25):
In reaching out, however, I had passed my left hand
along the face of the wall, and it had marked
the presence of a round, smooth opening in its rock face,
and opening about the size of a rain water pipe
in the upper world. Instantly it flashed upon my mind that,
through some whim of nature, this opening extended for leagues
back towards the city of the mcaminkeys, through the miles
(04:48):
of solid rock, and opened in the very throne room
of the Princess Cristallina. Yes, I was right, for after
a moment or so again the same low sweet voice
came through the speaking tube of Nati making and fell
upon my ear. I waited until it had ceased, and
setting my mouth in front of the opening, I murmured,
in strong but gentle tones, farewell, dear Princess Cristelina. Bulgar
(05:12):
and the little baron both bid thee a long farewell,
and then, raising Bulgar in my arms, I bade him
weep for his royal friend, whom he would never see again.
He gave a long, low, piteous cry, half whine, half howl,
and then I listened for Cristellina's voice. It was not
long in coming. Farewell, dear Bulgar, Farewell, dear Sebastian. Cristallina
(05:35):
will never forget you until her poor heart with the
speck and it runs down, and the crystal throne knows
her no more. Poor Bulgar, it now became my turn
to tear him from this spot. For Cristelina's voice, sounding
thus unexpectedly in his ears, had aroused all the deep
affection which he had so ruthlessly smothered in order to
(05:57):
bring his little master to his senses, and freed him
from the charm of Cristellina's grace and beauty. But in vain,
all my strength, all my entreaties, were powerless to move
him from the place. Evidently Christellina had heard me pleading
with Bulgar, and had imagined that I now would waver
and stand irresolute heed dear Bulger's prayer, Oh beloved, she
(06:20):
pleaded and turned back, turned back to thy disconsolate Cristellina,
whom thou madest so happy for a brief moment turn back, Oh,
turn back. Bulgar now began to whine and cry most piteously.
I felt that something must be done at once, or
the most direful consequences might ensue, that Bulgar, crazed by
the sweet tones of Crystallina's voice, might break away from
(06:43):
me and dart away in mad race, back to the
city of the Micaminkey's, back to the fair young Queen
of the crystal throne. It became necessary for me to
resort to trick and artifice to save my dear little
brother from his own loving heart, John Ryining his head
up against my body and covering his eyes with my
left arm, I quickly unloosened my neckerchief, and, thrusting it
(07:07):
into this wonderful speaking tube, closed it effectively. And thus
I saved my faithful Bulger from himself. Thus I closed
his ears to the music of Crystallina's voice. But it
was not until after a good hour's waiting, that he
could bring himself to believe that his beloved friend would
speak no more. After several hours more of journeying along
(07:30):
the Marble highway, a speck of light caught my eye
far on ahead, and I redoubled my pace to reach
it quickly. I was soon rewarded for my trouble by
injuring a wonderful chamber, circular in form with a domed roof.
In the center of this fair temple of the underground
world sprang a glorious fountain with a mighty rush of waters,
which brought with them such a phosphorescence that this vast
(07:53):
round chamber was lighted up with a pale yellow light,
in which the countless crystals of the roof and side
sparkled magnificently. Here we passed the night are what I
called the night, refreshing ourselves with food which I had
brought from the Kingdom of the Macamenkes, and drinking and
bathing in the wonderful fountain, which leaped into the air
with a rush and a whir, and filled it with
(08:16):
a strange and fitful radiance. Upon awaking, both Bulgar and
I felt greatly refreshed, both in body and mind, and
we made haste to seek out the lofty portal opening
upon the Marble Highway, and were soon trudging along it again.
Hour after hour. We kept on our feet, for something
told me that we could not be far away from
(08:36):
the confines of some other domain of this world within
a world. And this inward prompting of mine proved to
be correct, for Bulgar suddenly gave a joyful bark and
began to caper about as much as to say, O,
little Master, if thou only hadst ma consent, thou wouldst
know that wert own near to human habitations of some kind.
Sure Enough, in a few moments, a faint light came
(08:58):
creeping in beneath the mid archers of the broad corridor,
and every incident gathered in strength, until now I could
see clearly about me. And then all of a sudden
I caught sight of the source of this shy and
unsteady light. There in front of me towered two gigantic candelabra,
carved and chased and polished silver, both crowned with a
hundred lights, one on each side of the marble highway.
(09:20):
Not the dull, soft flames of oil or wax, but
the white tongues of fire produced by ignited gas escaping
from the chemist's retort. It was marvelous, it was magnificent.
And I stood looking up at these great clusters of
tongues of flames, spell bound by the glorious illumination thus
set in silent majesty at this gateway to some city
(09:41):
of the underworld. Bulgar's warning growl brought me to myself,
But I must end this chapter here, dear friends, and
halt to collect my thoughts before I proceed to tell
you what I saw after passing this glorious gateway illumined
by these two gigantic candelabra of sullid silver. End of
Chapter fourteen,
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