ng grown so thin
through hunger and abuse, that he was much smaller than when the
monkeys had first captured him. He realized at once that if his head
would pass between the bars, his body could be made to do so, likewise.
So he struggled bravely, and at last succeeded in squeezing his body
between the bars and leaping safely to the ground.

Finding himself at liberty, the Prince lost no time in running to the
tree where he had left his kite. But on the way some of the boy-monkeys
discovered him and raised a great cry, which soon brought hundreds of
his enemies in pursuit.

Zingle had a good start, however, and soon reached the tree. Quickly he
climbed up the trunk and branches until he had gained the limb where
the string of his kite was still fastened. Untying the cord, he wound
it around his waist several times, and then, finding a strong north
wind blowing, he skilfully tossed the kite into the air. At once it
filled and mounted to the sky, lifting Zingle from the tree and
carrying him with perfect ease.

It was fortunate he got away at that moment, for several of the monkeys
had scrambled up the tree after him, and were almost near enough to
seize him by the legs when, to their surprise, he shot into the air.
Indeed, so amazed were they by this remarkable escape of their prisoner
that the monkeys remained staring into the air until Prince Zingle had
become a little speck in the sky above them and finally disappeared.

That was the last our Prince ever saw of the strange country of the
monkeys, for the wind carried his kite straight back to the Valley of
Mo. When Zingle found himself above his father's palace, he took out
his pocket-knife and cut the string of the kite, and immediately fell
head foremost into a pond of custard that lay in the back yard, where
he dived through a floating island of whipped cream and disappeared
from view.

Nuphsed, who was sitting on the bank of the custard lake, was nearly
frightened into fits by this sight; and he ran to tell the King that a
new meteor had fallen and ruined one of his floating islands.

Thereupon the monarch and several of his courtiers rushed out and found
Prince Zingle swimming ashore; and the King was so delighted at seeing
his lost son again that he clasped him joyfully in his arms.

The next moment he regretted this act, for his best ermine robe was
smeared its whole length with custard, and would need considerable
cleaning before it would be fit to wea