been built, wherein was
located the palace of the King. This city was inhabited by thousands of
the fierce warriors of Gos, who frequently took to their boats and
spread over the sea to the neighboring islands to conquer and pillage,
as they had done at Pingaree. When they were not absent on one of these
expeditions, the City of Regos swarmed with them and so became a
dangerous place for any peaceful person to live in, for the warriors
were as lawless as their King.

The Island of Coregos lay close beside the Island of Regos; so close,
indeed, that one might have thrown a stone from one shore to another.
But Coregos was only half the size of Regos and instead of being
mountainous it was a rich and pleasant country, covered with fields of
grain. The fields of Coregos furnished food for the warriors and
citizens of both countries, while the mines of Regos made them all rich.

Coregos was ruled by Queen Cor, who was wedded to King Gos; but so
stern and cruel was the nature of this Queen that the people could not
decide which of their sovereigns they dreaded most.

Queen Cor lived in her own City of Coregos, which lay on that side of
her island facing Regos, and her slaves, who were mostly women, were
made to plow the land and to plant and harvest the grain.

From Regos to Coregos stretched a bridge of boats, set close together,
with planks laid across their edges for people to walk upon. In this
way it was easy to pass from one island to the other and in times of
danger the bridge could be quickly removed.

The native inhabitants of Regos and Coregos consisted of the warriors,
who did nothing but fight and ravage, and the trembling servants who
waited on them. King Gos and Queen Cor were at war with all the rest of
the world. Other islanders hated and feared them, for their slaves were
badly treated and absolutely no mercy was shown to the weak or ill.

When the boats that had gone to Pingaree returned loaded with rich
plunder and a host of captives, there was much rejoicing in Regos and
Coregos and the King and Queen gave a fine feast to the warriors who
had accomplished so great a conquest. This feast was set for the
warriors in the grounds of King Gos's palace, while with them in the
great throne room all the captains and leaders of the fighting men were
assembled with King Gos and Queen Cor, who had come from her island to
attend the ceremony. Then all the goods that had been stolen from the
King of Pingaree wer