it was
usually kept. As a matter of fact, they were now shut out of their
village under the Great Dome and could not get back again. So one of
the men called to the Supreme Dictator of the Flatheads, saying:

"Please make us prisoners and take us to your mountain, and feed and
keep us, for we have nowhere to go."

Then the Su-dic laughed and answered:

"Not so. I can't be bothered by caring for a lot of stupid Skeezers.
Stay where you are, or go wherever you please, so long as you keep away
from our mountain." He turned to his men and added: "We have conquered
Queen Coo-ee-oh and made her a helpless swan. The Skeezers are under
water and may stay there. So, having won the war, let us go home again
and make merry and feast, having after many years proved the Flatheads
to be greater and more powerful than the Skeezers."

So the Flatheads marched away and passed through the row of palms and
went back to their mountain, where the Su-dic and a few of his officers
feasted and all the others were forced to wait on them.

"I'm sorry we couldn't have roast pig," said the Su-dic, "but as the
only pig we have is made of gold, we can't eat her. Also the Golden Pig
happens to be my wife, and even were she not gold I am sure she would
be too tough to eat."

Chapter Twelve

The Diamond Swan

When the Flatheads had gone away the Diamond Swan swam back to the boat
and one of the young Skeezers named Ervic said to her eagerly:

"How can we get back to the island, your Majesty?"

"Am I not beautiful?" asked Coo-ee-oh, arching her neck gracefully and
spreading her diamond-sprinkled wings. "I can see my reflection in the
water, and I'm sure there is no bird nor beast, nor human as
magnificent as I am!"

"How shall we get back to the island, your Majesty?" pleaded Ervic.

"When my fame spreads throughout the land, people will travel from all
parts of this lake to look upon my loveliness," said Coo-ee-oh, shaking
her feathers to make the diamonds glitter more brilliantly.

"But, your Majesty, we must go home and we do not know how to get
there," Ervic persisted.

"My eyes," remarked the Diamond Swan, "are wonderfully blue and bright
and will charm all beholders."

"Tell us how to make the boat go--how to get back into the island,"
begged Ervic and the others cried just as earnestly: "Tell us,
Coo-ee-oh; tell us!"

"I don't know," replied the Queen in a careless tone.

"You are a magic-worker, a sorceress, a witc