he folds of
which were caught up and draped with bands of green ribbon. And on the
thrones were seated two of the sweetest and fairest little maidens that
mortal man had ever beheld. Their lovely hair was fine as a spider's
web; their eyes were kind and smiling, their cheeks soft and dimpled,
their mouths shapely as a cupid's bow and tinted like the petals of a
rose. Upon their heads were set two crowns of fine spun gold, worked
into fantastic shapes and set with glittering gems. Their robes were
soft silks of pale yellow, with strings of sparkling emeralds for
ornament.

Anything so lovely and fascinating as these little maids, who were
precisely alike in every particular, neither Prince Marvel nor Nerle
had ever dreamed could exist. They stood for a time spellbound and
filled with admiration, while the two pairs of rulers bowed again and
again before the dainty and lovable persons of their High Ki.

But it was hard for Nerle to keep quiet for long, and presently he
exclaimed, in a voice loud enough to be heard by all present:

"By the Great Kika-koo of our friends the Ki, these darling High Ki of
Twi are sweet enough to be kissed!"

16. The Rebellion of the High Ki

The bold speech of Nerle's made the two damsels laugh at the same time,
and their sweet laughter sounded like rippling strains of harmonious
music. But the two Ki-Ki frowned angrily, and the two Ki looked at the
boy in surprise, as if wondering at his temerity.

"Who are these strangers?" asked the pretty High Ki, speaking together
as all the twins of Twi did; "and why are they not mates, but only half
of each other?"

"These questions, your Supreme Highnesses," said the blond-haired pair
of Ki-Ki, "we are unable to answer."

"Perhaps, then, the strangers can answer themselves," said the little
maids, smiling first upon the Ki-Ki and then upon the prisoners.

Prince Marvel bowed.

"I am from the great outside world," said he, "and my name is Prince
Marvel. Until now I have never seen people that live in pairs, and
speak in unison, and act in the same way and think the same thoughts.
My world is much bigger than your world, and in it every person is
proud to think and act for himself. You say I am only a 'half,' but
that is not so. I am perfect, without a counterpart; my friend Nerle
is perfect without a counterpart, and it is yourselves who are halved.
For in the Land of Twi no person is complete or perfect without its
other half