- end_line
- 5696
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:09.927Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 5637
- text
- Nevertheless, these proceedings but amounted to a postponement of
hostilities; for soon after, nothing prevented the two kings from
plunging into war, but the following judicious considerations. First:
Media was almost afraid of being beaten. Second: Bello was almost
afraid to conquer. Media, because he was inferior in men and arms;
Bello, because, his aggrandizement was already a subject of warlike
comment among the neighboring kings.
Indeed, did the old chronicler Braid-Beard speak truth, there were some
tribes in Mardi, that accounted this king of Dominora a testy,
quarrelsome, rapacious old monarch; the indefatigable breeder of
contentions and wars; the elder brother of this household of nations,
perpetually essaying to lord it over the juveniles; and though his
patrimonial dominions were situated to the north of the lagoon, not the
slightest misunderstanding took place between the rulers of the most
distant islands, than this doughty old cavalier on a throne, forthwith
thrust his insolent spear into the matter, though it in no wise
concerned him, and fell to irritating all parties by his gratuitous
interference.
Especially was he officious in the concerns of Porpheero, a neighboring
island, very large and famous, whose numerous broad valleys were
divided among many rival kings:—the king of Franko, a small-framed,
poodle-haired, fine, fiery gallant; finical in his tatooing; much given
to the dance and glory;—the king of Ibeereea, a tall and stately
cavalier, proud, generous, punctilious, temperate in wine; one hand
forever on his javelin, the other, in superstitious homage, lifted to
his gods; his limbs all over marks of stakes and crosses;—the king of
Luzianna; a slender, dark-browed thief; at times wrapped in a moody
robe, beneath which he fumbled something, as if it were a dagger; but
otherwise a sprightly troubadour, given to serenades and
moonlight;—-the many chiefs of sunny Latianna; minstrel monarchs, full
of song and sentiment; fiercer in love than war; glorious bards of
freedom; but rendering tribute while they sang;—the priest-king of
Vatikanna; his chest marked over with antique tatooings; his crown, a
cowl; his rusted scepter swaying over falling towers, and crumbling
mounds; full of the superstitious past; askance, eyeing the suspicious
time to come;—the king of Hapzaboro; portly, pleasant; a lover of wild
boar’s meat; a frequent quaffer from the can; in his better moods, much
fancying solid comfort;—the eight-and-thirty banded kings, chieftains,
seigniors, and oligarchies of the broad hill and dale of Tutoni;
clubbing together their domains, that none might wrest his neighbor’s;
an earnest race; deep thinkers, deeper drinkers; long pipes, long
heads; their wise ones given to mystic cogitations, and consultations
with the devil;—the twin kings of Zandinavia; hardy, frugal
mountaineers; upright of spine and heart; clad in skins of bears;—the
king of Jutlanda; much like their Highnesses of Zandinavia; a seal-skin
cap his crown; a fearless sailor of his frigid seas;—the king of
Muzkovi; a shaggy, icicled White-bear of a despot in the north; said to
reign over millions of acres of glaciers; had vast provinces of
snow-drifts, and many flourishing colonies among the floating icebergs.
Absolute in his rule as Predestination in metaphysics, did he command
all his people to give up the ghost, it would be held treason to die
last. Very precise and foppish in his imperial tastes was this monarch.
Disgusted with the want of uniformity in the stature of his subjects,
he was said to nourish thoughts of killing off all those below his
prescribed standard—six feet, long measure. Immortal souls were of no
account in his fatal wars; since, in some of his serf-breeding estates,
they were daily manufactured to order.
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