The dwarfs2 celebrated3 the crowning of their first princess by joyous4 revels5. Harmless and innocent games succeeded each other in the huge amphitheatre; and the little men, with cockades of fern or two oak leaves fastened coquettishly to their hoods6, bounded gaily7 across the subterranean8 streets. The rejoicings lasted thirty days. During the universal excitement Pic looked like a mortal inspired; Tad the kind-hearted was intoxicated9 by the universal joy; Dig the tender gave expression to his delight in tears; Rug, in his ecstasy10, again demanded that Honey-Bee should be put in a cage, but this time so that the dwarfs need not be afraid to lose so charming a princess; Bob, mounted on his raven11, filled the air with such cries of rapture12 that the sable13 bird, infected by the gaiety, gave vent14 to innumerable playful little croaks15.
Only King Loc was sad.
On the thirtieth day, having given the princess and the dwarf1 people a festival of unparalleled magnificence, he mounted his throne, and so stood that his kind face just reached her car.
“My Princess Honcy-Bee,” he said, “I am about to make a request which you are at liberty either to accept or to refuse. Honey-Bee of Clarides, Princess of the Dwarfs, will you be my wife?”
As he spoke16, King Loc, grave and tender, had something of the gentle beauty of a majestic17 poodle.
“Little King Loc,” Honey-Bee replied, as she pulled his beard, “I am willing to become your wife for fun, but never your wife for good. The moment you asked me to marry you I was reminded of Francoeur, who when I was on earth used to amuse me by telling me the most ridiculous stories.”
At these words King Loc turned his head away, but not so soon but that Honey-Bee saw the tears in his eyes. Then Honey-Bee was grieved because she had pained him.
“Little King Loc,” she said to him, “I love you for the little King Loc you are; and if you make me laugh as Francoeur did, there is nothing in that to vex18 you, for Francoeur sang well and he would have been very handsome if it had not been for his grey hair and his red nose.”
“Honey-Bee of Clarides, Princess of the Dwarfs,” the king replied, “I love you in the hope that some day you will love me. And yet without that hope I should love you just the same. The only return I ask for my friendship is that you will always be honest with me.”
“Little King Loc, I promise.”
“Well then, tell me truly, Honey-Bee, do you love some one else enough to marry him?”
“Little King Loc, I love no one enough for that.”
Whereupon King Loc smiled, and seizing his golden cup he proposed, with a resounding19 voice, the health of the Princess of the Dwarfs. An immense uproar20 rose from the depths of the earth, for the banquet table reached from one end to the other of the Empire of the Dwarfs.

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1
dwarf
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n.矮子,侏儒,矮小的动植物;vt.使…矮小 | |
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2
dwarfs
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n.侏儒,矮子(dwarf的复数形式)vt.(使)显得矮小(dwarf的第三人称单数形式) | |
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3
celebrated
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adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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4
joyous
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adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的 | |
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5
revels
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n.作乐( revel的名词复数 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉v.作乐( revel的第三人称单数 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉 | |
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6
hoods
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n.兜帽( hood的名词复数 );头巾;(汽车、童车等的)折合式车篷;汽车发动机罩v.兜帽( hood的第三人称单数 );头巾;(汽车、童车等的)折合式车篷;汽车发动机罩 | |
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7
gaily
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adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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8
subterranean
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adj.地下的,地表下的 | |
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9
intoxicated
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喝醉的,极其兴奋的 | |
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10
ecstasy
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n.狂喜,心醉神怡,入迷 | |
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11
raven
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n.渡鸟,乌鸦;adj.乌亮的 | |
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12
rapture
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n.狂喜;全神贯注;着迷;v.使狂喜 | |
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13
sable
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n.黑貂;adj.黑色的 | |
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14
vent
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n.通风口,排放口;开衩;vt.表达,发泄 | |
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15
croaks
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v.呱呱地叫( croak的第三人称单数 );用粗的声音说 | |
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16
spoke
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n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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17
majestic
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adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的 | |
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18
vex
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vt.使烦恼,使苦恼 | |
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19
resounding
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adj. 响亮的 | |
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20
uproar
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n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
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