I would not mind it all so very much if he killed the monsters off his own sword , as he did that first brace , in fair fight . But ever since he found his way into that closet where the fairy presents lie , everything has been made too easy for him . It is a royal road to glory , or giant-slaying made easy . In his Cap of Darkness a poor brute of a dragon ca n't see him . In his Shoes of Swiftness the giants ca n't catch him . His Sword of Sharpness would cut any oak asunder at a blow ! '' `` But you were very glad of them when you made the Ice-beast and the Fire - beast fight and kill each other , '' said the queen . `` Yes , my dear ; but it wanted some wit , if I may say so , to do that , and Dick just goes at it hammer and tongs : anybody could do it . It 's intellect I miss in Ricardo . How am I to know whether he could make a good fight for it without all these fairy things ? I wonder what the young rogue is about to-day ? He 'll be late for dinner , as usual , I daresay . I ca n't stand want of punctuality at meals , '' remarked his Majesty , which is a sign that he was growing old after all ; for where is the fun of being expected always to come home in time for dinner when , perhaps , you are fishing , and the trout are rising splendidly ? `` Young people will be young people , '' said the queen . `` If you are anxious about him , why do n't you look for him in the magic crystal ? '' Now the magic crystal was a fairy present , a great ball of glass in which , if you looked , you saw the person you wanted to see , and what he was doing , however far away he might be , if he was on the earth at all . -LCB- 21 -RCB- `` I 'll just take a look at it , '' said the king ; `` it only wants three-quarters of an hour to dinner-time . '' His Majesty rose , and walked to the crystal globe , which was in a stand , like other globes . He stared into it , he turned it round and round , and Queen Rosalind saw him grow quite pale as he gazed . `` I do n't see him anywhere , '' said the king , `` and I have looked everywhere .
I do hope nothing has happened XXXXX the boy .
In about as at if into like of that to