Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-01-30
A Long Story Briefly Told.

eXer tionS of ali his courtiers were in vain. He
at last, made proclamation, that if any man
should tell him story that should last for.
ever ne would make him his heir, and give
him the princess, his daughter, in marriage !;
but If any one should pretend he had such a
story but should fail-that is, if the story tdid
come to an end, he was to have his head chop
ped off.
For such price as beautiful princess and
kingdom, many candidates appeared and
dreadfully long stories some of them told
Some lasted a week, some a month, some six
months. Poor fellows they all spun them
out as long as they could but in yain.-
Sooner or later they all came to an end, and,
one after another, the unIucky story tellers
had their heads chopped off.
At last came a man who said he had sto-
ry that would last forever, if his majesty would
be pleased to give hip trial.
He was warned of his danger they told
him how many others had tried, and lost their
heads ; but he said he was not afraid, and so
he was brought before the king. He was man
of very composed and deliberate way of speak
ing, and after making all requisite Stipulations
for time for his eating, drinking aud sleeping,
he thus began his story
"Oh, king there was once a king who was
great tyraut. Aud desiring to increase his
riches, he seized upon all the corn and grain
in his kingdom, and put it in an immense gran
ary, which was built oh purpose, as high as a
mountain.
This he did for several years, till the gran
ary was quite full up to the top He than
stopped up doors and windows, and closed it
up on all sides.
" But the hricklayers had by accident
left q very small hole near the top Of the
granary. And there came flight Of locusts,
aud tried to get all the corn but the hole
was SO small that only one locust could
pass through at time. So one locust went in
aud carried of one grain of corn, and than an
other locust went in aud carried off another
grain of corn, and then another locust went in
and carried off another grain of corn, and
then another locust went in and carried off an
other grain of corn, and then another locust
went in and carried off another grain of corn,
and then another locust went in and carried
off another grain of corn.
He had gone on thus from morning till
night except when he was engaged at meals,
for about month when the king, though very
patient king, began to be little tired of the
iocusts, aud interrupted his story with
Well, well, we have heard enough Of the
locusts, We will suppose that they have helped
themselves to all the corn that they wanted.
Tell us what happened afterward."
To which the story teller answered very de-
liberately
"If it pleases your majesty, it is impossible
to tell what happened afterward before | have
IL 49,, E-st
And then he went on again
90 And then locnst went in and carried off
another grain of corn, and then another locust
went in and carried off another grain Of corn,
and then another locust went in and carried
off another grain of corn"
The king listened with unconquerable pa
thence for six months more, when he again ln-
terrupted him with,
" Oh, friend, am weary Of your locusts !!
How soon do you think you will have done p
To which the story teller made answer
" Oh, king, who can tell, at the time to
which my story has come, the locustS have
cleared away small place, it may be cubit,
each way round the inside of the hole, and the
air is still dark with locusts on all sides. But
let the king have patience and no doubt we
shall come to the end of them in time
Thus encouraged, the king listened for an
other full year, the story teller going on still
as before
4" An then another locust went in and car
red off another grain Of corn, and then anoth-
er locust went in ard carried off another grain
of corn, and then another locust went in and
carried off another grain of corn, and then an
other locust went and carried Of another grain
of corn,D till at last the poor king could bear
it no longer and cried out .. ..r.
"Oh, man, that is enough Take my daugh-
ter Take my kingdom take my everything,
everything +; only let me hear no more OF your
abominable loeusts I"
And so the story teller was married to the
kings daughter, and was declared heir to the
throne, and nobody ever expressed a wish to
hear the rest OF bis story, for he said it was
impossible to come TO the other part of it till
he had done with!the locusts, The unreasonable
capriece of the foolish king was thus over
matched by the ingenious device of this wise
man.