Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-03-29
WHOLE NUMBER 675.
Ihe Longest Story on Record.

W.
like many eastern Kings, was very
fond of hearing stories told. To
this amusement he gave up all his
time, but he was never satisfied. The
exertions of his courtiers were all
In vain. He at last made a procla-
nation that if any man should tell
him story that should last forever,
ne would certainly make him his heir,
and give him the princess, his daugh-
ter, in marriage, but if any one should
pretend he had such story and
should fail-that is, the story did
come to an end-he was to have his
head cut off.
For such a price as a beautiful
princess and kingdom many candi-
dates appeared, and dreadful long
stories some of them told. Some
lasted a week, some six MONTHS
Poor fellows, they all spun them out
as long as they possibly could, but
all in vain. Sooner or later they all
come to an eud, one after another,
and the unlucky story-tellers had their
heads chopped of. At last came a
man who said he had a story that
would last forever, if his majesty
would be pleased to give him trial.
He was warned Of his danger; they
told him how many 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 a very
composed and deliberate way of speak
ing, and after making all necessary
Istipulations for his eating, drinking
and sleeping, he thus began:
Oh, king! there was once a king
who was great tyrant, and desiring
to increase his riches he seized upon
the corn in his kingdom,and put it in
an immense granary, which was built
on purpose, as high as d mountain
This he did for several years. until
the granary was quite full to The top.
He then stopped doors and windows
on all sides. But the bricklayers
had, by accident, left a small hole near
the top of the granary, and there
came a fight of locusts and tried to
get at the corn, but the hole was so
small that only one locust could pass
through at a time. So one locust
went in and carried off one grain Of
corn, and then another went in and
carried off another grain of corn ,and
then another locust went in and car
ried off another grain OF corn"
He had gone on thus from morning
till night Except when he was
engaged at his meals) for about q
month, when the King began to bt
! rather tired with his locusts, and in
l terrupted his story with
Well, well. we have heard enough
of the locust, we will suppose they
helped themselves to all the cora they
, wanted. Tell US what happened
afterward."
, To which the story-teller answered
: deliberately:
"Il it please your majesty, it is i'm
: possible to tell what happened after
ward before | tell what happene'
first"
And then he went on again:
r And then another locust went il
0 and carried off another grain of cor
e and then another locust went in an
+ carried off another grain Of corr
r and then another locust went in an
s carried off another grain of corn"
t.. The King listened with unconquer;
S ble patience for six months more, ,whe
s he again interrupted him with:
1t "Oh, friend | am weary of you
h locusts. How soon do you thin
t. they will have doue?"
% To which the story-teller mac
= answer:
"Oh, king! who can tell ? At Il
time to which my story has come, tt
S. Iocusts have cleared a small plac
A it may be d cubit, each way rouu
IN the hole, and the air is still dark Wi
4 locusts on all sides. But let the XIII
is have patience, and no doubt we shs
I'd come to the end of them in time"
gh Thus encouraged the king listen'
as on for another full year, the stOry-t'
le Ter going on still as before:
IS, "And another locust went in al
40 carried off another grain Of corn, al
st another locust went in and carried c
another grain OF corn,and then anot
er locust went in and carried Off
e. mother grain of corn, and then ano
Of er locust went in and carried off
Of mother grain of corn, and then anot
us er locust went in and carried of ano
lis er grain of corn, and then another
&c. Gust went in and carried off anoth
rd grain of corn, and then another
Gust went in and carried Off anOtt
grain of corn, and then another
ed Gust went in and carried off anott
ir. grain of corn"
At last the poor king could sta
it no longer, and cried out
,o.f "Oh man, that is enough to ia
'o' my daughter ! take my kingdom ia
anything, everything; only let
e hear no more of the abominaDle
Use Gust"
And SO the story-teller was m
ried to the kings daughter, and "
ear declared heir to the throne, and
will body ever expressed a wish to b.
a the rest of the story, for he said
a was impossible to come to the OF
ow part of it till he had done with
put locusts. Fe . e
A Frenchman desiring to cross
!, Detroit river from Canada to Nh
st gan, and avoid paying duty on
~ -. horse, attempted to cross on the
aHa. ss..za ! IN, q