Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-03-25
A CEYLONEsE STORY.

Long ago. a king-or as some say, a
very wealthy man, but it does not mat
ter which, though king sounds better
had an only child, daughter. the
heiress of all his wealth, who could not.
or would not, speak. He tried all
means to cure her, but in vain. At last
he sent forth proclamation that who
ever, being of fitting degree. could re-
store speech to his daughter, should
marry her and eventually be lord of all
her fathers wealth. Many tried, but
all failed. At last prince who had
magical gift. that of causing things in
animate to talk with him. came forward,
and was admitted to the hall where the
princess was. He spoke to her, and
tried to induce her to speak, but answer
he got none
Now, lamp was hanging in the hall,
and to it the prince good-humoredly ad-
dressed himself. Lamp" said he, Il
will tell you story
Say on, replied the lamp.
"Well," went on the prince, -four
Travellers carpenter, painter cloth
merchant, and a jeweler-set out on
journey. By-and-by they came to
rest-house, halted there, and prepared
their food. The keeper of the rest-house
had laid down on the floor log of wood,
very suitable for carving. The carpen-
ter, seeing this. pulled out his carving
gear, and carved the log into the shape
of a woman, life-size, and exquisitely
beautiful. The painter next took his
brushes and colors, and painted the fg-
goddess. Then the cloth merchant
opened his packages, chose the finest
silks and embroidered robes, and dressed
the figure in his choicest drapery. The
jeweler took gems. earrings, necklaces,
and bangles, and all such things, and
bedecked the figure with them. Last of
all, the figure was endowed with life. [
do not take on me to explain how that
came about, but it was the fact
.No more do H. said the lamp ''but,
pray. 60 on. | hate digressions -
When" continued the prince. that
exquisitely beautiful being burst into
life, all the four fell violently in love
with her. and each wished to make her
his wife.
".Why, shaped that matehless fig
ure,' said the carpenter.
land | bestowed on her that bloom
ing complexion, retorted the painter.
...And | robed her, exclaimed the
merchant.
".But what are your choicest robes
to the costly gems which were my gift?
A woman is of little account without
Jewels !! cried the jeweler.
Thus they went on clamoring and
disputing. Now, 0 lamp who was to
be declared the rightful owner =
First the lamp said one and then an
other, giving reasons whatever the
lamp said, the prince contradieted. The
dispute waxed hot and furious, but
seemed never to come nearer to an end.
The princess heard all the dispute,
and held her peace long time. At
last she could bear to keep silent no
longer So she cried: 'You are both
silly The true owner was none of the
four, but the keeper of the rest-house,
for to him the wood she was made of be
longed p
"Ah yes said the prince. 'you are
in the right, my princess And now
that you have spoken, let me claim my
reward and take you for my wife y Sc
they went before the king, who was en-
chanted with the cure and they were
married straightway and lived happ,
ever afterward- at least, it is said, tn,
princess never gave her husband an.
cause, after marriage, to reproach he
for too persistently holding her peace.