Oxford Democrat., 1876-11-14

dance;" and he pulled out his pipe and
began 10 play on it, and all the prisoners
began to dance, and the guards with
them; and between them all they made
great noise. When the king heard it,
he came running there with his servants,
aud had to dance like all the rest, but
found breath enough to order the pipe
to be taken away from the shepherd, and
all became quiet again.
SO now the shepherd had nothing left,
aud remained some time in prison, until
be found an old file, aud one night filed
through some iron bars and escaped. lie
wandered about al day, and at last came
TO the same forest where he bad been
! formerly. All at once he saw large lig
tree boarieg the most beautiful iruit-on
one side black figs, on the other white
ones. That is something have never
secn," thought the shepherd-a fig tree
that bears black aud white figs at the
same time. must .ly them So he
broke of some fine black figs and ate
them. Scarcely had he tasted them when
nc felt something move on the top OF his
head, and putting his hand up found that
he had two long horns. Unhappy
man" he cried: "what shall | do?'
However, as he was very hungry, he
picked some of the white figs and ate
them, and Immediately one OF the horns
disappeared. and also the other after be
he'd eaten few more white figs. My
fortune is madc." he thought "lhe king
will have to give me all my things back,
and his daughter in the bargain"
The shepherd disguised himself end
went 10 the city with two baskets OF figs,
one OF the black and one OF he white
ones, the former OF which he sold to the
kings cook, whom be met in the market
place. While the king was at the table
the SCI 'ant put the figs before him, and
he was muca pleased with them, and
gave some to his wife a1d daughter: the
rest he ate himself. Scarcely had he
eaten thom when thoy saw with tei.or
the long horns that had grown from their
heads. The queen and her daughter be-
gan to weep, and tho king, in rago
called the cook and asked him Who had
sold him the ligs. a peas4n! in the
market" answered the cook. go at
once and bring him here cried tho king.
The shepherd had remained near the
palace, and rs the cook came out he
went up , him with the basket OF white
.igs in mis- hand. "What miserable figs
did you sell nc this morning. cred out
the COX TOO him. "As soon rs the king,
queen and princess had eaten your figs
great horns grew on their heads
BE quiet, said the shepherd: 81 have
remedy here, and can soon remove the
horns. Take the to tine king" lie was
led before the king, who asked him what
kind ol igs he had sold. "Be quiet,
your Majesty, said the shepherd, land
eat these figs" at the same time giving
him white one and Is soon Us The king
had eaten it one OF the norns disappeared.
Now, said the shepherd, "beiore | give
you any more OF my figs you must give
me my whistle beck: it not, you may
keep your horn" The king in his terror
gave no the whistle. and the shepherd
handed the queen Il ig. When one OF
the queens horns had disappeared he
said, "Now give me my purse back or
else will take my figs away
So the king gave him his purse, and
the shepherd removed one OF the pria-
cess's horns. Then he demanded his
tablecIoth, and when he had received it,
he gave he king another iig, so that the
second horn disappeared. Now give
me my ring" he said; and the king mad
10 givo+him his ring before he would re-
move The queens horn.
The only one left now was the princess,
snd the shepherd said, "Now fulfill your
promise and marIJ me TO the princess,
otherwise she may keep her horn as long
as she lives" So the princess had 20
marry him, and efter the wedding he
gave her another fig to eat, SO that her
last hofn also disappeared. They had p
melty wedding, and when the Old king
died the shepherd became king. Aud so
they remained conteated and happy
From "SiciIiae E0lk LORE" IN LippiD-
c1NS J0r October.