Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-03-15
1nG LONGEST YApN on prcoRp.


dred and ninety eigh, for legal expenses, and
their servants expected fees. Voitai,e
THE LONGEST YARN on RECORD.
II you can only spare the time to read this
through, you will be satisfied that the head line
is not lie;
There was once a certain king, who, like
many Eastern kings, was very fond Of hearing
stories told. To this amusement he gave up all
his time, but yet he was never satisfied. The
exertions Of his couriefs were in vain. He at
last made a proclamation that If any man
should tell him story that should last forever,
he would certainly make him his heir and give
the princess, his daughter, in marriage; but II
any one should pretend he had such story and
should fal-that is, il the story did come to an
cnd--he was to have his head cut off,
For such price as beautiful princess and
a kingdom, many candidates appeared, and
dreadful long stories some OF them. Some
lasted week, some month, and some
siSmonths. Poor fellows, they all spun them
out as long as they possibly could, but all came
to an end, one after another, and the unlucky
story-tellers had their heads chopped of. AT
last came 4 man who said he had story that
would last for ever, il his majesty would be
pleased to give him trial. He was warned
Of his danger. They told him how many
Others had lost their heads; but he said he was
not afraid, so he was brought before the king
lie was man Of very composed and delib.
crate way Of speaking. and, after making all
necessary stipulations for his eating, drinking,
and sleeping, he thus began:
s. o king! there was once king who was
great tyrant; and, desiring to increase his
riches, he seized upon the corn in his king.
dom and put it in an immense granary
which was built on purpose as high as a
moutain. 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 bricklaycrs had. by accident. left
small hole near the top of the granary, and
there came flight 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 another locust went in and
carried off another grain OF corn, and then an
another locus, went in and carried off another
grain OF corn .-.---.-..--..------..
He had gone thus from morning till night
Except when he was engaged at his mcalsl for
about month, when the king began to be
rather tired with locusts, and interrupted his
story with:
"Wcll, we have heard enough of the locusts,
we will suppose they helped themselves to all
the corn they wanted to, tell US what happened
afterward.h
To which the story-teller answered deliber-
ately: ''If it please your majesty, it is i'm
possible TO tell what happened afterward before
tell what happened first
And then he went on again: ''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; and then
another locus, went in and carried off another
grain OF corn. "
"Oh, friend, letup, l am weary of your
locusts. How soon do you think they will get
away with the cornf"
| To which the stoy-teller made answer:
| "Oh, king, who can tel' AT the time to
which my story has come the locus,s have
cleared small space; it may be cubit each
way around the hole, and the air is still dark
with locusts on all sides. But let the king have
patience, and no doubt We shall have come TO
the end of them in time.
| Thus encouraged, the king listened on for
another year, the story-teller going still as
before:
''And another locust went in and carried of
another grain OF corn; and then another locus,
went in and carried off another grain OF corn;
and then another locust went in and carried of
another grain OF corn.
/ At last the king could stand it no longer,
and cried out: 'Oh, man, that is enough
Take my daughter take my kingdom take
anything, only let me hear no more Of the abom-
Unable locusts."
And the story-teller was married to the
kings daughter, and was declared heir to the
throne, and nobody ever expressed wish to
hear the rest OF the story. for he said it was i'm
possible to come 10 the other part OF it ill he
had done with the locusts.-Erank n. Stecifon.