The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-04-29
a AIRY TALE.

great hollow oak, bird of learning
and responsibility, who had travelled
over half the world, and sat up al
night to study though some people
would have it that it was to eat mice
pie and frog-stew. And either they
were right. or philosophy agreed with
him, for he grew so fat that he could
hardly waddle, and did little besides
sit in his hole and doze.
One day there came through the
forest procession that made the
wood-eIves and fower-spirits weak
with establishment five hundred
pages in green satin and pink ribbons,
each playing on a lutte with all his
might a thousand knights in golden
armor, band of musicia"s, aud the
Lord High Fiddlestick in yellow sa' in
and black velvet, who all drew up be-
fore the oak, where the owl sat blink
ing and trying to get his eyes open to
see what was the matter.
Most learned owl, her serene and re-
fulgent highness the Princess Ita COM
mands your appearance at court, said
the Lord Fiddlestick.
But the owl hooted the courtiers out
of all countenance.
What can | do at court, asked he.
Do any of you care to hear the
wisdom of the forest, or the tales of
the elves )? love retirement, and
mus: have frog stew always served
up at midnight. Then | can neither
sing nor dance. What does your prin-
cess want of me?
So the Lord Fiddlestick and his
train went away but the next day
came back again.
Wise and wonderful owl said the
Lord Fidrllestick. the Princess Ita de-
sires you to come to court. The
golden tower is ready for your use,
and the robes of the Lord High Phil
osopher are being made for you as fast
as possible. Besides, the princess has
engaged a special cook. who will pre-
pare you frog stew every hour dur
ing the day but her royal highness
thinks that broiling end frying at mid
night would keep her awake.
Then / can't come, answered the
owl, glad ofany excuse: for he didn't
want to 90 in the least.
But the next day they all came
again. Come to the court, said the
Lord High Fiddlestick. The princess
consents to your frog stews at mid
hight.
Then the owl, who had no longer
any excuse, began packing up with a
very solemn face; and while he was
about it, the crow spied him.
What is the matter? asked the
crow. You look as if you were going
to be hanged, instead of being Lord
High philosopher! What is the
matter?
Because | am sure to be hanged,
said the owl. l have lived in tree
all my life. What do | know about
courts and their ways?
OIL is that all? said the crow.
Why you have nothing in the world
to do but turn up your nose at every
thing you hear and see. Nothing can
be more simple.
But, said the owl, they take me for
philosopher, and / know nothing at
all. | have done nothing all my life
but catch frogs and mice and eat
them.
Give yourself no trouble, said the
crow. You have only to talk the
first nonsense that comes in your
head; and the less they understand
the wiser they will think you.
So the owl set out and they Journey
ed three days till they came to the
palace of the princess TIA. All the
court came out to meet him; but he
scarcely looked at them, and scarcely
touched the princess's hand with his
beak.
Then said all the court, What
dignity ! What self-possesion He must
be a great philosopher!
They took him to the golden tower,
and showed him a marble bath, and
golden bed, curtains of purple velvet,
painted ceilings. The sheet of his
bed were edged with lace, the
carpet was of velvet, and all
his cooking was to be in sill
yer porringers. The ..courtiers ex-
pected to hear from Linn some words
of admiaation, but he only stalked on
in silence, turning up his nose to him
self till he came to the bed, where he
lay down only to jump up again in a
great hurry.
1t is 80 hard I never lay on such
a bed in my life, said he.
Which was perfectly true, because
he had always roasted in a tree.