Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-01-01
HowBoors BEFooLED rHE KING
An Old Fashioned story.

An Old FashiOned story.
Once upon a Nme there was a king who
was the wisest In all the world. SO wise that
no one had ever befooled him, which is a
rare thing to find, 1 can tell you. Now this
king had daughter who was as pretty rs q
ripe apple 30 there was no end 10 the num-
Der Of the lads who came asking to marry
her. Every day there were two OF three OF
them dawdling around the house, 10 that at
last the old king grew tired Of having them
always about So be sent word far and near
that whoever should befool him should have
the princess, and half OF the kingdom TO
boot, for he thought that II would be q wise
man indeed who could trick him. But the
king also said that whoever should try 10 be.
fool him and should fail should have good
whipping.
This was to keep all foolish fellows away.
The princess was so pretty that there was
no lack Of lads who came to have a try for
her and half OF the kingdom, but every one
OF these went away with q sore back and no
luck.
Now there was q man who was well of in
the world, and who had three sons: the first
was named Peter, and the second was named
Paul. Peter and Paul thought themselves to
be wise fellows, II there we're ever we're wise
fellows living in the world, and their father
thought as they did.
As for the youngest son, he was named
Boots. Nobody thought anything Of him
except that he was silly, for he did nothing
but sit poking in the warm ashes all Of the
day.
One morning Peter spoke up and said that
| he was going TO the toWu 10 have try at be-
fooling the king, for II would be n fine thing
to have q princess in the family. Hisfather
did not say no, for il anybody was wise
enough to befool the king, Peter WAS the lad
30 after Peter had eaten a good breakfast,
on he set for the town, right foot foremost.
After while he came to the kings house,
and rap, tap, tap, he knocked at the door
Well, what did he want?
Oh! he would only like to have a try at
befooling the king.
Very good he should have his try. He
was not the first one who had been there
that morning, early As it was
So Peter was shown In TO the king
"Oh look" said he 'yonder are three
black geese out in the court yard"
But no; the king was not TO be fooled so
easily as all that. lone goose is enough to
look at at a time" said he. Take him away
and give him whipping"
And 80 they did, and Peter went home
bleating like q sheep.
One day Paul spoke up. Il should like to
40 aud have try for the princess too" said
he.
Well, his father did not say no, for, after
all, Paul was the more clever Of the two.
30 on Paul went As merrily as a duck in
the rain By-and-by ne came to the castle,
and then he was brought before the king
just as Peter had been.
oh look !" said he "youder ia a crow
sitting In the tree with three white stripes on
his back"
But the king was not so silly as to be fool
aA tN,N NkaN i.
who will soon have more stripes on his back
than he will like. Take him away and give
him his whipping"
Then 1t was done as the king had said, aud
Paul went away home. bAvling like a calf.
One day up spoke Boots II should like
70 20 and have try for the pretty princess
too, said he.
Al this they all stared and snieeered.
What he 90 where his clever brotbeTs had
failed, and had nothing to show for The trv'
ing but q good beating What had come
over the lout Here was pretty business
to be sure! That was what they All said
But all OF this rolled away from Boots like
water from q ducks back. No matter: he
would like to go and have a try like tho 9TH
ers. 80 he begged, and begged, and begged
until his father was glad to let him CO. To h.
Then ~ Rao.s sas, sss,hed e Il Il he might have the
old tattered hat that hung back of the chin
ney.
Oh yes he might have that if he wanted
it, for nobody with good wits was likely to
wear such thing
SO Boots took the hat, and after he had
brushed the Ashes from his shoes set of for
town, whistling as he went
The first body whom he met was an old
woman with q great load Of eArthenware
pots and crooks on her shoulders.
nGood .dav molhar aaid Roota
"Good-day son." said she.
"What will you take for all your pots and
crooks 2" said Boots.
Three shillings," said she.
II will give you Ave shillings il you will
come and stand in front OF the kings house,
and do thus and 30 when l say this and that"
said Boots.
Oh yesi she would do that willingly
enough.
So Boots and the old woman went on to-
gether and presently came to the kings
house. When they had come there Boots sat
down in front Of the door and began bAwl-
ing as loud as he could "Ho; will not
will not do it, l say No / will not do ."
So he kept on bawling louder and louder,
until he made such a noise that at last the
king himself came out to see what all OF the
hubbub was about. But when Boots saw
him he only bawled out louder than ever
mo; l will not will not do 1t, l say !"
stop! stop!" cried the king "WhAt is
all this about 2"
why" said Boots, Everybody wants to
buy my cap but will not sell it. will not
| do it, 1 say !"
''But Why should anybody want to bny
such a cap as that p said the king.
Because, ," said Boots, "it is foolng cap,
and the only one in all of the world"
"A fooling oapI" said the King. "And
could you fool me with 2"
oh yes Boots could do that easily enough
he could fool anybody in all of the world
with II.
"Hum-m-m.ml" said the king; for he did
not like the thought OF such a cap AZ that
coming into the town. Who knew but it
might win the princess "Hum-m-m.ml
should like to see you fool somebody with it.
Could you fool that old body yonder with the
pots aud the crocks"
"Oh yes that is easily DONE" said Boots,
and without more ado, he took of his latter.
cd cap and blew into it. Then no put it on
his head again and bawled out, ''Break pots
break pots !"
No sooner bad he spoken these words than
the old woman jumped up and began break
ing and smashing her pots and crooks as
though she had gone crazy That was what
Boots had paid her five shillings for doing,
but of it the king knew nothing. Hui
said he to himself II must buy that hat
from the fellow, or he will fool the princess
away from me for sure and certain" Then
he began talking 10 Boots as sweetly as
though he had honey in his mouth. Perhaps
Boots would sell the hat to him.
Oh no Boots could not think Of such a
thing as selling his fOoling oap.
Come, oomei the king would not mind