Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-07-02


towns beating their little drums rs they
went. aud the messengers fastened all
the wise men and elders TO the presence
of til king.
when all were assembled the king
announced his desire TO know how the
moon could be reached, and whether 1t
could be shifted from its place In the
sky and brought down TO the earth. ia
order that he might give II to his only
son and prince. If there was any wise
mau present who could inform him how
this could he done, and would undertake.
10 bring il 10 him, he would give the
choicest OF his daughters IN marriage
10 him and endOw him with great riches.
"When the wise men heard this
strange proposal they Were specifies
with establishment, as none in the ia
sOko land had ever heard of anybody's
mounting into the air higher than u
tree, aud to suppose that n person could
ascend Ms high rs the moon was simply
madness. Respect for the king, how
ever held them mute. though what their
chances meant was very clear.
But while each man was yet looking
at his ncighbor in wonder, one of the
wise men, who appeared To Ice about
the youngest present, rose TO his feet
and said:
father. the king We have heard the
even Ibis slave, am able TO reach the
moon, and do the kings pleasure, If the
kings authority will assist me-.
The coniident air of the man, aud
the ring of assurance In his voice made
the other wise men, who had been sn
ready TO believe the king and prince
mad, feel shame. and they turned their
faces TO him cur'iously, and more than
half willing 10 believe that after all
the thing was possible. The king also
lost his puzzled look. and appeared re-
lievcd.
"'Say on. How may You be able TO
perform what you pfOmiaey
lit 1t please the king answered the
man. boldly, i will ascend from the top
of the high mountain near the Cataract
of Pangn. But first ! shall build high
scaffuld ON II. the base Of which shall be
as broad as the mountain top. aud on
that scllfold | will build another, and on
the second ! shall build a third, and ON
and 50 ON until my shoulder touches
the moon
." But is II possible to reach the moon
in this mannerT asked the king, doubt
ingly,
"Nlost certainly II | erect sufficient
number of scaffolds. one above the other
but 1t will require q vast quantity of
timber, and a great army of workinen.
II the king command II the work will
he done.
nv II ~. Altlis sun IUt KING. y
place at your service every abl,-bodcd
man in the kingdom.
" All. but all the men In your kingdom
are not sufficient, q King. An the grUwn-
up men viii bp wanted TO fell tile trees.
square the timber and bear II 10 the
works. and every grown-up woman will
be required TO prepare the food for the
workmcn; and every boy must carry
water to satisfy their thirst. and make
bark rope to bind the timbers; and every
girl. big and little. must be scnt 10 till
the fields 10 Gtise cassava for food Only
In this manner can the prince obtain the
moon rs his toy.
" I say. then, let Il be done az yon
think II ought to be done. All the men,
women and children IN the kingdom /
devote TO this service that my only sou
may enjoy what he desires.
Then II WIS proclaimed throughout
the wide lands OF the Bnndilnba that all
the people should be gathered together
10 proceed ~ once with the work of OBJ
tnining the moon for the kings son
And the forest WIS cut down. and while
some Of the wOrkmrn squared the trees
others cut deep holes IN the ground 10
broad aud sure base for the lower
scaffold; and the boys made thousands
OF rope coils to lash the timbers together,
out Of bark. fiber Of palm. and tough
grass: and the girls. big and little. hoed
up the ground AMI planted the cassava
shrubs and cuttings md planted the
banana and the planiain. and sowad
corns and the women kneaded the bread
and cooked the green's, and roasted the
green banana for fond for the workmeu
And all the Bandinba people were made
TO slave hard every day IN order that
the spoiled boy might have the moon
for his TOY.
''ln a Few days the first scaffolding
stood up a. high ns the tailest trees, 10
n few weeks the structure WAS 10 hilth
that Il was measured by arrow-aighie
aud In two months Il was 90 lofty that