The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-20

good living. and besides the loom they
brought her TWO hundred pounds OF raw
silk and twenty pounds Of fine gold
Now on the fourth day the king said TO
the seneschaI- Go and see how the magic
silk progresses.' And when the seneschaI
came 10 the witchs door the old woman
cried.
"Ah, I am glad the king has sent a
brave man. for so fine is this silk that a
coward cannot see il ar all. but you. my
lord viii observe all the delicate PAT.
terms ana the beautiful sheen Of the gold
and the silk that shine like light itself j.
Then the seneschal looked an the loom.
but 70 his amazement DC saw nothing At
an lie gave a start and turned very red.
and seeing this the old witch winled ar
her black cat, and Beezlebub winked at
her.
rs it possible" said the seneschaI TO
himself. that / am "a coward I thought
myself afraid of nothing. and yet ] cannot
see this web OF silk upon tho loom. Well
one thing is certain. I am not brave enough
20 admit I cannot see it; I must pretend
that DO"
And SO while the old woman pointed to
the patterns Of the web and seemed 10
pass her hand over it. ne rrofessed 10 see
everything she described. and even pre-
tended TO rub the stuff between his fingers
TO feel its fneness. But when he was gone
the old witch and Reezlebub laughed till
they choked
1T is the most wonderful STUFF I ever
saw. your majesty" said the scneSchal:
beautiful gold lights play through it like
sunshine. II has the rich. changeful col
ors Of peacock's tail, and into the pat
terms is woven all the flowers Of spring.
1t is fine and soft as a spiders web and
yet has the temper and hardness of steel.
Next day the king. being very busy. sent
the commander Of all the forces to the old
witch 10 see if the suit were cut Of prop
er size, because tomorrow it must be
ready to wear.
The old witch had pushed the loom to
one side and sat as if sewing. The brave
old general saw her stick in a needle and
pull through long thread, hut though he
rubbed his eyes hard he could not see
the clothes which she seemd TO be sewing.
But he did not dare to say SO, and when
the witch seemed to hold up the clothes to
show him the shape of the sleeves and the
size of the buttons, he pretended to admire
it very much and went to tell the king
that nothing so wonderful and beautiful
his new clothes had ever been seen. while
the witch pinched Beezlebub in the ribs
and he pinched her, and they both laughed
fit to kill themselves.
on the sixth day the army was all ready
to march, and then the king sent for his
new clothes, and the seneschal and COM
mander of the forces fetched the old
witch.
Here they are. majesty" she said,
seeming to spread out the suit before him,
"and when you wear them i'm battle with
the enemies of our country don't forget
the poor old witch of Salamanca" Upon
which Beezlebub had to stuff his own tail
into his miuth to keep from laughing
right out
When she said this the young
king turned pale. because he didn't
see any clothes at ALL and
yet the seneschal and the com
mandcr of the froces stood by and seemed
to expect him to put them ON. So he dared
not make any protest. though all the while
he was saying to himself as they We're
helping TO put on the clothes he couldn't
see.
Then I am a coward! Well, I am too
much of coward to admit it. and I shall
at least know how TO die for my country
when the times comes"
And then they went out of the palace
and the king mounted his horse and all
the people cheered, for each one said TO
himself: Il can't see the kings clothes.
but that is because / am not truly brave,
but no one else shall see that I don't see
them" and every man said to his neigh
Dor: How splendid the kings magic
clothes are! Did you ever see anything so
glorious?"
Every neighbor replying: mo, indeed I
never did,
And all the while the old witch and
Beelzebub, left alone in the palace. We're
wnking both eyes a each other and
shouting with laughter.
But when the king came to the city gate
there stood his sister, the Princess Inez,
with all the ladies of the court. and the
moment they saw the king they all hid
their faces.
"Oh, BROTHER said the princess through
the sticks of her fan. "Why do you go to
war with no clothes on?'
mo clothesH' answered he, why I am
wearing the magic suit made by the witch
of Salamanca which only a brave man
can see"
Magic nonesenser said the princess.
sharply. You haven't on anything at all.
Here put my cloak around you imme-
diately and send for a suit of armor: you
shan't leave Madrid in this condition. |
can tell you. Now" she said, turning to
the people, tell me on your faith as
Christians, can any one of you see this
magic SUITE"
Them of course, they all admitted the
truth, and a great cry was raised that the
witch should be burned for deceivng the
king, but when they went to search for
her she and the black cat and the silk and
the fine gold had all disappeared.
Let her go" said the king She was
right in one thing at least we were all too
cowardly to tell the truth when it seemed
likely TO lower us in the eyes of our neigh
bors. The lesson she has taught me is
worth the price l paid"
So the king rode away against the Moors
and after many battles drove them out of
Spain.