The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-29
LOUIS ROCCO PROMOTED.
BERTHoLDE THE DWARF.
His Shrewd Answers at the Court OF
A1hnir K;ror Of AIn Lon, hn,,d

| ALBION, King OF the LON bardS.
Mary Shears Roberts, in her series
OF Historic Dwarfs," contributes an
article on Bertholde to the January St.
Nicholas. Bertholde was an Italian,
and one day he made his way to the
palace of AlDOin, king of the Lom-
bards, at Verona. and boldly seated
himself in an empty chair next the
throne.
! The courtiers were as much surprised
at mis- audacity as they were amazed at
his grotesque appearance; but the
( Lombard chieftain smiled grimly upon
the intruder and inquired OF him what
he was, when he was born, and in whaI
country"
Il am a man." replied the dwarf.
whereupon the attendants went off in
fits of laughter. I was born when 1
came into the world, and the world
itself is my country"
King and courtiers now began TO
realize that they had a shrewd little
/ imp before them, and they commenced
to ply him with questions of all kinds
The asking of conundrums was a sort
Of trial of wit, to which sovereigns
were much given at this period of his
tory.
What thing is that which flies the
sWiftest?" asked one.
Thought replied Bertholde,
promptly.
What is the gulf that is never filled ?"
The avarice of a miser," was the
ready answer of the quick witted
dwarf.
What trait is the most hateful in
young people?"
rSelf-conceit, because it makes them
unteachable"
How will you catch a hare run
ning?" inquired the king
I'll stay until 1 find her on the spit"
How would you bring water in a
sieve?"
I'd wait until it was Frozen" an
swered the dwarf. readily.
The king was delighted. For so
clever a rejoinder," he said, you shall
have from me anything you may de-
sire.
"Oh. no." cried Bertholde, with a
hooking laugh. II shall have nothing
of the sort. You cannot give me what
you do not possess. I am in search OF
happiness, of which you have not
particle. So how can you give me
any"
Howl exclaimed the king. Am I
not happy on so elevated a throne?"
Yes, you are, if the happiness of a
man consists in the height of his seat"
Then Alboin referred to his kingly
power and dignity, and the dwarf re
torted with another hooking laugh:
and when the king called attention to
the mobiles and courtiers about him,
Bertholde with sheer remarked: "Oh.
yes. they cluster around your throne;
so do hungry ants round crab-apple.
and with the same purpOse-to devOur
it."
well said" spake the king. keeping
his temper, but all this does not pre-
vent me from shining among them, as
the sun among the stars"
True; but tell me shining sun, how
many eclipses you are obliged to suffer
in year? For the continual lattering
of these men must now and then dark
en- your understanding
For this reason you would not be a
courtier?" inquired his majesty, whose
fingers began to play upon his sword
in a threatening manner.
Miserable as | am. l should be sorry
to be placed in the rank of slaves" re-
piled the dwarf. Besides. 1 have not
the necessary qualities to succeed in
this fine employment"
What, then. do you seek at nv
court?" asked the king in an angry
tone
Something I have not been able to
find there" answered Bertholde. ct
was told that a king was as much
above common men as a tower is
above a common house: I find. as ]
suspected. that sovereigns are honored
more than they deserve
|. This was a little to much. The king
lost his patience, and commanded the
dwarf Jester to leave the palace i'm
mediately or he would have him
whipped out of court.