The Natchitoches enterprise., 1899-02-16
GINGER NUTS.


macaroons), who for some time had
been in the prime of life, had just arisen
| and was seated undressed beside his
| bed. His house minister was there and
handed him his hose. In the heel Of one
sock was hole. The king was won't to
pay more attention to his beautiful
boots than to whole socks. However,
the hole did not escape his sharp eyes.
In disgust he took the sock out of the
minister's hand and pushed his fore
finger through the hole clear up to his
knuckle, saying:
"Of what use is it that I am king
since / have no wife? What do you say
to my marrylng?"
"Your majesty, that is a sublime
thought, a thought that would certain
ly have occurred to me, if / may make
so bold, had 1 not felt that your maj
esty most agsuredly would deign to
utter it for yourself"
Beautiful replied the king. "But
do you believe that / shall be able to
find wife suitable for me?"
"PoohI Ten where others could find
but oner" said the oourtier.
"a princess to please me must be
clever and beautiful, and there is one
point on which l lay especial stress:
You know how fond am of gingernuts.
In my whole kingdom there is not
person who understands how to bake
them exactly right, and the princess
whom / choose must know how to do
this to perfection.
When the minister heard this, he
gave a whistle Of dismay, bot quickly
collecting himself said:
.Fs 2 A king like your majesty will with
out doubt find a princess who under.
stands how to bake ginger nuts.
ave shall see, we shall sect" said
the king, ard on the very same day, ac-
companisd by the minister, be began
tour of the kingdoms of his different
neighbors whom he knew had prin-
cesses to give in marriage
Only three princesses were found who
were beautiful and clever enough to
suit the king, and of these not one tould
bake ginger nuts.
"I really cannot bake ginger d hts,"
said the first princess in answer to the
kings question, "but can make beau
tiful little almond cakes Wouldn't
those suit your"
"No, replied the king. "I must have
ginger nuts"
The second princess in reply to the
same question Knocked at the king and
said angrily:
"What nonsensel Princesses who can
bake ginger nuts do not existP'
The king Jared worse at the hands of
the third, who was the most beautiful
and the most charming.
She gave the king no opportunity to
ask his question, but took things into
her own hands and demanded whether
he knew how to play on the jews harp,
and when he said he did not she sent
him away. He pleased her very much,
she admitted, but she was so extrava-
gantly fond Of the music Of the jews
harp that she would never marry man
that could not play it.
The king and his minister returned
home, and as they alighted from their
carriage the king said:
Nothing has come Of all thisl'
Nothing, your majesty" said the
mournfully.
"What shall dor" sighed the king.
"I must have wife.
'Jf you would only give up the ginger
nutsD" yentured the minister timidly. |
"For the good of my people willP
exclaimed the noble king, and be re-
solved to marry the princess whom he
bad first sought
"She is the one who knows how to
bake almond cakes, he said. "Go and
ask her il che will be my wife"
The minister went, returned the next |
day, and said she was no longer in the
market, for she had mar
ried the king Of the Land Of Capers.
"Then go to the second princess,
aid the king. Again the minister re-
.urned without having accomplished
for this princess had died.
Then the king thought long time.
He absolutely must have a wife, 50 he
,rdered the minister to 60 to the third
princess and see IL she had changed her
mind. The minister obeyed, though he
lid it unwillingly, for his wife assured
aim that his errand was useless one.
The king anxiously awaited his re-
urn. His mind was ON her question
loncerning the jews harp, and the re-
nembranoe of it was most annoying.
The third princess received the min
.ssar very cordially. She said she had