The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-02
THE STORY OF
| FAN-FAN THE FAIRY.
Famine in Jolly Land and the Good
King Who Lived on Breaj
and Wat.r.
TIE LAST TAIE.

For years and wears ~" crops - jolly
Land hat brcr good ana TIA" i"nulc cote
tented and happy, nut one spring b. ra.u.i
almost steadily from the breaking up ~
winter TO the month Of July.
Whatever had been sowed or r'ar'el
rptted in the ground. aud the meadows
were covered with water many .,rhes
deep
When fall came no one had aayIhinz
to sell and King Goodheart had 20 send
afar OIL into Egypt 20 buy food for u.- ,"o-
pie He managed So that no one starved.
though many were hungry from wc"A 10
week
Never mind what we suffer now" aid
the people as they ate their bread "a
were thankful 10 gc' il. Next year vii
be gr,a, one for crops, ana We'll all 70
happy again"
But wnel spring came again there was
great lack Of rain. Instead Of having
much there was too little. The earth baked
under the hot sun and none Of the seeds or
roots spr0utcd into life.
H. all that long summer there was no
rain IN the valleys, and If the peope had
MOI driven their sheep and cattle TO tho
mountains al would have persisted.
OF course there was loud complaining,
and sickness was everywhere, but the
King did tho best ne could for all lie
even sod hi horses and jewelry 70 buy
food for his people, and he sent many
messengers among them 20 console and
cuc ,urage them; but, when winter came,
! even people who had been considered
rich hat sometimes only bread and water
to dine on.
Once more spring came around. and
the season began 80 finely that everv-
body was hopeful. But hardly had the
| peasants begun work III their helds when
| the rain came down.
The histories of Jolly Land record that il
roined more or lees every day for ninety
! two DAYS. The seed rotted again. and
now the dlsheartened people cried out 10
/ each other.
Alas but a great famine is upon the
! land, Before another season comes few
/ of US will be left alive. Il seems that a
/ curse has been put upon us
To show how poor the people had be-
come l Will tell you that even the King
{ himself had only bread and water and
potatoes on his table. A loaf Of bread
| cost ST. and it was hard to buy even at
| that price.
The man who had potatoes to sell could
| get 80 cents for one. There were no eggs,
! butter or milk.
The King said he could do no more, as
I his money was all gone, and he advised his
subjects to drag themselves down into
/ Egypt or Arabia and trust to the generosity
/ Of the more fortunate persons there. 4
few went, but only few, as the distance
was great and hunger had weakened the
( strongest.
! When it seemed as if things could lie
no worse, the King was informed that a
little girl desired speech with him,
/ A little girlf' he replied. 1t is some
! poor child who has lost father and mother
by starvation, suppose Let her come in,
, but | can do nothing for her. except to
speak kindly"
80, King" began the girl as she came
fairy. / have heard Of the blight put
upon your land, and ] have come TO re-
J move IT,"
! ALAS, But what can bo done7" sighed
the King. Not even fairy can stop this
/ rain from coming down"
But ! will make the rain save your peo-
! pie. have here hundred seeds in a bag.
! Divide them into equal portions, and send
them to ten different places. The people
! who receive them must drop them into
rivers and lakes"
Il will do a. YOU saw" replied the King.
but ! cannot hope that much will como
/ from H."
He was TO be filed with gadness, how
ever. The seeds were distributed and
cast into the water. and 10. in one night
there was plenty Of food for all,
Zach seed sproutcd after n few hours.
| and there grew along the banks Of every
! river and lake, and creek and pond tons
/ upon tons Of watcrcreS-, Caulflower, egg
| plants and roots which We're good eating
! Hunger was STAYED AT once, and in week
! the people were bringing back their cattle.
These soon fattsnod up, ard then there was
meat 70 eat.
The Arabs and Egyptians heard Of the
| wonderful roots, and they came with wheat
and corn and other things in exchange, and
when winter set in again the people Of
Jolly Land had enough Of everything once
/ more, and no, "A complaint was to he heard
! in the kingdom
1T was Fan-Fan who brought all this
| and saved Our lives Let us do her great
| honors,' said the people
yes, i, was Fan-Fan." replied the King.
land will give her a chain of gold and let
! her live in the palace"
But no one could find the fairy. She
/ had appeared aud saved the land. and then
she had gone quietly away. nor have any
one of the grateful people seen her since.