The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-01-24
REDUCT1O AID ABsURDUM.
A Fable.

In those days there arose Giant in the
North, and he was many cubits long, so
many that no man hath the measure
thereof. And this Giant was called "The
Great Northman" because of his stature
and because he came from the North.
And behold, this Giant did mighty
deeds in the land-for it was a land Of
corn and of herds, and the people Of that
land sold of their fields and of their herds
to the tribes of the east, and OF the west,
and of the south, whose lands were not
fat for corn and whose herds were few.
And behold the Giant, when the corn
was ready to be carried to the tribes of
the east and the west and the south,
gathered many wagons, and fastening
one to another, as many as three score
and more wagons together, he took hold
of the first wagon by the tongue thereof
and with great speed drew all the wagons
loaded with corn and with fatted cattle
to the tribes OF the east and west and
south, who did buy of the corn and the
herds from the people of the North. And
the speed and strength Of the Giant we're
greater than the speed and strength of
many horses together.
And the people fed the Giant while he
drew their corn and their herds on the
Journeys, and the Giant ate much corn
and meat, but the corn and meat they
gave to the Giant to eat, was not so
much as they gave to their beasts of bur-
den and their servants aforetime, and
they said it is good for us to have the
Giant for servant, for he hath wrought
mighty works, and the wage thereof is
smaller than the wages of men and
beasts.
And the Giant labored in the land for
many years, and his works were many
and mighty.
After many days were accomplished
then the wise men and the governors of
that land, began to fear the Giant and
they nurmured among themselves, say
ing" This giant hath grown exceeding
great, and his strength makes our hearts
to quake. Behold he hath power to
turn our dwellings from the foundations
thereof and to tear down our barns. He
can smite man to death with blow,
and his tread makes the very earth to
tre1nble and groan. He will make him
self king over us, we shall be his SER
wants and he will say to this man go
and to this man come, and none shall
say him nay, for all men fear his strength"
And they reasoned among themselves
how they should ensnare the Giant and
kill him.
So they digged pit in the highway,
even the highway that the Giant had
built on which to draw the wagons
for the people Of, the land; and they put
sharp stakes in the bottom of the deep
pit, and covered it over with branches of
the tree called the Legislature which
putteth forth its leaves in the winter sea-
son.
And behold, as the Giant came along
the highway as he was wont, pulling his
wagons behind him, he fell through the
branches on the top of the pit for they
were cunningly laid, and he fell upon the
sharp stakes, and the people came and
stoned him-nor did they cease thereo
until the. pit was filled even to the top
with stones-and every man who passed
that way, each cast his stone, 10, for many
years-and the stones grew to great
pile, so that the place was called the
Tomb of the Hill.
And behold when the Giant was dead
the wise men made laws, and the laws
declared that no man should grow great
Ter than his fellows and the penalty was
death, even as the Giant was punished
and the Tomb Of the Hill' was shown
as warning and fear, to all men that
they should cease to grow great.
i And behold men did SO fear the law
and the penalty OF which the Tomb of
the Hip bore witness, that each man
measured himself every day with his
neighbor, and if he found himself taller
than his neighbor, he cut of piece Of
himself and tor fear he would grow
greater while he slept, he cut himself a
little shorter than his nelghbor. But his
neighbor thereby became the taller, and
therefore tho neighb rqwould cut himself
the shorter and thus men had to keep
cutting themselves of until their stature