The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-19
PERSIAN TALES.
A King May Be Foolish One Day and
Wise the Next.

called him the greatest thing on earth, |
the wisest man that ever lived. the
king disguised himself and went for
walk into the country. After saunter-
ing along for a mile or two he came
to the house of peasant and found
the owner of the same resting in the
shade. The two entered into CONVEX
sation about crops, but after a moment
the eye of the king was caught by an
object hanging to the limb of near
by tree.
it that makes a nest like that?" he
asked.
30 stranger replied the peasant.
who took his caller for the editor of
newspaper in town, the nest you see
belongs to species of bird called the
Il have never heard of him. Are
his notes like those of a robin?''
Does he sing like the whippoor-
will %
81 never heard him.
rs he as beautiful as the red bird 2"
''Some folks might call him so"
Then 1 want to see one. thought
1 was up on birds, but it seems that
new species has sneaked into the coun-
try without my knowing II. 10 you
think there is one on the nest now?
There are always fifty on the nest,
o, stranger, but If were you I'd pass
along and let the hornet bird alone.
He has ways with him..
''What sort of ways!
Ar-@lf left alone he. is for peace. II
disturbed he has a way of lifting his
disturber two feet off the ground"
''You don't sayt"
81 have seen my donkey fee in ter
ror before a pair of them.
"How curfous,
MY good wife weighs 200 pounds. and
vet she refuses to face the hornet bird
when his anger is aroused. He is like
bear trap-something to be let alone.
You may be a great editor and able to
guess within half a million of the ma
jority which the next president is going
to get, but stop at that and let well
enough alone"
know your King when you see him!" ex-
claimed His Majesty as he threw on
further pretenSe.
1.-The King it surely ISL
'"Then have no more fooling! want
that hornet birds nest to carry back
by my palace. I will then call in the
old professor who does the ornithologf
cal for me at $4,000 per year and ask
him why he isn't attending to business.
I think I can reach the nest with tnat
short ladder"
"But don't try it, Your Majesty-on
your life don't try it.
land why not?"
because, o Sovereign, the hornet bird
sings not. and neither is he beautiful.
| On the contrary, he goeth about with
Bowie knife looking for victims"
.'And you think that I, your King,
am afraid of himi Scum of the turnip
| field, you insult me, and later on VIII
attend to your easel!
80 Soveregin--"
shut up!'
The hornet birds were at home. That
| is. about a score of them were loafing
around the nest to see what might turn
up, and the King had scarcely pulled the
/ nest from the branch when he heard
from them He was lifted fully as high
as the peasant said he would be. he
was run through the currant buSnes
and over the pie-plant bed and around
the henhouse. and when he finally got
| into the woodshed he knew all about the
hornet bird and his peculiarities.
| "I told YOU, Your Majesty, said the
peasant, as he wrung his hands, tolo
YOU, but you would persist.
| yes, you told me, and 1 did persist
As King it was mete that 1 should
| persist
I'm twenty-nine different places"
land you blame me for it,"
"Of course. If you hadn't had
hornets nest around I couldn't nave
noticed it and should have nad nS %
! questions to ask. Yes, you are all e
blame, and I sentence you to fifty
strokes of the bastinado."
"Mercy, o sovereign"
! and want your aid to keep the matter
secret l will remit the punishment
However, if 1 come along here agar
! and want to know the difference De
/ tween a humble bee and a wasp you
want to be ready to steer me dow
through the cabbage patch to the
/ highway before pick up anything.
THE KING GOES FISHING.
one day, as his royal highness was
1oafing around the palace and feeling
i bored with himself. the royal treasurer
suddenly said:
@But why not go fishing. gracious
because I shouldn't catch anything
I tried it many times when l was ;
Prince and never got even nibble.'
"B.1t this is different AS King o
4 Persia and ruler of all the rest of tn
world the fish will not dare refuse t
bite
terror. what do YOU say?" asked tn
King.
"And you, Royal Chancellor"
| ssYou must have luck. What fish wi
dare refuse the royal hook?"
Il -raf h1