The San Francisco call., 1906-07-15

once on a time, long long ago. there
was a king in ireland called Finton-
mach. He had lived to a very great
age. and was famed far and wide for
his wonderful knowledge and wonder
ful cleverness. no person ever being
able 10 put a question TO him or rid
die that he could not answer or solve.
And il was foretoId that he would live
as long as he was able TO answer all
questions and solve all riddles that
came to him. but that on the day on
which he failed to answer any question
or solve any riddle he would die.
And it was also prophesied that it
would be from his own son his death
would come to him. And because this
was so King Fintonnach always took
care not to let his male children come
10 the use OF reason, but had them put
TO death when stilI young. And once
when Fintonnach had reached the age
Of two hundred years and his last lit
tie son. not yet come TO the use OF
reason. was playing about the palace
with a silver canaan. one Of the ser
wants remarked to another what a pity
Il was that such a fine youngster
should be killed by his father. And
the other servant who was new to the
place. asked why that should be done.
And then the first servant repeated
the prophecy; and the child that they
thought had not yet come to the use
OF reason heard this and understood it.
And il thought very much, and il
planned in its own mind. and it was
not ten days later when the child dis
appeared from the castle and no one
knew or no one could tell what had
happened TO 1t; but one thought it was
drowned and another thought it was
killed and third thought It was taken
away by fairies.
They searched all the woods and
scrugs. and they dragged all the wells
and holes for miles and miles around
the Kings castle, but tale or tidings
Of the child they could not find And
At length all OF them, including the
King, came TO the conclusion that it
was lost forever. Now the fact OF II
was that the child had started OF and
travelled away and away, intending to
get beyond the Kings rage. because
he had thought his own life precious;
and he never stopped travelling until
he got into a strange country, far
away from his father.
And he went TO the Kings castle in
that country and engaged as a page
boy. Well, wonderful things happened
in old times as well as nowadays. and
perhaps more wonderful things hap
pened then than now, but It was no
wise very wonderful that it should
turn out after many years that the
strange child. grown to be a man,
married the Kings daughter. and at
the death OF the King became King
OF all that country and after some
years more had himself three sons, all
grown up to be fine children and of
whom he was very fond and very care
full
And very clever children they were
certainly and astonished everybody by
the strange questions they put and the
wonderful clever way in which they
understood many things that grown
up men could not understand And
they astonished the King himself,
their father. as much as any one else
one night when his three children had
grown UP to be young men the King
got out OF his bed and ran out to the
stables and from among his 300 horses
lOosed out an I'D gray, lame, blind
beast and drove 1t into the garden.
And when he had left II there long
enough to work some destruction he
put II back into the stable again anc
then he went to his bed.
And when he was safe in bed he
called on his eldest son to get up. as
he believed there was a beast in the
garden, and to go out and see. The
eldest son went out and when he came
back his father asked him what kind
OF beast was there, and he said II
was an old gray horse. The father
was q bu astonished at this. After
while he called to his second son
and told him 10 go out and look, be-
cause he believed there was a beast
in the garden. and when the second
son came back he asked him what kind
OF a beast was in Il, and he said II
was an old gray horse. lame in it's
left leg.
And this astonished his father still
more. After while he called on his
youngest son and cold him to go out
and look II there was beast IN the
garden, and when the youngest son
came back he told his father that
there was an old gray horse, jaime in
the left hind leg and blind IN the left
eye in the garden. And now his father
was still more astonished. for this was
an exact description of the animal.
In the morning he called his three
l. :.