The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-02


 chained so closely to the wall that he could not turn on his heel.
 However, when they told him the very next day that he was doomed to die, he thought it was better to live without the cane than to die with 1t. He begged the King for a secret hearing and confessed to him.
 At first the ruler did not believe 1t, but he consented to give the dwarf chance. He hid some gold in the earth and told Muk to find 1t. In a few moments the cane tapped three times.
 Then the King knew that his treasurer had cheated him, and he lost no time in sending him a silken cord so that he might hang himself. To little Muk he said: "I will give you your life. But it cret If you do not confess to me how you can run so fast you shall remain in lifelong Imprisonment"
 One night in chains had been quite suf- fcient for little Muk. He told about the slippers, but did not tell the secrN of turning on the heels before running. The King impatient to try, thrust his feet into them and they dragged him around and around in ring. Little Muk, glad to get a small revenge, permitted him to run till he fell in faint.
 When the King regained consciousness he was intensely angry at the dwarf. T have given you my word,' said he, Ito let you have life and liberty. But you must leave the land within 12 hours or you shall be hanged"
 The slippers and the cane were put into the treasure chamber, and little Muk. poor as ever, wandered over the border, cursing his vanity that had led him to imagine himself as being able to play a part in a royal court.
 He sought the widest place that he could find, for he was bitter against hu- man beings. In a great thicket he found a spot that suited him. There he lay down, determined to starve to death.
 But when his hunger became great he considered that starvation was dan gerous matter. Then, too, the trees un- der which he lay were fig trees and magnificent fruits hung close overhead He could not resist them.
 He climbed up and ate heartily. When his little skin was full he descended to drink from a little brook that ran near by. What was his fright when he stoop- ed over and saw his reflection in the clear water His face looked back at him, but it was ornamented with two huge asses ears and a mighty, long, thick nose! he reached up with both hsnds and, sure enough, his ears were more than half yard long.
 'I deserve asses ears.'' he cried, flor I have trampled fortune under my foot like an asst" Weeping bitterly, he wandered about, lamenting the bitter fate that had pursued him. Again he determined to die, but again, when hunger assaiIed him, little Muk could not resist eating, and as there was no food except figs he climbed another tree and ate few, although with great fear.
 When he was satisfied he climbed down. The idea came to him that he might manage to hide his ears under his tur- ban He reached up to try. He could feels no asses ears but only his original ones.
 Wildly excited, he ran to the brook and looked in It was true. His ears had resumed their original dimensions and shape; and his long nose had disap- peared again also.
 He reflected and soon discovered what had happened. The first figs had come from one tree, the second meal had been made from another. The fruit of tho first tree had transformed him horribly, the fruit of the second had healed him.
 Again, thought he, a kindly fortune has granted me the means to retrieve my disasters and to attain competence! His plan was made very quickly. He plucked from each tree as many figs as he could carry, keeping them separated carefully so that he knew which were the dan gerous and which the healing ones. Then he returned to the country which he had left under such sad auspices.
 In the first, city that he reached he bought garments and great false beard that disguised him, giving him the ap pearance of swarthy, under-slzed Arab trader. Having assured himself that he was quite unrecognizable, he went boldly to the city of the King and passed through the gate unchallenged.
 It was just at a time of year when ripe fruits were rather scarce. Little Muk squatted near the gate of the pal ace, where as he knew from observation the chief cook used to repair regularly to look for tidbits for the royal table. He had not waited long before the great man came across the courtyard. He ex- amined the wares of the peddlers and at last his eye fell on little Muk's basket in which were the figs that made ears and noses grow 50 long.
 "Ah." he cried " a fine bit of fruit! His Majesty will surely like 1t! How much do you wish for the basket?"
 Little Muk demanded 2 modest sum and the two soon agreed. The chief cook gave the basket to . slave and won't on. Little Muk hurried to escape, for he thourht that when the transformation began ip the court tasy might suspsct