The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-02

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 He begged the King for a secret hear ing and confessed to him. | At first the ruler did not believe it, but he consented to give the dwarf a chance. He hid some gold In the earth and told Muk to find 1t. Tn a few moments the cane tapped three times. Then the King knew that his treasur- CT 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: T will give you your life. But it appears to me that you have another secret. If you do not confess to me how you can run so fast you shall remain in lifelong imprison- ment."
 One night in chains had been quite gufffcent for little Muk. He told about the slippers, but did not tell tho secret of turning on the heels before run ming. The King. impatient to try. thrust his feet into them and they dragged him around and around in a ring. Little Muk. glad to get q small revenge, permitted him to run till he fell iu a faint. When the King regalned conscious ness he was intensely angry at the dwarf. T have given you my word" said he, "to let you have life and liber- ty. But you must leave the land with ed"
 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 part in a royal court | He sought the widest place that he l Hnaff6 TfuA f0V hA hfA4Ae G-n human beings. In a great thicket he found spot that suited him. There he lay down, determined to starvs to death
 But when his hunger became great he considered that starvation was q dangerous matter. Then. too. the trees under which he lay were ng trees and
 magnificent fruits hung close oyer. head. He could not resist them. He climbed up and ate heartily. | When his little skin was full he de- ! seended to drink from a little brook that ran near by. What was his fright when he stopped over and saw his re-
 Election In the clear waterl His face | looked back at him, but it was orna-
 mented with two huge asses ears and a mighty, long. thick nose! He reach | cd up with both hands and, sure
 enough. his ears were more than half
 a yard long.
 | T deserve asses ears" he cried, s.for
 have tranpied fortune under my foot
 like an assn Weeping bitterly. he | wandered about, lamentinE the bitter
 fate that had pursued him. Again he | determined to die, but again. when | hunger assailed 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 | Gear.
 | rxrh.. h. .. ..Al.a.a N | down. The idea came to him that he | might manage to hide his ears under ! his turban. He reached up to try. He could feel no asses ears. but only his
 original ones.
 Wildly excited. he ran to the brook and looked in- It was true, Ills ears had resumed their original dimensions and shape and his long nose had dis- appeared 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 the first tree had transformed him horribly. the fruit of the second had healed him.
 Again thought he a kindly fortune had granted me the means to retrieve my disasters and to attain competence! His plan was made very quickly. He plueked from each tree as many figs as he could carry keeping them separated carefully so that he knew which were the dangerous and which the healing ones. Then he returned to the country which he had left under such sad aus pices.
 In the first city that he reached he bought garments and a great false beard that disguised him giving him the appearance of a swarthy under sized Arab trader. Having assured himself that he was quite unrecoRniz- able he went boldly to the city of the King and passed through the gate un- challenged.
 It was just at 6 time of year when
 ripe fruits were rather scarce. Little | Muk squatted near the gate of the palace where as he knew from obser- vatjon 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 examined 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 so long.
 An cried he. "a fine bit of fruit, His Majesty will surely like 1t! How much do you wish for the basket?"
 Little Muk demanded q modest sum and the two soon agreed. The chief cook gave the basket to a slave and went on. Little Muk hurried to es- cape. for he thought that when the transformation began in the court they might suspect the figs as the cause and look for the seller.
 The King was exceedingly merry at table that day. Again and again he praised his chief cook for the excel lence of his cooking and the skill and originality with which he always man. aged to find something choice and de- sirable. The cook. who knew what fine surprise was still to come. smiled meaningly and permitted himssif a few modest and humble remarks, such as. Tt Is not yet every days evening" or "lf the end is good all iB good 60 that the Prineesses beedms most eonsumsdiy