Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-05-13
A DOLEFUL DILEMMA
The fearful Tale OF the Per-
picked Princess.
HER UNSoLVABLE PROBLEM.

n Most Puzzling and Lamentsble Sit
ustion That Fortunately For the
Peace Of Mind Of Wornankind Is Not
at All Liable to Reeur
Now. when IL was the thousand and
third night. said Dunyazad to her sis
ter. Shahrazad. Allah upon me. o my
sister. recite TO Us some new story. de-
lightsome and delectable. wherewith to
while away the waking hours Of our
latter night"
with Joy and goodly WILL" answer
ed shahrazad. 'if this plous and auspi-
cious king permit"
Tell on" quoth the king. who had
freely partaken OF the dish termed by
the Franks the rabbit OF Wales" and
was sleepless and restless. SO Shahra-
zad. rejoiced with the prospect OF talk
Ing. thus began on the thousand and
third night The Tale OF the Perplexed
Princess
Afar I'm the realm OF Guricund. which
lies within the land OF Hindustan. once
reigned mighty king who had one
daughter OF such exceeding beauty
that all who beheld her became poets
and warriors. which was well for the
national fame. but III for the royal
treasury
Now. the lOyeliness OF the princess
being such. II may seem strange that
she had attained her eighteenth year
unmarried. yet so IL befell. for in his
hcsitancy because OF the great multi
tude OF eligible suitOrs the king. who.
though otherwise respectable. was
vilely devout heather. made VOW
that he would give his daughter IN
marriage only 10 that man who should
receive the Endorsement OF his idol. an
image OF exceeding ugliness housed In
golden temple adjacent TO the palace.
So II was that many princes from
many lands came 70 bow before the
idol. Offering splendid sacrifices and
rich gifts OF treasure for the desired
+ sign OF favor. vet ever the idol re-
manned silent
At length there came from the is
/ land OF Lanka n prince OF great power.
and so deeply snitten was he with love
| for the princess that he bowed before
| the idol. saying Great lord. grant
but that the princess may become my
/ bride. and then shall I without delay
/ return TO thee and cut OF my own
head as a thank Offering
And the next day when the king and
I al his court came 10 worship in the
golden temple the evil spirit that was
within the idol caused the hand Of the
image to stretch forth and point 20 the
prince and caused the stone lips TO
open and say 20 the king. Behold thy
son-in-law-'
Forthwith was the wedding OF the
prince and princess celebrated with
great pomp in the palace. and straight
way thereafter. IN fulhllment OF his
VOW, the prince FASTENED 70 the tenn
pie. bowed before the idol and cut of
his own head.
Then entered the priest OF the TEN
pie and IN his grief. horror and fear
for what had CHANGED and for what
might well come 20 him IN conse-
quence likewise cut OF his head.
Then entered the princess. seeking
her husband. and. seeing but the two
headless bodies, raised the princes
sword and was about 70 sever her own
lovely head when the idol spoke again.
saying: Hold, Take the heads and
set them upon the mems shouldersr'
And the princess did even SO And
the heads grew fast TO the bodies. and
the bodies rose upon their feet
But now II appeared that in her
haste and tumult OF mind the princess
had set the priests head upon the
shoulders OF the prince and The
princes head upon the shoulders o,
the priest. so that IN 4 way each was
the other, yet neither was either, ant
each claimed her as his bride, and
each head. being wise head, spakt
many shrewd arguments one way anC
the other, yet could neither prevail
And so was the princess sore perplex
ed. and. in truth. never have 1 Learned
how logically to conclude the tale.
IN sooth," said the king. might sh,
not have obtained a divorceT'
NAY. sire" replied Shahrazad. "fol
from whom? And which must she
then have married in accordance witt
the word OF the idol?"
Then" proposed the king. why
might they not have matched dinars Il
decide which should have herr"
"Ah, my Lord" said Shahrazad, shak
Ing her head. that would have been IL
accord with the easy, unscientifC
method OF the far west. which would
still have left the problem unsolved."
Surely, then" urged the king. "they
might have fought for her.
And would that have determined
the truth?" responded Shshrazad, land
would not the victor have been either
or both a murderer and q suicide
Alas, my lord. the insoluble perplexity
Of this fair princess hath caused me
much sorrow, and glad am l only thai
such sad dilemmaS do not often occur.
New York Times.