Evening star., 1927-11-30

fThe name of Anatole France has become
especially familiar TO American @ resners snrs s,rse
And he honored his native country with nus
surname in. 1874. His writing went on our
ing a period of 40 years.
The scene of this simple tale is laid
Ear away, both in time and distance,
an the ancient land of Persia. The
Young Prince Zemire had succeeded
hi. father on the throne. Now Iemlre
twas anxious to become learned, ana
no he summoned all the scholars OF
his kingdom to appear before him.
When the venerable and learned
men had assembled the young King
addressed them solemnly as follows:
my teacher throughout my youth
rave me to understand that kings,
after all, are but human, like every
one else. At the same time, ne toid
me that monarchs would probably
make far fewer errors than they usual
iy do IL they could but know and bene.
at by the experiences of mankind and
Its rulers in the past.
History, after all, Is the great
teacher of the present 1t Is precedent
that makes all experience, and / would
know what the past has been so that
may govern with wisdom and en-
lightenment. That is why / want to
study the history of all people, so that
II can avoid. the mistakes OF other
kings and other times and benef1t
from their good works.
therefore, l have summoned you
eogether, the wise men of my king
dom. / order you to set to work at
once and prepare for me history OF
mankind from the beginning of things
until now-and command you to
omit nothing that will make that his
tory less than complete.
The scholars promised to do their
Dest to fulfill the wishes of the young
prince. who was now King. They had
! NO sooner Withdrawn from the royal
presence than they set to work in
earnest. 1t was colossal task, but
/ they undertook 1t with determination
and ardor.
At the end of 20 years of tremen-
Nous effort they felt that 1t was time
. TO go again before their King. As
they entered the palace grounds they
were followed by a caravan OF II
camels-and each camel was loaded
with a burden Of no less than 500
large volumes
The spokesman for the scholars,
having prostrated himself before the
| throne, spoke as follows:
Sire, the scholars of your kingdom
(; have the honor to place at your feet
the complete history of mankind, pre-
pared, sire, in obedience to your com
mands. This history is in 5000 large
volumes, and we assure you that
everything is included which We could
find that relates of the manners of all
peoples and the growth and change OF
past empires.
''In these books, sire. you will find
ancient chronicles that have happily
been preserved. We have illustrated
these chronicles with adequate notes
giving information concerning geog
raphy, chronology and all the phases
of political affairs.
This history is SO complete, sire
that the introduction alone makes ur
the load of one camel, and the ex
planatory notes make almost more
than still another camel can bear in
the caravan of IL which brings these
volumes to your palace"
The King listened gravely to these
words. and then made his reply:
Gentlemen, assure you that ! ap
preciate the great pains YOU have
taken to supply so complete a history
of mankind. Just now, however, my
time is almost wholly taken up with
the demands of my present govern
ment. Besides, my friends, l am %
years older than / was when / first
set you to work.
II have arrived, indeed, at the mid