Evening star., 1927-10-06
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
THE ONE.EYED PORTER
BY vOLTAIRE

v9's Of e Hern !. 2e French dsa Critters n 17g
wrote philosophical essays and nara narrative We
| present story first appeared in 1746) :.
! Anybody who was not blind could
see that Mesrour. the porter. hat
| only one eye. lie was born that way
but he was so contented that he
never thought to wish for another
eye. To be sure. he was only a
street porter, and all his wealth was
in his strong shoulders. but he was
happy. He had good appetite, and
he could always toll for the money
wherewith to satisfy it. Every day tC
him represented a new and separate
existence.
Now it happened that one day he
saw n grand princess pass by in a
splendid carriage. Although she had
one more eve than he, he noticed in
spite of that that she was very beau
tiful Since the lack of an eye was
Mesrour's only difference from other
people, he fell deeply in love with the
princess. Since he was blessed with
more legs than eyes he set out to
follow the fine carriage as fast as
those legs would carry him.
At that time it was the fashion for
and to drive their own carriages.
Mesrour kept running along beside
the wheels. now and then turning his
one eye to look at the beautiful
princess, who was surprised to OBJ
serve such agility in a one-eyed man.
While the porter was thus proving
that no exertion was too great Tor
one in love. n beast. pursued by some
hunters, came running out or the
woods and across the road. This
frightened the princess horses sc
that they took the bit between their
teeth and dashed with the carriage
and it's fair occupant toward steep
precipice.
More alarmed even than the
princess, Mesrour sped after his terri
fed beloved. Quick as a flash he cut
the traces. allowing the horses to
make the fatal plunge by themselve.
and leave the carriage safely behind
them. The lady. fully as white as
her horses, escaped with nothing
worse than a bad fright.
"Whoever you may be-" said the
princess, I'm never forget that you
saved my life. You may have what
ever you wish for your reward"
1T would be more reasonable" said
Mesrour, for me to make you such
an offer. Still, with but one eye my
Offering would be less than yours.
A single eye. however. looking at you
is better than two which do not have
that privilege"
This pretty compliment made the
princess smile, for q compliment is
no whit lessened by coming from
one-eyed man.
"I wish I could give you another
eye," she said However, I'll let
you be my escort"
So she stepped down from her car
riage and continued her journey on
foot. Mesrour took his place beside
her as her squire. Yet he offered her
his arm in vain-she said 1t was too
dirty, and would not accept 1t. =.
Now the princess had very small
feet. and shoes still smaller, so that
she was in no way equipped for n
gold embroidered slippers on stony
road, where there Is no one TO see
them but a porter with only one eye?
The princess proceeded as well as snc
could. saying unkind things under herr
breath about her shoemaker, ana
tearing her slippers to shreds, so that
she soon cut her feet and risked
spraining her ankles at every step.
They had gone on this way for per.
haps half q mile. when the princess
fell on the ground, overcome with
fatigue. Mesrour, since his help had
been declined before, now hesitated to
offer his assistance lest he soil her
silvery white gown. His hands were
sinewy and horny. while hers were