|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 21
KING. I cannot bear so short a story!
PRINCESS. Why, father; for three months we have listened to it!
KING. 'Tis short, I say! I bid you make it longer, sir!
STORY-TELLER. I cannot, Sire. The prince married the princess. There is
nothing--
KING. Throw him out of the palace, guards! Cut off his head!
[_Guards seize the Story-Teller._]
PRINCESS. Father!
LORDS. Your Majesty!
LADIES. Sire!
PRINCESS. Spare his life!
STORY-TELLER. Let me keep my head, Sire!
KING. Why should you keep it? You do not use it.
STORY-TELLER. For three months I have used it, Sire!
KING. Your story is too short, I say! Away with him, guards! Away!
(_Guards take out the First Story-Teller._)
Bid another Story-Teller come!
(_A guard admits the_ SECOND STORY-TELLER, _who bows before the King and
Princess._)
Sir, hear me. You must tell a story that will last forever.
SECOND STORY-TELLER. I hear, O King!
KING. If you can do this, you shall marry my daughter and be king after
me.
SECOND STORY-TELLER. I hear, O King!
KING. If you fail, you shall lose your head. Begin! And remember, the
story must go on forever. Now again I say, begin!
SECOND STORY-TELLER. "Once upon a time a certain king seized upon all
the corn in his country. He had it stored in a strong granary. Then came
a swarm of locusts over the land. Soon they found a crack in the south
side of the granary. Now the crack was just large enough for one locust
to pass through at a time. So one locust went in and carried away a
grain of corn. Then another locust went in and carried away a grain of
corn. Then another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn.
Then--"
KING (_interrupting)._ Yes, yes! Now go on with the story.
SECOND STORY-TELLER. The story shall go on, O King! "Then another locust
went in and carried away another grain of corn. Then another locust--"
KING (_interrupting). I_ tell you to go on with the story!
SECOND STORY-TELLER. I obey, great King. "Then another locust went in
and carried away another grain of corn. Then another--"
KING. The story! The story, I tell you!
SECOND STORY-TELLER. This is the story, O King! "Then another locust
went in and carried away another grain of corn. Then--"
KING. I cannot stand it! How long will it take the locusts to carry away
all the grain?
SECOND STORY-TELLER. One thousand years, O King! "Then another locust
went in and--"
KING. Stop! Stop! Take my daughter! Be king after me! Be king now!
Anything to stop the locusts!
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|