14. The Story Without an End

Once a King who never tired of hearing stories said: “If any one can tell me a story that will last forever, I will give him my daughter and half my kingdom, but if he fails he shall have his head cut off.” The King’s daughter was very pretty, so many young men tried; but a week, a month, two or three months was all they could spin out their story, and off came their heads. At last a young man came who said, “I can tell a story that will last forever.” The King and his daughter begged him not to try, for they did not want to see another fine fellow lose his head. But he insisted that he would not fail, and so began his story: “Once upon a time a king built a high granary, and filled it with wheat to the very top. But in building it the workmen had left a very little hole near the ground, just large enough to let one little ant through. So a little ant went in and carried off a grain of wheat, then another little ant went in and carried off another grain of wheat, then another little ant went in and carried off another grain of wheat.” Day after day, week after week, the story-teller kept saying, “Then another little ant went in and carried off another grain of wheat.” “Tell us what happened after that?” pleaded the King. “O King, I must first tell you this,” he said; and so he continued several weeks longer. At last the King cried; “Man! Man! you will drive me wild with your ants. Take my daughter; be my heir; rule my kingdom; but let me hear no more of your abominable ants.” So the man married the King’s daughter, and they lived happily. But the King never cared to hear any more stories.