G. 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