id not turn them out, I am certain they are still there.
THE WICKED KING.
There was once a king who was so wicked that he would not allow any
widows to live in his kingdom, because he was certain that they had
caused the death of their husbands; nor would he admit of any fat man or
woman, as he was afraid that they would eat up everything in the
kingdom.
He was also very proud and arrogant, and if any man happened to be
taller than himself, he would give him the choice of being lowered to a
proper height by either having his head or his legs cut off.
His subjects were so afraid of him and of his laws, that the married
women would not let their husbands go out of their sight, lest any harm
should happen to them, and if they turned at all pale, or had broken
sleep, or had lost their appetites, they would nurse them night and day.
So afraid were they of becoming widows that they always agreed with
their husbands on all points, lest by disagreeing they should bring
about an attack of indigestion, or something worse that might produce
death.
And when their children commenced to grow rapidly, their fears were
doubled lest they should become taller than the king; for if they fed
them on pudding, which does not promote growth, they incurred the danger
of their becoming fat; and if they fed them on meat, so as to make them
lean, they would probably grow tall.
It very soon became evident that there were more hunchbacks in that
country than in any other; for as soon as the children were approaching
the forbidden height, their parents would suspend heavy weights from
their shoulders, so that their backs became rounded and eventually
humped.
The young men, when they were at an age to marry, found it very
difficult to get any woman to have them, because they were afraid of
becoming widows, and also because so many of the men were humpbacked.
But, notwithstanding the king's wickedness, it was admitted by the
married men that their condition had considerably improved.
There was a wide road made round the cities and towns, on which all who
were inclined to be stout, both men and women, would run until they were
out of breath, and jump over hurdles; and there were so many of these
people that the revenues of the Church commenced to suffer, owing to the
decreased demand for "bulls," as they willingly imposed long fasts on
themselves.
Now, in the chief city of this country there was a very wise man, well
vers
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