Show I THE WISE FOOL AND THE SILLY SAGE Once upon a time there was a very poor cobbler who had seventeen children children children chil chil- dren a and d co could cod d hardly ardly ever get them enough enough- to eat The youngest of them was Jack crack b but tashe as as' as he was considered a stupid fellow rio no one ever paid any attention at attention at- at to him him and nd he was left to towander towander wander ander about b lut the country at his will Not far from the cobblers cobbler's leaky cottage cottage cottage cot cot- tage was th the treat neat eat home of ot a very yew wise wiseman man man man-at at least the man himself thought he was very wise but some folks said eald that th t If It had not been for the mans man's wife the poor fellow w would uld have starved stan to death from never remembering remember remember- ing his meals Now this wise man was called a asage sage by the ignorant people of the n neighborhood and thus got an Immense immense Im Im- mense ense reputation atlon for learning So one morning Jack announced at breakfast that he was going t to get a 0 position with the tho sage And pray what can a fool do In the service of a wise man 7 laughed the father That remains to be seen replied Jack bravely But one thing is sure I 1 could not do do worse there th re than han 1 I doat do doat doat I at home for tor I see there is not enough bread in the cupboard for another meal So Jack started off chewing his gum and singing between times When he reached the sages sage's home the wise man put him at work worl at once And as he sat he heard a royal herald going by proclaiming that the king was In ne need d dot of ot ota a minister and would select one from the wisest men in his kingdom kingdom king king- dom but they must come at once to the great hall to be examined as aa to their wisdom I I 1 will go and try for tor the post said the sage to Jack I am sure there are none norie in the kingdom wiser than I. I And you must go with me So Jack made up a bundle of the wise mans man's things and put them in a abig abig abig big oilcloth Then the two set out for forthe forthe forthe the audience hall bail at the palace The castle yard was full of men hurrying about but no one ode seemed to have yet secured the prize The band was playing In the court the pages flying about and the king looking very grand In his royal purple when the sage and Jack entered On the right of the king sat his fair daughter the beautiful Princess May and it was to her hands that the king I confided hIs hla contest I Now the first test exclaimed the I princess ess to the s sage ge is to go to the spring and bring me this bucket of I water So the wise man set off oft to the spring sprIng with Jack at his heels but as soon as ashe ashe ashe he had filled the pall pail the water ran out for It had two holes In the he tin bottom The wise man did nothing but scratch his head but Jack fixed the matter I That is easy remarked the boyI boy I I can stop those leaks In five seconds with my chewing gum gum So the two went back to the princess with the bucket full of water You have succeeded this time cried the princess But this Is ts t the e second test I 1 wish to walk through the world on gold How may I 1 build such sucha a path so every step I take I can tread read on the shining metal another easy one whispered Jack to the sage You see her gown is heavily embroidered in gold Tell her to use the same cloth In lining the soles of her shoes and every step she takes she will tread on gold The sage did this and again the princess said he had won Before we make the third test test said the princess who had noticed that a storm was coming we will take a walk In the garden So the princess and the sage walked out arm room In arm and Jack quietly slipped around behind his master In Ina Ina Ina a few moments it began to pour but the sage knew not what to do but stand under a n tree This did not succeed succeed succeed suc suc- for the water dripped down on the golden hair of the princess I 1 wish I 1 could protect you fair madam said sald the sage in despair That Is easily done cried Jack emptying the oilcloth of ot its contents content and spreading and spreading It carefully around the princess In half an hour the storm was over and the three went back to the hallOn hall On the way Jack thought thought sadly sadly how beautiful she looked and how much he would Ilko to have her for fora a wife yet he knew that a poor fellow like himself could not dare hope dare hope to wed the daughter daugh daugh- ter of the king Yet It seemed that the princess princes did look at him with very f friendly eyes f for r Jack was a fine appearing appearing appearing ap ap- lad and people were much mistaken mistaken mis mis- taken who thought him a fool 1001 I 1 have decided at last who must be the minister of state said the princess rising and sweeping forward rd grandly in her magnificent robes I Every man has failed but one and I he only succeeded through the wisdom of his page I 1 find the wisest one In Inthis inthis inthis this kingdom Is Jack and he shall be bethe bethe bethe the minister of state And Anc the next day he was clad In a beautiful robe to be made minister while within a month wedding bells bells' bells I were ringing for his ma marriage to tote t the e eI princess I Copyright 1916 by the McClure Newspaper Newspaper News News- I paper Syndicate New York City |