yellow-green fairy tale book

Chapter 26 The Billy Goat and the King
Once upon a time there was a king who understood the languages ​​of all birds, beasts, and insects.He had been taught this skill by his fairy godmother, but it was also a gift that was likely to get him into trouble.For he knew that if he revealed what the animals said he would be turned into a stone.How he avoided this tragedy before this story happened, I don't know.However, let's just say that he has grown up safely, married a wife, and lived happily like other kings.

One thing to note is that this king was a Hindu.When a Hindus eats, he sits in the center of a small patch of freshly soiled, clean ground and wears very little clothing.This is very different from what we are used to.

One day, the king was eating on such a clean ground that had just been covered with dirt, and his wife sat opposite him to accompany him and serve him.While eating, some rice grains fell to the ground.A small ant looking for food passed by and saw it, picked up a grain of rice and walked into the hole.Just as he was walking out of the field where the king was eating, he came across another ant.The king heard the second ant say:

"Ah! dear friend! Give me your grain of rice! Go and carry another. You see, my shoes are so dirty that if I go on the king's table, they will be soiled. This kind of I can't do that, it's too rude."

But the other ant replied, "If you want, you can carry it yourself! No one will notice your dirty shoes. You don't think I am carrying rice for the whole family!"

Hearing this, the king laughed.

The queen looked herself up and down, and could not see or feel that she had anything worthy of the king's laughter, so she asked:
"what are you laughing at?"

"Am I laughing?" the king asked back.

"Of course you laugh," said the Queen, "and if you think me ridiculous, I wish you would say so, and not express it in such a foolish way! What are you laughing at?"

"I am not laughing at anything," replied the king.

"But you did laugh, and I wonder why."

"Well! I'm afraid I can't tell you!" said the king.

"You must tell me," said the Queen impatiently, "that if there is really nothing funny and you laugh, you must be sick or mad. What is it?"

Still the king would not tell, and the queen declared that she must know.The quarrel went on for several days, and the queen gave the king so much trouble that at last the poor king was going mad.In the end, he thought, instead of going on like this, living is meaningless, he might as well tell her the secret, and let things go as they should!

"But," he thought again, "if I were to be turned into a stone, if there was a way, I wouldn't want to lie on a dusty road and be kicked around by people and animals, or be used to beat dogs, so that Those naughty children play, so there is no peace, it is too miserable. I would rather be a stone at the bottom of the river, roll slowly in the cool water, and stay there forever when I find a safe place to rest."

So he told his wife that if she would ride with him to the middle of the river, he would tell her why she laughed.She thought he was joking, so she agreed with a smile.When the horse was ready, they set off together.

On the way they saw a clear spring surrounded by tall and lush trees.The king proposed to come down and rest for a while, and drink some cool spring water, before continuing on the road.The queen agreed.They dismounted and sat down in the shade by the spring to rest.

As it happened, an old goat and his wife were grazing nearby.While the king and queen were sitting there resting, the ewe came to the spring, and saw some young leaves growing on the walls of the spring.

"Hey!" the female goat called to the male goat, "Come and see, there are some young leaves here that make my mouth water, come and pick some for me!"

The billy goat walked over unhurriedly, and after looking at it, he glanced at his wife angrily.

"You want me to pick those leaves for you, don't you? I don't think you've ever thought about how I'm going to get them! You haven't even thought about it, and if you did, you'd know , if I really went to pick those leaves, I would surely fall into the spring and drown!"

"Ah!" cried the ewe, "how did you fall? Try it! See if you can pick them off!"

"I'm not so stupid," replied the billy-goat.

But the ewe still cried and begged it.

"You see," said the ram, "there are many fools in the world, but I am not. This foolish king, because he could not help his wife's curiosity, decided to give up his life. But I know how to do it." Cure your stupidity, just wait!"

As she said that, it hit the ewe with its horns several times. In less than 2 minutes, the ewe obediently went elsewhere to look for food, and she already felt that the leaves by the spring were not worth picking.

The king heard every word clearly, and laughed again.

The queen looked at him suspiciously.He stood up and walked towards her.

"Are you still determined to know what I was laughing at that day?" asked the king.

"Of course." The queen replied angrily.

"Because," said the King, taking up the whip and patting his leg, "I have decided not to tell you, and I am also determined not to mention it again."

"What do you mean?" asked the Queen anxiously.

"Well!" said the king, "I have found that the billy goat, if he is displeased with his wife, puts his horns on him, and that seems to solve the problem..."

"You mean you will beat me too?" cried the Queen.

"I'm sorry I have to do it," said the King, "but I advise you to go home nicely and stop asking silly questions when I say I can't answer you.

Of course, if you insist, hey..."

Finally, both the queen and the king returned.It is said that they were happier and wiser afterwards than before.

(End of this chapter)