CHAPTER X 



THE GUINEA-FOWL 



upon a time That begins, you see, like 

 the stories of Cinderella and of the Ass 's Skin. 

 Are we going to spend our time in the recital of the 

 wonders of some fairy godmother? Not at all. I 

 am simply going to tell you the story of the guinea- 

 fowl; and this story happens to be connected, in its 

 first part, with a certain fable told thousands and 

 thousands of years ago, in the evening by the fire- 

 side, to little boys, just as to-day you are told the 

 tragic adventures of Hop o' my Thumb with the 

 Ogre. I start again then. 



"In that corner of the world known as Greece, a 

 corner so illustrious in ages long past, there was once 

 upon a time a valiant young man, son of the king of 

 the country, whose favorite occupation was hunting. 

 I say occupation and not recreation, because in those 

 hard times when industrial pursuits were just begin- 

 ning, the country was overrun with wild animals 

 from which one had constantly to defend oneself and 

 one's flock, only recently herded together under the 

 shepherd's crook. At the risk of their own lives 

 brave men undertook this harsh duty. Many suc- 

 cumbed to it, some acquired renown great enough to 

 survive the lapse of centuries and come down to our 



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