75 THE KING AND THE GOOSEHERD

I

Long ago, in a land across the sea, there lived a good king who loved books more than anything else in all the world.

One day the King sat down upon a bench in the castle park to read. He was tired, and the day was hot, so he fell asleep.

After a while the good King woke up. “I will take a long walk, ”he said to himself, “and see the beautiful lake.”He did not think of his book until he had gone far from the park.

“Perhaps I can find someone to send back for it, ”thought the king, as he looked about him. On a hill-side, not far away, he saw a boy tending a flock of geese.

So the King went to the goose-herd and said to him, “My boy, I left a book upon a bench by the gate in the park. I will give you a silver piece if you will get it for me.”

The eyes of the boy sparkled as he saw the piece of money.“I would run to the park many times for such a silver piece, ”he said, “It is more than I get in a month for tending geese. But what will become of my flock while I am gone? ”

“The geese will be all right, ”answered the king, “I will take care of them.”

“You! ”cried the boy, laughing. “You are too fat and too slow to watch over geese. They would run away from you and get into the meadow by the lake. Do you see that big black gander? He would lead the whole flock away. No! I cannot leave my geese, even for your piece of silver.”

“My boy, I can keep people in order, ”said the king, “Surely I can take care of a few geese for a little while.”

“You keep people in order! ”the goose-herd cried in surprise.“Oh, you must be the school-master. But you would find that it is much easier to manage boys than geese! ”

“That may be so, ”said the King, “But get me the book, and I will pay for any harm the geese may do while you are gone.”

“Well, then, take my whip, ”answered the gooseherd, “and I will go. Be sure to keep your eyes on the black gander.”

So the King took the whip, and the boy started off toward the castle park. All at once he stopped and called back, “Crack the whip, School-master! Crack the whip! ”

The King swung the whip, first to one side and then to the other, but it made no sound.

“You a school-master! ”cried the boy, running back to the King. “And yet you cannot crack a whip! Here, let me show you how to do it.”

Taking the whip from the King's hand, the goose-herd swung it over his head and made it crack with a loud noise. At once the geese gathered quickly together. Then the boy ran off for the book, as fast as his legs could carry him.

II

Soon the big black gander lifted up his head and looked about him. When he saw that a strange man held the whip, he flapped his wings and gave a shrill cry.

At once all the geese began to run toward the meadow by the lake. After them ran the King, shouting as loud as he could,“Stop! Stop! Come back to the hill-side! ”

He tried to crack the whip, but no sound came, and soon the geese were feeding all over the meadow. The King worked harder and harder, but he could not drive even one goose back to the hill-side.

“The boy was right, after all, ”he said to himself, “It is easier to manage thousands of men than one flock of geese.”

After a while the little goose-herd came back with the book. He looked for his geese, but they were running over the meadow, eating the long grass.

“There! ”said the angry boy, turning to the king. “I knew how it would be! And I can never drive them together by myself. Come and help me! ”

Without saying a word, the good King gave the whip to the boy.

“Stand at this corner of the meadow, ”said the gooseherd,“Stretch out your arms! Now, move them up and down. When I give you the word, shout with all your might at the geese.”

Then the boy set out for the end of the field, where the big black gander was running about and feeding.

“Now, shout! ”called out the goose-herd.

The King stretched out his arms, waved them up and down, and shouted with all his might. At the same time the gooseherd cracked his whip, and the whole flock of geese ran out of the meadow.

“Never again shall anyone get my whip away from me! ”said the boy, “I would not give it to the King himself.”

The king laughed. “You are right, ”he said, “for the king is as poor a goose-herd as I am. But here is another silver piece to pay for the harm that the geese have done. Do not be angry with me. I never tended geese before. You see, I am the King.”

“The King! ”cried the boy in surprise. “Well, you are a kind man, anyway, and everyone says that you are a good King. But just the same, you are a very poor goose-herd.”

(Old Persian Tale)

Word list

goose herd: a large group of geese

tending: looking after

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) What did the King love more than anything else in the world?

2) Why did the King send someone else to get the book from the park bench?

3) How did the goose herd feel about the silver piece?

4) Why did the goose herd think the King could not tend the geese?

5) Why did the King think he could tend the geese?

6) Why did the King help the goose herd get the geese together again?

B) What's the word? Using the clues, write the correct words from the story.

1) a home for kings and queens: c _ _ _ _ _

2) a place to sit: b _ _ _ _

3) a kind of metal: s _ _ _ _ _

4) a kind of goose: g _ _ _ _ _

5) injury, hurt: h _ _ _

C) True or false? Read these sentences carefully. Write true or false for each one.

1) _____ The king loved geese more than anything else.

2) _____ The goose herd loved reading books.

3) _____ The goose herd knew who the king was.

4) _____ The king was very kind.

5) _____ The king was a good goose herd.