A Distinguished Naturalist was travelling in Australia, when he saw a Kangaroo in session and flung a stone at it. The Kangaroo immediately adjourned, tracing against the sunset sky a parabolic curve spanning seven provinces, and evanished below the horizon. The Distinguished Naturalist looked interested, but said nothing for an hour; then he said to his native Guide:
"You have pretty wide meadows here, I suppose?"
"No, not very wide," the Guide answered; "about the same as in England and America."
After another long silence the Distinguished Naturalist said:
"The hay which we shall purchase for our horses this evening--I shall expect to find the stalks about fifty feet long. Am I right?"
"Why, no," said the Guide; "a foot or two is about the usual length of our hay. What can you be thinking of?"
The Distinguished Naturalist made no immediate reply, but later, as in the shades of night they journeyed through the desolate vastness of the Great Lone Land, he broke the silence:
"I was thinking," he said, "of the uncommon magnitude of that gra.s.shopper."
The Pavior
An Author saw a Labourer hammering stones into the pavement of a street, and approaching him said:
"My friend, you seem weary. Ambition is a hard taskmaster."
"I"m working for Mr. Jones, sir," the Labourer replied.
"Well, cheer up," the Author resumed; "fame comes at the most unexpected times. To-day you are poor, obscure, and disheartened, and to-morrow the world may be ringing with your name."
"What are you giving me?" the Labourer said. "Cannot an honest pavior perform his work in peace, and get his money for it, and his living by it, without others talking rot about ambition and hopes of fame?"
"Cannot an honest writer?" said the Author.
The Tried a.s.sa.s.sin
An a.s.sa.s.sin being put upon trial in a New England court, his Counsel rose and said: "Your Honour, I move for a discharge on the ground of "once in jeopardy": my client has been already tried for that murder and acquitted."
"In what court?" asked the Judge.
"In the Superior Court of San Francisco," the Counsel replied.
"Let the trial proceed--your motion is denied," said the Judge. "An a.s.sa.s.sin is not in jeopardy when tried in California."
The b.u.mbo of Jiam
The Pahdour of Patagascar and the Gookul of Madagonia were disputing about an island which both claimed. Finally, at the suggestion of the International League of Cannon Founders, which had important branches in both countries, they decided to refer their claims to the b.u.mbo of Jiam, and abide by his judgment. In settling the preliminaries of the arbitration they had, however, the misfortune to disagree, and appealed to arms. At the end of a long and disastrous war, when both sides were exhausted and bankrupt, the b.u.mbo of Jiam intervened in the interest of peace.
"My great and good friends," he said to his brother sovereigns, "it will be advantageous to you to learn that some questions are more complex and perilous than others, presenting a greater number of points upon which it is possible to differ. For four generations your royal predecessors disputed about possession of that island, without falling out. Beware, oh, beware the perils of international arbitration!--against which I feel it my duty to protect you henceforth."
So saying, he annexed both countries, and after a long, peaceful, and happy reign was poisoned by his Prime Minister.
The Two Poets
Two Poets were quarrelling for the Apple of Discord and the Bone of Contention, for they were very hungry.
"My sons," said Apollo, "I will part the prizes between you. You," he said to the First Poet, "excel in Art--take the Apple. And you," he said to the Second Poet, "in Imagination--take the Bone."
"To Art the best prize!" said the First Poet, triumphantly, and endeavouring to devour his award broke all his teeth. The Apple was a work of Art.
"That shows our Master"s contempt for mere Art," said the Second Poet, grinning.
Thereupon he attempted to gnaw his Bone, but his teeth pa.s.sed through it without resistance. It was an imaginary Bone.
The Thistles upon the Grave
A Mind Reader made a wager that he would be buried alive and remain so for six months, then be dug up alive. In order to secure the grave against secret disturbance, it was sown with thistles. At the end of three months, the Mind Reader lost his money. He had come up to eat the thistles.
The Shadow of the Leader
A Political Leader was walking out one sunny day, when he observed his Shadow leaving him and walking rapidly away.
"Come back here, you scoundrel," he cried.
"If I had been a scoundrel," answered the Shadow, increasing its speed, "I should not have left you."