THE MAN WITH A HUNDRED SONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 231, 29 September 1928, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE MAN WITH A HUNDRED SONS.

A certain Serbian had a hundred sons, and the cost of their clothes, toys, and sweeties was very great.

Still he never grumbled, and looked forward to the day when they would be grown up. -A h, but he was worse off then! One after the other they said to him: "Father, I am old enough to be married; please find me a good wife.'

The poor old man got on a pony and rode off on his quest. He had very little luck till one day he saw another old man ploughing, and his tears dropped on the newlv-turned earth.

"What is the matter, brother?" atked the traveller; "you weep like a cloud.'

"So would yon," replied the ploughman, "if you had a hundred daughters to provide for. as I have."

"We are well met!" cried the old man, jumping from his pony. The two became friends. The son? and daughters met and fell in love with ea-eh other In the most lucky fashion. They agreed to bo married on the same day.

Well, tlitre -was more work for the Oj<l man, for a Serbian wedding is a very magnificent affair. Tlie bridegroom comes in procession to fetch his bride, with two bride-leaders, with witnesses, running footmen, standard bearers, and guests. The old man had to find these people a hundred times over. No wonder that ho was tired and confused on the day of the wedding; no wonder that he did not miss one person in that huge crowd.

The procession reached the brides' home in isafqty, and after exchanging gifts and feasting they set off on the return journey. It was now growing dusk, but they had no mishap till they reached a wide river called Luckless. There was a broad bridge over it. When the procession was half-way across the sides of the bridge began to draw together. Horses neighed, brides screamed, men shouted angrily, as they were all squeezed like a sponge in a man's fist.

All at once a voice called from the other bank: "Who is the head of the procession?" and the party saw a black giant towering up in the gloom.

"1 am the head of the procession." cried the old man. "If this is your bridge, sir, for mercy's sake let my guests come across." The giant replied: "I will do that if you promise to give me what you havo forgotten at home. If you can recognise it in three years' time you shall have it back. Ia it a bargain!"

"Yes, yes!" cried the old man; and immediately the bridge expanded, the procession passed over, and the giant vanished from sight.

As the wedding party drew near home they saw a solitary figure coming to meet them. It was one of the hundred sons!

"Oh, my chied," wailed the man, "I never missed you!. How did this happen? Where have you been?"

"I crave your pardon, and my bride's," said the son. "I was so weary with the work we had overnight in preparing for the wedding that I never woke till noon."

Then a dreadful silence fell. Presently, in a voice broken by sobs, the old man told the boy that he was forfeit to the black giant.

In three days the monster came to Carry Mm off. As they parted the

father and the bride called to the prisoner: "]%eep a good heart! We will come for you in three years' time." How long it seemed! At last the tirns was up, and the poor old man set out for River Luckless again. He had not emiled once in all those days. The black giant came to meet him. He carried a pol© on which were perched a sparrow, a dove and a quail. "If you can say which is your son ycu may keep him," he said. The old man gazed and gazed, but he could not tell, and at last he stumbled away. As he went he began to think that the sparrow had looked at him very hard, so he ran back and begged the giant to let him. try again. The giant smiled, and brought out a partridge, a titmouse'and a thrush. But still, stare as he might, the old mail could find no clut. He went off •weeping. But as lie reached home he thought, "I will choose one and risk all!"' .Again lie returned, and asked for a last chance. The giant showed him a sparrow, a dove and a woodpecker. .As the old man looked intent)y ho saw a tear gathering in the dove's eye. '"That is the bird with a human soul! ' he thought, and seized it. Suddenly he found that lie Mas grasping his son's shoulder and that the giant had on>\m«re vanished. The feajst of a hundred weddings wa.as nothing compared to thf fea-t of o:v. joyous home-coming.