MODERN PARABLE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 80, 20 July 1942, Page 6

MODERN PARABLE

In the little State of Coma, sit-uated—-well, never mind, geography is not our strong point—the time had come when, according to the custom of the country, half of the Grand Council of Six would have to retire in rotation. So the Prince who was the ruler of the State called unto him three of his courtiers and said to them : "Go out into the highways and the by-ways, and when you have found three honest men bring them back with you to my palace, for as first of tilings in my Grand Council J will have Honesty. ,y So the three went lorth upon the high roads and the low roads and at the end of six months they came back"Well," said the Prince, "where I are the honest men that I bade you j bring back with 3-011?" And the eldest of Lhe three made answer: "Your Highness, in all the length and breadth of >our dominions we could not find one honest man." •"Why. then." said (he Prince joyfully, "unwillingly you have solved the problem, lor all ol you have brothers and friends and relatives, rind vet you have not a.i'owed any personal, consideration ia .■■■way you in your findings. Yon, ye my iriends. are the hone:--; aaaa : 1 nrl from this day onward vnu shall be permanent members of the Grand Council of Coma." The three bowed and withdrew. Out in the passageway, the three burst into uncontrollable laughter uml milled each other on the back. "I knew it would work." said the eldest, "for no Prince could resist such an opportunity and wise comeback that will probably appear as n story in the kids'-' lesson becks a couple of hundred years from -now."