The king and the Gooseherd

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

One morning he was out walking in the country, where he had gone on holiday for a few days. As the sun was very hot, he stopped and sat down to rest on a seat under a tress. He took a book out of his pocket and tried to read it but, as he was very tired, he soon fell asleep.

When the king awoke, it was past noon. He rose, picked up his cane, and started for home. He had walked a mile or more, when he suddenly remembered his book. He felt for it in his pockets, but could not find it. He had left it under the tree.

The king did not wish back so far. Neither did he wish to lose the book. What should he do?

“Perhaps I can find someone who will go for it,”   said the king himself, as he looked about him.

At the foot of a hill, not far away, he saw a boy tending a flock of geese. The birds were eating the short grass and wading in a shallow brook.

The king walked towards the boy and said to him, “My boy! Do you know the seat under the tree? It is about a mile from here and close to the road-side. I have left my book there. I will give you this gold coin if you will get it for me.”

The eyes of the boy sparkled when he saw the piece of money. “I would like to go,” he said, “but I cannot leave the geese. They would run away and soon be lost.” “The geese will be all right,” replied the king. “I will take good care of them.”

“Take my whip,” said the boy. “I will go for your book. Be sure to keep watch on the big gander. He is the leader, and the whole flock will follow him wherever he goes.”

The king took the whip, and the boy set off to get the book. When some distance away, the lad stopped and called back, “If you want to keep them together, just crack the whip!”

The king sat on a stone and laughed at the thought of being a gooseherd. It was not long until the geese discovered that their master had gone. With a great cackling and hissing, the birds went running across the meadow.

The king ran after them, but he could not run fast enough. He tried to crack the whip, but failed. To make matters worse, the geese flew over a fence and began to eat the flowers and vegetables in a garden.

About half-an-hour later, the goose-boy came back with the book. When he saw that the geese had run away, he began to scold.

“I have found the book and now you have lost the geese. I knew this would happen. You must help me to drive them out of the garden.”

Without saying a word, the good king handed back the whip.

“Stand there at the end of the fence,” ordered the boy. “When I crack the whip, you must shout with all your might.”

The king did as he was told. The boy went into the garden and after a great deal of shouting and cracking of the whip all the geese returned to the meadow.

“I hope you will forgive me if I have not been a good gooseherd,” said the king. “Here are two gold pieces – one for bringing my book and one for all the trouble I have caused you. You see, I am the king, and I am not used to such work.”

“The king!” cried the boy in surprise. “I did not know. I am sorry if I made you angry. You are a king man, and everyone says that you are a good king.”

“Yes,” replied the king with a smile. “I may be a good king, but I am a poor gooseherd.”

(Adapted)