(_Guards take out the First Story-Teller._)
(_A guard admits the_ SECOND STORY-TELLER, _who bows before the King and Princess._)
Sir, hear me. You must tell a story that will last forever.
KING. If you can do this, you shall marry my daughter and be king after me.
KING. If you fail, you shall lose your head. Begin! And remember, the story must go on forever. Now again I say, begin!
SECOND STORY-TELLER. "Once upon a time a certain king seized upon all the corn in his country. He had it stored in a strong granary. Then came a swarm of locusts over the land. Soon they found a crack in the south side of the granary. Now the crack was just large enough for one locust to pass through at a time. So one locust went in and carried away a grain of corn. Then another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn. Then another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn. Then--"
KING (_interrupting)._ Yes, yes! Now go on with the story.
SECOND STORY-TELLER. The story shall go on, O King! "Then another locust went in and carried away another grain of corn. Then another locust--"
KING (_interrupting). I_ tell you to go on with the story!
SECOND STORY-TELLER. I obey, great King. "Then another locust went in and carried away another grain of corn. Then another--"
SECOND STORY-TELLER. This is the story, O King! "Then another locust went in and carried away another grain of corn. Then--"
KING. I cannot stand it! How long will it take the locusts to carry away all the grain?
SECOND STORY-TELLER. One thousand years, O King! "Then another locust went in and--"
KING. Stop! Stop! Take my daughter! Be king after me! Be king now! Anything to stop the locusts!
TIME: _late afternoon in autumn._ PLACE: _Holland._
[_The_ CHILDREN _enter. They carry buckets full of nuts._]
FRIEDA. Let us run. Then we shall not be cold.
PETER. How can we run? We shall spill our nuts.
[Illustration: 'THERE IS WATER ON THE SAND HERE']
PETER. There was no rain yesterday. There was no rain to-day.
PETER. What if the water comes through the dike!
JACOB. Oh, that could not be! How could water get through that thick wall?
PETER. There might be a hole in it. I will see.
GRETCHEN. Peter, Peter! Your mother waits for you.
PETER. I must find where the water comes from.