The Story Without An End

There was once a king who was very fond of stories. He lived a long time ago before there were any storybooks. He would listen to his storytellers from morning until night. Once a story was over another had to be started at once. The king would become very angry when no one was ready with a new story.

At last, he said: "Whoever will tell me a story that has no ending shall marry my daughter and he shall be king after me. But whoever starts a story and ends it, I will throw him into prison and there he shall stay."

Many young princesses and noblemen came from far and near with their stories. Everyone tried but no one could come up with a story without an end. At last, all of them were thrown into prison.

But there came a day when no one appeared before the king to tell the story. At last, he was about to give his prisoners another chance, when a young man appeared before him. He was not a prince or a nobleman. He was the son of a poor workman who lived near the palace.

"I came to tell you a story," he said, "a story without an end."