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　　’No，’hethought，’thoughitwillmakemylandlop-sided，Imusthurrybackinastraightlinenow。Imightgotoofar，andasitisI

　　haveagreatdealofland。’

　　SoPah&oacute；mhurriedlydugahole，andturnedstraighttowardsthehillock。

　　IX

　　Pah&oacute；mwentstraighttowardsthehillock，buthenowwalkedwithdifficulty。Hewasdoneupwiththeheat，hisbarefeetwerecutandbruised，andhislegsbegantofail。Helongedtorest，butitwasimpossibleifhemeanttogetbackbeforesunset。Thesunwaitsfornoman，anditwassinkinglowerandlower。

　　’Ohdear，’hethought，’ifonlyIhavenotblunderedtryingfortoomuch！WhatifIamtoolate？’

　　Helookedtowardsthehillockandatthesun。Hewasstillfarfromhisgoal，andthesunwasalreadyneartherimPah&oacute；mwalkedonandon；itwasveryhardwalking，buthewentquickerandquicker。Hepressedon，butwasstillfarfromtheplace。Hebeganrunning，threwawayhiscoat，hisboots，hisflask，andhiscap，andkeptonlythespadewhichheusedasasupport。

　　’WhatshallIdo，’hethoughtagain，’Ihavegraspedtoomuch，andruinedthewholeaffair。Ican’tgettherebeforethesunsets。’

　　Andthisfearmadehimstillmorebreathless。Pah&oacute；mwentonrunning，hissoakingshirtandtrousersstucktohim，andhismouthwasparched。Hisbreastwasworkinglikeablacksmith’sbellows，hisheartwasbeatinglikeahammer，andhislegsweregivingwayasiftheydidnotbelongtohim。Pah&oacute；mwasseizedwithterrorlestheshoulddieofthestrain。

　　Thoughafraidofdeath，hecouldnotstop。’AfterhavingrunallthatwaytheywillcallmeafoolifIstopnow，’thoughthe。Andheranonandon，anddrewnearandheardtheBashk&iacute；rsyellingandshoutingtohim，andtheircriesinflamedhisheartstillmore。Hegatheredhislaststrengthandranon。

　　Thesunwasclosetotherim，andcloakedinmistlookedlarge，andredasblood。Now，yesnow，itwasabouttoset！Thesunwasquitelow，buthewasalsoquitenearhisaim。Pah&oacute；mcouldalreadyseethepeopleonthehillockwavingtheirarmstohurryhimup。

　　Hecouldseethefox-furcapontheground，andthemoneyonit，andtheChiefsittingonthegroundholdinghissides。AndPah&oacute；mrememberedhisdream。

　　’Thereisplentyofland，’thoughthe，’butwillGodletmeliveonit？Ihavelostmylife，Ihavelostmylife！Ishallneverreachthatspot！’

　　Pah&oacute；mlookedatthesun，whichhadreachedtheearth:onesideofithadalreadydisappeared。Withallhisremainingstrengthherushedon，bendinghisbodyforwardsothathislegscouldhardlyfollowfastenoughtokeephimfromfalling。Justashereachedthehillockitsuddenlygrewdark。Helookedup——thesunhadalreadyset！Hegaveacry:’Allmylabourhasbeeninvain，’thoughthe，andwasabouttostop，butheheardtheBashk&iacute；rsstillshouting，andrememberedthatthoughtohim，frombelow，thesunseemedtohaveset，theyonthehillockcouldstillseeit。Hetookalongbreathandranupthehillock。Itwasstilllightthere。Hereachedthetopandsawthecap。BeforeitsattheChieflaughingandholdinghissides。AgainPah&oacute；mrememberedhisdream，andheutteredacry:hislegsgavewaybeneathhim，hefellforwardandreachedthecapwithhishands。

　　’Ah，that’safinefellow！’exclaimedtheChief’Hehasgainedmuchland！’

　　Pah&oacute；m’sservantcamerunningupandtriedtoraisehim，buthesawthatbloodwasfloggingfromhismouth。Pah&oacute；mwasdead！

　　TheBashk&iacute；rsclickedtheirtonguestoshowtheirpity。

　　HisservantpickedupthespadeanddugagravelongenoughforPah&oacute；mtohein，andburiedhiminit。Sixfeetfromhisheadtohisheelswasallheneeded。

　　agrainasbigasahen’seggAGRAINASBIGASAHEN’SEGG

　　ONEdaysomechildrenfound，inaravine，athingshapedlikeagrainofcorn，withagroovedownthemiddle，butaslargeasahen’segg。Atravellerpassingbysawthething，boughtitfromthechildrenforapenny，andtakingittotownsoldittotheKingasacuriosity。

　　TheKingcalledtogetherhiswisemen，andtoldthemtofindoutwhatthethingwas。Thewisemenponderedandponderedandcouldnotmakeheadortailofit，tilloneday，whenthethingwaslyingonawindow-sill，ahenflewinandpeckedatittillshemadeaholeinit，andtheneveryonesawthatitwasagrainofcorn。ThewisemenwenttotheKingandsaid:

　　’Itisagrainofcorn。’

　　AtthistheKingwasmuchsurprised；andheorderedthelearnedmentofindoutwhenandwheresuchcornhadgrown。Thelearnedmenponderedagain，andsearchedintheirbooks，butcouldfindnothingaboutit。SotheyreturnedtotheKingandsaid:

　　’Wecangiveyounoanswer。Thereisnothingaboutitinourbooks。

　　Youwillhavetoaskthepeasants；perhapssomeofthemmayhaveheardfromtheirfatherswhenandwheregraingrewtosuchasize。’

　　SotheKinggaveordersthatsomeveryoldpeasantshouldbebroughtbeforehim；andhisservantsfoundsuchamanandbroughthimtotheKing。Oldandbent，ashypaleandtoothless，hejustmanagedwiththehelpoftwocrutchestototterintotheKing’spresence。

　　TheKingshowedhimthegrain，buttheoldmancouldhardlyseeit；

　　hetookit，however，andfeltitwithhishands。TheKingquestionedhim，saying:

　　’Canyoutellus，oldman，wheresuchgrainasthisgrew？Haveyoueverboughtsuchcorn，orsownsuchinyourfields？’

　　TheoldmanwassodeafthathecouldhardlyhearwhattheKingsaid，andonlyunderstoodwithgreatdifficulty。

　　’No！’heansweredatlast，’Ineversowednorreapedanylikeitinmyfields，nordidIeverbuyanysuch。Whenweboughtcorn，thegrainswerealwaysassmallastheyarenow。Butyoumightaskmyfather。Hemayhaveheardwheresuchgraingrew。’

　　SotheKingsentfortheoldman’sfather，andhewasfoundandbroughtbeforetheKing。Hecamewalkingwithonecrutch。TheKingshowedhimthegrain，andtheoldpeasant，whowasstillabletosee，tookagoodlookatit。AndtheKingaskedhim:

　　’Canyounottellus，oldman，wherecornlikethisusedtogrow？Haveyoueverboughtanylikeit，orsownanyinyourfields？’

　　Thoughtheoldmanwasratherhardofhearing，hestillheardbetterthanhissonhaddone。

　　’No，’hesaid，’Ineversowednorreapedanygrainlikethisinmyfield。

　　Astobuying，Ineverboughtany，forinmytimemoneywasnotyetinuse。Everyonegrewhisowncorn，andwhentherewasanyneedwesharedwithoneanother。Idonotknowwherecornlikethisgrew。Ourswaslargerandyieldedmoreflourthanpresent-daygrain，butIneversawanylikethis。Ihave，however，heardmyfathersaythatinhistimethegraingrewlargerandyieldedmoreflourthanours。Youhadbetteraskhim。’

　　SotheKingsentforthisoldman’sfather，andtheyfoundhimtoo，andbroughthimbeforetheKing。Heenteredwalkingeasilyandwithoutcrutches:hiseyewasclear，hishearinggood，andhespokedistinctly。TheKingshowedhimthegrain，andtheoldgrandfatherlookedatit，andturneditaboutinhishand。

　　’ItislongsinceIsawsuchafinegrain，’saidhe，andhebitapieceoffandtastedit。

　　’It’stheverysamekind，’headded。

　　’Tellme，grandfather，’saidtheKing，’whenandwherewassuchcorngrown？Haveyoueverboughtanylikeit，orsownanyinyourfields？’

　　Andtheoldmanreplied:

　　’Cornlikethisusedtogroweverywhereinmytime。Ilivedoncornlikethisinmyyoungdays，andfedothersonit。Itwasgrainlikethisthatweusedtosowandreapandthrash。’

　　AndtheKingasked:

　　’Tellme，grandfather，didyoubuyitanywhere，ordidyougrowitallyourself？’

　　Theoldmansmiled。

　　’Inmytime，’heanswered，’nooneeverthoughtofsuchasinasbuyingorsellingbread；andweknewnothingofmoney。Eachmanhadcornenoughofhisown。’

　　’Thentellme，grandfather，’askedtheKing，’wherewasyourfield，wheredidyougrowcornlikethis？’

　　Andthegrandfatheranswered:

　　’MyfieldwasGod’searth。WhereverIploughed，therewasmyfield。

　　Landwasfree。Itwasathingnomancalledhisown。

　　Labourwastheonlythingmencalledtheirown。’

　　’Answermetwomorequestions，’saidtheKing。’Thefirstis，Whydidtheearthbearsuchgrainthenandhasceasedtodosonow？Andthesecondis，Whyyourgrandsonwalkswithtwocrutches，yoursonwithone，andyouyourselfwithnone？Youreyesarebright，yourteethsound，andyourspeechclearandpleasanttotheear。Howhavethesethingscomeabout？’

　　Andtheoldmananswered:

　　’Thesethingsareso，becausemenhaveceasedtolivebytheirownlabour，andhavetakentodependingonthelabourofothers。Intheoldtime，menlivedaccordingtoGod’slaw。Theyhadwhatwastheirown，andcovetednotwhatothershadproduced。