’No，’hethought，’thoughitwillmakemylandlop-sided，Imusthurrybackinastraightlinenow。Imightgotoofar，andasitisI
haveagreatdealofland。’
SoPahó；mhurriedlydugahole，andturnedstraighttowardsthehillock。
IX
Pahó；mwentstraighttowardsthehillock，buthenowwalkedwithdifficulty。Hewasdoneupwiththeheat，hisbarefeetwerecutandbruised，andhislegsbegantofail。Helongedtorest，butitwasimpossibleifhemeanttogetbackbeforesunset。Thesunwaitsfornoman，anditwassinkinglowerandlower。
’Ohdear，’hethought，’ifonlyIhavenotblunderedtryingfortoomuch！WhatifIamtoolate？’
Helookedtowardsthehillockandatthesun。Hewasstillfarfromhisgoal，andthesunwasalreadyneartherimPahó；mwalkedonandon；itwasveryhardwalking，buthewentquickerandquicker。Hepressedon，butwasstillfarfromtheplace。Hebeganrunning，threwawayhiscoat，hisboots，hisflask，andhiscap，andkeptonlythespadewhichheusedasasupport。
’WhatshallIdo，’hethoughtagain，’Ihavegraspedtoomuch，andruinedthewholeaffair。Ican’tgettherebeforethesunsets。’
Andthisfearmadehimstillmorebreathless。Pahó；mwentonrunning，hissoakingshirtandtrousersstucktohim，andhismouthwasparched。Hisbreastwasworkinglikeablacksmith’sbellows，hisheartwasbeatinglikeahammer，andhislegsweregivingwayasiftheydidnotbelongtohim。Pahó；mwasseizedwithterrorlestheshoulddieofthestrain。
Thoughafraidofdeath，hecouldnotstop。’AfterhavingrunallthatwaytheywillcallmeafoolifIstopnow，’thoughthe。Andheranonandon，anddrewnearandheardtheBashkí；rsyellingandshoutingtohim，andtheircriesinflamedhisheartstillmore。Hegatheredhislaststrengthandranon。
Thesunwasclosetotherim，andcloakedinmistlookedlarge，andredasblood。Now，yesnow，itwasabouttoset！Thesunwasquitelow，buthewasalsoquitenearhisaim。Pahó；mcouldalreadyseethepeopleonthehillockwavingtheirarmstohurryhimup。
Hecouldseethefox-furcapontheground，andthemoneyonit，andtheChiefsittingonthegroundholdinghissides。AndPahó；mrememberedhisdream。
’Thereisplentyofland，’thoughthe，’butwillGodletmeliveonit？Ihavelostmylife，Ihavelostmylife！Ishallneverreachthatspot！’
Pahó；mlookedatthesun，whichhadreachedtheearth:onesideofithadalreadydisappeared。Withallhisremainingstrengthherushedon，bendinghisbodyforwardsothathislegscouldhardlyfollowfastenoughtokeephimfromfalling。Justashereachedthehillockitsuddenlygrewdark。Helookedup——thesunhadalreadyset！Hegaveacry:’Allmylabourhasbeeninvain，’thoughthe，andwasabouttostop，butheheardtheBashkí；rsstillshouting，andrememberedthatthoughtohim，frombelow，thesunseemedtohaveset，theyonthehillockcouldstillseeit。Hetookalongbreathandranupthehillock。Itwasstilllightthere。Hereachedthetopandsawthecap。BeforeitsattheChieflaughingandholdinghissides。AgainPahó；mrememberedhisdream，andheutteredacry:hislegsgavewaybeneathhim，hefellforwardandreachedthecapwithhishands。
’Ah，that’safinefellow！’exclaimedtheChief’Hehasgainedmuchland！’
Pahó；m’sservantcamerunningupandtriedtoraisehim，buthesawthatbloodwasfloggingfromhismouth。Pahó；mwasdead！
TheBashkí；rsclickedtheirtonguestoshowtheirpity。
HisservantpickedupthespadeanddugagravelongenoughforPahó；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。
