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—"
KING. The story! The story, I tell you!
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—"