The Story That Never Ends
: Czechoslovak Fairy TalesOnce upon a time there was a shepherd who had a great flock of sheep.
He used to pasture them in a meadow on the other side of a brook. One
day the sun had already set before he started home. Recent rains had
swollen the brook so that he and the sheep had to cross on a little
footbridge. The bridge was so narrow that the sheep had to pass over
one by one.
Now we'll wait until he drives them all over. Then I'll go on with my
story.
(When the children grow impatient and beg for a continuation of the
story, they are told that there are many sheep and that up to this
time only a few have crossed. A little later when their impatience
again breaks out, they are told that the sheep are still crossing. And
so on indefinitely. In conclusion:)
In fact there were so many sheep that when morning came they were
still crossing, and then it was time for the shepherd to turn around
and drive them back again to pasture!
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