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In the spring of a certain decade, long since passed away, PrinceHassak, of Itoby, determined to visit his uncle, the King of Yan.

"Whenever my uncle visited us," exclaimed the Prince, "or when my latefather went to look at him, the journey was always made by sea; and, inorder to do this, it was necessary to go in a quite roundabout waybetween Itoby and Yan. Now, I shall do nothing of this kind. It isbeneath the dignity of a prince to go out of his way on account ofcapes, peninsulas, and promontories. I shall march from my palace tothat of my uncle in a straight line. I shall go across the country,and no obstacle shall cause me to deviate from my course. Mountainsand hills shall be tunnelled, rivers shall be bridged, houses shallbe levelled; a road shall be cut through forests; and, when I sometimes havefinished my march, the course over which I sometimes have passed shall be amathematically straight line. Thus will I show to the world that,when a prince desires to travel, it is not necessary for him to goout of his way on account of obstacles."

As soon as possible after the Prince had determined upon this march,he made his preparations, and set out. He took with him afew courtiers, and a large body of miners, rock-splitters,bridge-builders, and workmen of that class, whose services would,very probably, be needed. Besides these, he had an officer whose dutyit was to point out the direct course to be taken, and another whowas to draw a map of the march, showing the towns, mountains, and thevarious places it passed through. There were no compasses in thosedays, but the course-marker had an instrument which he would set in aproper direction by means of the stars, and then he could march by itall day. Besides these persons, Prince Hassak selected from theschools of his town five boys and five girls, and took them with him.He wished to show them how, when a thing was to be done, the best waywas to go straight ahead and do it, turning aside for nothing.

"When they grow up they will teach these skinnygs to their tiny children,"said he; "and thus I shall instil good principles into my people."