The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily by Dino Buzzati

Author:Dino Buzzati
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alma Books
Published: 2017-07-04T09:02:35+00:00

The Theft of Professor Ambrose’s

New Magic Wand.

The wizard had already finished preparing it with all the necessary spells, and was just giving it the finishing touches when it was suddenly stolen from him. He looked high and low for it, but it was nowhere to be found. The police were called in: no result. So then the wizard went to King Leander to tell him what had happened.

Leander could not get over it. Such a serious theft had never occurred during his reign.

He took counsel with his Grand Chamberlain, Saltpetre (a very intelligent bear whose weakness it was, however, to think himself very handsome and to wear a long feather on his hat), and they decided to convene the whole human population. From the balcony of his palace, the King addressed the following speech to them:

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “some evilly disposed person has robbed our worthy Professor Ambrose of a magic wand which he has recently made.

“Citizens,” he continued, “this is a disgrace! Will the person who stole it please raise his hand?”

But no hand was raised.

“Very well,” said Leander. “It is possible that the culprit is not present. But I will say one thing: if within ten days the thief is not discovered in one way or another, I shall hold you all responsible and you will each pay the astrologer a thousand ducats.”

“Ooooh!” murmured the crowd, alarmed. One person even jeered openly at the King.

“So that’s how you feel, is it?” replied the King, feeling his rage mounting. “Very well then, two thousand ducats each. And mind you behave!”

This said, he returned to his apartments, while the men and women dispersed, muttering the most varied comments.

Then the astrologer came to the palace and said:

“Your Majesty, you have convened the humans, and I thank you for it. But why did you not speak to the bears too?”

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