The Jumper
Once upon a time, a tiny Flea, a cheerful Grasshopper, and a bouncy Skipjack decided to have a friendly competition to find out who could jump the highest. They were so excited about their jumping skills that they decided to invite everyone in the world, as well as anyone else who wanted to come, to witness this amazing event. So, all three of these famous jumpers gathered together in a room, ready to show off their incredible leaps.
“Sure! I will marry my daughter to the person who jumps the highest,” declared the King. “It wouldn’t be fair to make these folks jump without a reward.”
The Flea hopped forward to take the first turn. He had lovely manners and made graceful bows in every direction. You see, he had a bit of young ladies’ blood in his tiny body and was used to being around humans. This made him feel very important.
Next up was the Grasshopper, who hopped onto the stage. Although he was a bit heavier than the Flea, he had a nice shape and wore a special green outfit that he was born with. This Grasshopper also claimed to come from a very ancient family in Egypt and said that he was greatly respected there. He happily shared that he had just come from a field adventure. According to him, he had been placed inside a magnificent card house that had three floors. This special house was entirely made of picture cards, but the pictures were turned inward. It had doors and windows, cleverly cut into the shape of the Queen of Hearts.
“I sing in such a way,” he boasted, “that even sixteen crickets, who have been chirping since they were little, and have never had their own card house, would turn green with envy if they heard me!”
Both the Flea and the Grasshopper made sure to let everyone know who they were. They proudly declared that they believed they were worthy of marrying a princess.
The Skipjack didn’t say a word, but people said that he was very clever and thoughtful. As soon as the Yard Dog sniffed at him, he immediately claimed that the Skipjack came from a respectable family and was made from the breastbone of a real goose. The wise old counselor, who had been awarded three medals for staying quiet, announced that the Skipjack had a special power of predicting the future. By looking at his bones, one could determine whether the upcoming winter would be harsh or gentle. This was even more reliable than trying to predict from the breastbone of the person who writes the yearly almanac.
“I won’t say anything else,” said the old King. “I just keep going calmly and always try to think positively.”
Now it was time for them to start their jumping contest. The Flea leaped so high that he disappeared from sight, and some people claimed that he hadn’t jumped at all. That was quite unfair. The Grasshopper, on the other hand, jumped only half as high, but he landed right on the King’s face, which the King found extremely impolite. The Skipjack took a long time to think, and eventually, people began to think that maybe he couldn’t jump at all.
“I just hope he hasn’t gotten sick,” said the Yard Dog, and then he sniffed at the Skipjack once more.
“Hop!” he bounced with a small and playful jump right onto the lap of the Princess, who was sitting on a short golden stool.
Then the King exclaimed, “The one who jumped up to my daughter took the highest leap, and that’s what really matters. It takes clever thinking to accomplish that, and Skipjack has proven that he’s smart.”
And that’s how Skipjack won the Princess and became her partner.
“I actually jumped the highest,” claimed Flea. “But it doesn’t matter. Let her have the goose bone with its wax lump and stick. I may have jumped the highest, but in this world, you need a physical body if you want to be noticed.”
And the Flea joined the army in another country, where people say that he met his end.
The Grasshopper settled himself down in a ditch and pondered about how things worked in the world. He also exclaimed, “You need a body! You need a body!” Then he sang a sad song of his own, and that’s how we learned this tale, which some say isn’t true, even though it’s written down.
