TRIUMPH OF THE OINTMENT


The craze of the public for this new preparation was
extraordinary. A china factory, about to close its doors, made a
fortune out of manufacturing jars for it. Of course all the bald
people bought it. Everyone expected it to work miracles. The women
with tow-coloured rat-tails expected to grow luxuriant black
tresses and others with coarse scrubby black hair dreamed of
having fine soft golden braids.

A very rich land-owner, who did not care how much he spent, rubbed
with it the back of his mangy dog, and his horse's tail, which was
growing somewhat thin.

The mayor even, they tell me, put a thick layer of it onto his
wig, which was beginning to wear out. The district was steeped in
it, the air seemed to smell of musk.

Alas! everything has its bad side. The good side of this was for
the merchant alone, who, though he guaranteed his wares for human
beings, refused any further responsibility. The bad side was
for the hens and ducks. (I believe even the geese suffered
occasionally.) I can't tell you how many people, knowing all about
the effect it had had on Yollande and the resultant fortune, tried
to duplicate the famous Curly-Haired Hen, bought by Sir Booum.

In the poultry-yards around, the hens for several months had a