Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1892 — A Queer Tribute. [ARTICLE]

A Queer Tribute.

In many instances, particularly in olden times, large and‘powerful nations have demanded tribute from smaller and weaker states. This demand was generally complied with by the petty ruler, who fancied that such a step would render his throne secure- JJYhen a tribute?paying king thought he could whip the other he

generally stopped making any payment t and then there was a fight about It Asa rule the tribute consisted of so much gold or some rich product of the country. A queer tribute, however, was exacted by King Edgar the Peaceable, who ruled over a part of Britain about 900 years ago. Then there were several petty kings scattered here and there, and a much larger number of fierce wolves ran wild. So In 961 King Edgar commanded that all who paid him tribute should pay It In wolves’Heads, and from Wales be demanded 300 an* nually. As there were plenty o l wolves this trlhute was easily paid at first, and people in those days dfe not regard the selection of wolves’ beads as at all queer, for the payment of tribute was merely an acknowledgment of the other nation’s strength. So the wolves’ head tribute was regularly paid until wolves began to get pretty well thinned out, and parts of England were entirely divested of the animals, which, perhaps, ,was,ju9t what the king wanted. Harper’s Young People. - ,