And the I'm going to be. Welcome to this newscast, a podcast designed to help you fall asleep. On this newscast, we read

excerpts from Public Domain Works and occasionally original stories. We'd like to thank our listeners.

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Tonight I'll be reading an excerpt from The Prince and the Popper by Mark Twain, originally

published in 1881. The Prince and the Popper was Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. In the novel, two boys' identical and appearance exchange identities.

Although written for children, the Prince and the Popper is a critique of social inequality

and has been adapted for the screen and television a number of times.

Let's get cozy. Let's get cozy.

Close your eyes.

Relax your body into the softness of your bed.

Now, take a few deep breaths. The Prince and the Popper Chapter 1, the Birth of the Prince and the pauper.

In the ancient city of London, on a certain autumn day in the second quarter of the 16th century,

a boy was born to a poor family of the name of Canty who did not want him.

On the same day another English child was born to a rich family of the name of Tudor who did want him. All England wanted him to.

England had so longed for him and hoped for him and prayed God for him, that now that he has really come, the people

went nearly mad for joy.

Mere acquaintances hugged and kissed each other and cried.

Everybody took a holiday, and high and low, rich and poor, feasted and danced and sang and got very mellow and they kept this up for days and

...