"A Hunger Artist"

He sat in his steel cage lined in straw everyday to be spectated by the village people. He, was called the hunger artist, day in and out he would fast while people watched him as if he were the modern day television. People would gain pleasure from observing him and would go to the extent of watching him all hours of the night to make sure he wasn't to eat. The only thing to enter his mouth was a sip of water even though spectators would try to persuade this artist to eat. Although, eating was the last thought in his mind for he could only concentrate on the ticking of the clock in his enclosure. The artist would tell stories of his journeys and sing songs to prove to his listeners that he wasn't eating or sneaking food, but they ignorantly believed that he was singing and eating simultaniously.

After fourty days slowly pass the artist is brought to a ring where people gather and pay to watch the artist eat. He is spoonfed as the crowd cheers and the ladies cry to add to the intensity of his performance. No one understands why he choses to eat when he can go longer, but once he's finished eating the trend fades and everyone forgets about the passion of the hunger artist. He waits again to fast and this time hopes to do so even longer to help promote his art. Although, this causes the decline of his popularity and leads to his death. He is buried by the circus workers and is replaced by a prowling panther- the new entertainment of the town.