Once upon a time............................
Once upon a time there was a King who lived in an ivory tower in the land of Bray .
The King believed he was the fount of all knowledge, as King's do, and would have a tantrum if his instructions were not carried out to the letter of the law, the King's word being the law. His servants went to his ivory tower regularly to pay
homage and to listen to his wise words as it was beneath the King's dignity to go out among his subjects.
The King's chief servant was responsible for carrying out the King's instructions. Anyone who dissented would be told by the chief servant saying in a loud voice "The King wont like that". The King was happy and gave a knighthood to his favourite servant, henceforth he was to be known as Sir Laughalot, because the servant was famous for his smile.
You see Sir Laughalot likes to have his portrait made and enjoys his position of seeming important, he regularly could be seen presenting parchments to the King's subjects to much applause at which he always had his portrait painted. This makes Sir Laughalot very proud but gives much mirth and hilarity to the King's subjects.
Recently the kingdom received new visitors bearing gifts and tokens of affection. They were made very welcome and became residents in the Kingdom.
But a dark cloud descended on the Kingdom and as time passed the King began to view the visitors with suspicion and disdain. You see the King had not been consulted when his servants had accepted the gifts on his behalf despite the fact that the Kingdom had benefited greatly from these gifts.
The servants picked up on this and they too became resentful of the visitors. The King decided that these new subjects should be banished from his kingdom. He instructed SIr Laughalot to sign the legal papers to exclude the visitors from the kingdom and to escort then to the gates and cast them out. Many subjects cheered Sir Laughalot but other thought that the King had shown no gratitude for the benefits and gifts the visitors had brought and from which he benefited and were sad.
As time passed the King became more odd. He became suspicious of some of his servants because they questioned his right to rule and they questioned if the King was wearing any clothes or in fact did the King even own any clothes.
The King became a very angry and decided to punish his servants and banish then too. The servants were forced to hand their clothes to King before they were banished. The King then celebrated with much mirth and hilarity at what he had done, the remaining servants joined in but secretly feared what may happen them if the King continues to rule.
The remaining servants need not have feared. The King rewarded the faithful ones by giving them the banished servant’s clothes. The faithful ones rejoiced again with much mirth and hilarity at their good fortune and despised those who had been banished even more.
The banished visitors and the servants joined forces and sought the help of a nearby good Emperor.
The Emperor had been a peaceful man but upon hearing of the Kings deeds he vowed to vindicate the dispossessed people. He rallied his forces and his four biggest and bravest legions have arrived at the borders in preparation for an invasion.These legions could inflict havoc and destruction on this tiny kingdom.
The Kings remaining faithful servants, having spent all the money that was in the coffers and now wait for the King to come forth with his words of wisdom to save them from the just retribution. But the King has become more reclusive and his servants no longer believe his words. All await the day of reckoning.
Will the Kings servants and subjects see that the writing is on the wall or will they hang on to the bitter end believing the King will save them?
And the moral of the story is "power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely" ("Animal Farm", George Orwell)