issue 11

Once upon a time…….there was a small hamlet to the west of the
Kingdom nestling in beautiful countryside where the people
went about their daily toil with an innocent smile upon their
faces despite being taxed unfairly. We say unfairly because
the big man took the taxes but only gave the hard working
people promises of what he would do in return.
There arose in the hamlet some wise men who told the
king that he could forget his promises that he had broken
year after year and that the people of the hamlet would
fend for themselves, Well, the king wasn’t very happy about
this as you might expect but agreed to go along with their request knowing full well that they
would make a hash of it and come running back to his protection.
Now as said these were indeed wise men who set about using the King’s taxes to make their
hamlet better for all who lived there, And for years the people of the hamlet were pleased
with being self sufficient and having their needs look after by themselves. Their roads were
repaired so they could get to market and made more money. Their carts and livestock were
not damaged or killed on the new roads as trees and paths were free from overgrowth where
robbers and brigands once lurked.
The King died (ahhh!) and his silly son took over who knew nothing about anything but
insisted by decree that the people of the hamlet were doing many unlawful things and must
stop and follow his ill thought out plans to the letter. Because……HE knew what was best for
them even though he had only been in the job a day and had a grudge against anyone who
didn’t agree with his viewpoint.
The wise men petitioned the new king and
laid before him the good that the hamlet
was enjoying but as the king didn’t
understand or learn from the proof of what
worked he “cocked a deaf one”!
The people were incensed and turned to
the wise ones who had served them so well
so far.
Now we did say these were wise men and
were also very well connected and they
came up with a nifty solution to the
problem
AND THE MORAL OF THE TALE IS:
Always seek the council of the wise men
of the village rather than someone who has
little or no knowledge