X is for Xenophobic king

There was once an Orange King, who had a tiny kingdom near a big sea. He was not content with his tiny kingdom.

“I want more,” the Orange King roared. When he roared, his people jumped back in fear because, even though he did not look frightening, he had guards who were big and mighty. They did not like laughter or tittering when the Orange King was roaring or was making pronouncements.

There were many stories of the Orange King’s Great Dungeon under the palace. One time, a prisoner escaped and, before he fled across the big sea, he described the Great Dungeon in gory detail. Over time, with each retelling, the stories became more and more dramatic until they barely resembled the original tale. Because the dramatically exaggerated stories frightened the people into never laughing or tittering anywhere near the Orange King, the guards had to do very little work.

One day, the Orange King announced that there was great danger, and it was coming from across the big sea.

Nobody believed the Orange King because he made that announcement all the time and nothing ever happened.

But, this time, a sailing ship appeared in the horizon. A few of the children were fascinated by the sailing ship and they camped on the beach to watch as the sailer ship came closer and finally landed.

OUt of the ship came a few sailors, a Green King, and a great big beast that had a human body and the head of a bull.

The children screamed at the sight of the great big beast.

“This is a minotaur,” said the Green King. “He will show you how to chop down a tree so you can have firewood for your families.”

“Oh,” said a very small boy. “Our family needs firewood so we can cook food.”

“So does ours,” said a slightly bigger girl. “We had a little pile but it’s all gone.”

The children followed the minotaur into the woods, where he chopped down a tree. He then chopped all of the wood and put the logs into neat stacks. Then, he grunted.

“He’s asking for you to go bring your families around and he will help them bring the wood to their homes.

Just then, one of the Orange King’s guards appeared and scowled and left.

The children brought their families to the woods. They pulled small carts behind them.

Just as the families had emerged from the woods, they met up with the Orange King. He was hopping up and down and his crown had bounced off of his head and onto the ground.

“You are stealing my wood,” yelped the Orange King.

“This forest is for everyone,” said the Green King.

“You are from beyond the sea. Did I give you permission to come here? You are an Illegal Enemy!” howled the Orange King.

“Illegal enemy?” asked the Green King, who looked at the Orange King with disbelief. “When the first Orange King was given his crown, he promised to share everything and to make his people prosperous and happy. What has happened to you?”

“He was weak,” said the Orange King. “My father had the weak king killed, and he became the powerful Orange King. And I followed in his footsteps. We don’t share anything. What you see is mine and what you don’t see is mine. Hey, what’s that creature?”

The minotaur stared at the Orange King and said nothing.

“Why doesn’t it speak to me? I command you to speak to me!”

“He doesn’t speak,” said the Green King.

“How dare he disobey the commands of the Orangest King in the Universe? Guards, secure the creature!”

The Orange King hollered, “Pull his ears and horns! Tweak his nose!!!”

“I don’t recommend that,” said the Green King.

“You’re an illegal enemy,” yelled the Orange King. “Throw that little king in the dungeon!!!”

The guards, however, were too busy trying to pull the Minotaur’s horns. The Minotaur ignored them as they yanked both horns and ears. Finally, the minotaur gave a mighty roar and all of the guards that had been crawling on him were rolling in random places in the forest. The Green King, the Minotaur, and the sailors began walking back to their sailing ship. The Orange King ran into the woods, screaming loud nonsense as he vanished.

“Make sure you get that wood to your homes right away. You should have enough wood for cooking for a while. We have to leave now, but we will be back.”

After the wood was safely in the village, the children walked back to the beach to see the ship vanishing into the horizon. The children waved at the ship, just before they could see it no more.