Week 13 Story: Finding a King

(This is a continuation of a previous story, To Save a Prince. You don't need to read it to understand this story, but you may read it if you would like the background story.)

The king was determined to find someone to succeed him. He wanted someone unselfish who would be caring and just towards the people. He needed someone completely unlike his sons who cared only for themselves and power.

The king set off to search the land for the perfect candidate. He came to a town that was filled with people, one of the largest populations he had ever seen. It was surrounded by large hills, so well hidden that most travelers would never notice. The king had been sending aid to this village for years, but with little progress. It was a black mark on his record for improving the lives of his people. The king spent a few days there, but couldn't find anyone with the potential to be king.

Rather than follow the map to the next city, he traveled off the beaten path, leaving behind his escort and taking only his valet. "I need some time before I continue the search," he told his men.

The king rode for half a day and almost turned back, having had enough time away from his search to think. Just as he was about to return to the village and his men, he saw a large farm with a beautiful, large house on the horizon. He pressed on.

When he came to the chateau, he saw a man on his knees, gardening.

"Good sir, who lives here?"

"I do! My family owned this land for generations."

"I am king and I have never heard of you. Do you not pay taxes? How do you live?"

"Well, I don't own anything. I donated the land to the village to the east. They come work the land and take what they harvest. I don't own this house either, but because of my generosity and in honor of my family's history, they allow me to live here."

"Why did you donate the land?"

"The village was struggling. I have no need of excess. I am happy to take what I need to survive and giving gives me purpose."

"Are you not aware of the extreme poverty of the village just to the west?"

"What are talking about? There are no nearby villages to the west."

"It is surrounded by hills. Very few people visit, and the people are starving. they often do not leave."

The man’s face became ashen. He began rambling about if only he had known, he would have helped them too. The king tried to console him, reminding of how he helped an entire other village, and he can’t help everyone, but nothing seemed to calm the man down.

“I must return to the village before dark,” the king said. “Please don’t be too hard on yourself.”

Village surrounded by hills.
Source: pxhere

The king and his men made camp, and in the morning they prepared to depart. Though the sun shone brightly on the new day, the king was feeling hopeless, and he worried he would never find the perfect king.

When they came to the center of the village, they were surprised to see everyone running about, gathering what few things they possessed and finding all their family members. They were frantic, but there was a joyous excitement in the air.

“Kind lady,” the king said to a young woman passing by. “What is happening?”

“Your highness, it’s a miracle!” She told the king the good news, but he couldn’t believe it.

He took his horse and raced to the enormous house from yesterday. Villagers were filing into the front entrance while the man stood by happily welcoming them in.

“Simon,” the king called out. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Your highness, I am happy to let you know I solved the problem. I spoke with the village to the east. They would only allow one quarter of the land to be harvested by the western village. However, I thought of a solution! The people can all live here! It isn’t perfect, but I hope that this is the right start to helping these people.”

“That’s wonderful!” the king said. “But, why are you carrying such a large bundle?”

“Well I must leave, I can no longer live here. When the eastern village learned I had given the home away to people when they were allowing me to live here, they weren’t happy. They’re running me out of town. But I gave all the artwork and most of the furnishings to the eastern village so that they would allow the western village to live here in peace.”

“You have given everything to these people you don’t even know.”

“It is not right to see people suffering and do nothing,” Simeon said.

The king smiled, happier than he had been in years. “Simeon, I have found a king.”  

Author's Note: This is a continuation of a story I wrote in which a king must choose which son to save so that he can be king. In my story, he chooses neither because both are selfish. He sets out to find a king who would be a caring as he is. 

This story is based off of the Jataka of the great elephant who sacrifices his life so that a group of starving men can eat and drink from his corpse so that they will survive. In my story, the man also gives selflessly and sacrifices everything (except his life) so that a village of people can survive. This act of selflessness shows the king that he has found the man who should be king. 

Inayat. The Great Elephant, Twenty Jataka Tales (1939)