KING HUMPTY DUMPTY
On the highest hill, in the tallest building, on the top floor of the Kingdom of Innocence lived the King, the most powerful man in the realm. The King had been appointed to his position by the people of Innocence, but only after a bloody war with many victims. The war for the kingdom had been a long and protracted affair with those that opposed the ultimate king proclaimed as life long enemies of the new king. The King did not allow any discussion of forgiveness or grace, but spent the years of his reign seeking revenge in a constant and ongoing manner. The people of Innocence had thought the King was sincere when he declared his love and interest for all his subjects and never dreamed he was anything but what he declared.
Once the King began ruling his kingdom, he felt righteous in all of his rulings and justified in every attack upon any citizen. The King did not abide with anyone questioning of his words or his actions and took any opposition as a personal affront. It was not a good thing to publicly disagree with the king as punishment and reprisal were swift and exact. The vast majority of the citizens were unaware of the king’s dogmatic approach to his rule, and knowledge of his cruel actions had not spread. The king was careful to walk the line of prudence when it came to the citizens and avoided at all costs the knowledge of his harshness to be spread. The king desired to reign for life and knew he must play the role of a good and just ruler, or the citizens might choose another.
As the years passed and the king grew more self assured, he began to grow careless with his authority and looked with disdain upon those that questioned it. The long reign with little question led the king to believe that his opinion and his alone was the correct opinion. Without regard for subject or staff, the king ruled with an iron fist and no compassion. If you dared to disagree with the king or if the king felt that you had slighted his authority or reputation, his retaliation was swift and exact. No matter what the intent, the king felt every disagreement was pointed toward him and he would not tolerate it. Those that dared to question the king were called to the high hill and up to the top floor to feel the king’s wrath. With little interest in any defense and certainly no tolerance for another opinion, the king would lash out at the offender. The king’s words were harsh and attacking and his eyes shot daggers at those who dared to oppose his great wisdom. The king would loose control and rant and rave at the citizens and with a vengeful spirit attack those very citizens that had given him his rule. With no regard for decorum or manners and certainly no concern for any rebuttal, the king set loose his angry tirade lambasting those that dared to question him and his rule.
The king would continue to rule but the word of his tyranny and vengefulness would spread. The many years had mellowed the king and fattened his ego’s perception of his wisdom. The citizens were watching and the citizens would choose the next king. There were those that would be better rulers in the kingdom and the day would come that one would rise up and oppose the king. The day would come when the king would be overthrown and a new and righteous king would take his place. The ex-king would then find himself exiled to the Outerland of Has-Been and the power he so coveted would have been depleted to a whisper. The Outerland of Has Been will prove to be a very lonely and bitter place to spend the remaining days of eternity. This was the very place the ex-king had headed all those long years ago, when he lost the ability to listen with graciousness and tolerance. The citizens of Innocence watch and wait knowing the day will come when once again they will be free from The King and what he had become. The days of righteous rule were coming and just as Humpty Dumpty found all those years ago, “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men will not be able to put Humpty Dumpty together again.”
