The unicorn thread we have this morning just reminded me of a folk tale that I had listened to since I was very young, and in this very age today, where there are many people, some in positions of power who wish to take our freedoms away and even kill us, this tale offers many important life lessons regarding how to deal with the most harrowing threats.
It is rather lengthy, so pull up a chair, grab your favorite drink, and enjoy:
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During the peak of the mighty Tang Dynasty, when the Chinese empire stretched from Korea to the steppes of Turkmenistan, there was a magistrate from a certain northern province who was very powerful and very influential, but also rather dimwitted. He was a brutal man who only sought to acquire the most fantastic items from throughout the empire, ruled his province with an iron fist, and routinely ordered people to be executed for the slightest offense to his person. Throughout his life, nothing else mattered to him more than capturing an actual living, breathing unicorn to keep in his stables. One day, he sent couriers abroad, near and far, and brought back one of the most skilled and deadliest huntsmen in the region who had a reputation of being able to slay even the most dangerous beasts with one shot kills from his bow. He was brought into the magistrate's court and informed of the duty bestowed upon him. "Hear me", the official said. "If you fail in this task, you will be put to death by beheading in front of this very court. And in addition, every person in the town from where you came from, will also be put to death."
The huntsman was now worried. He was sure he can kill many of the magistrate's enforcers and escape but the official had mercenaries and spies all over the region and neighboring provinces who can track him down easily. And there was no way an entire town filled with women and children can escape the onslaught of the magistrate's soldiers in time. He knew, from his many long travels, that unicorns simply did not exist. After a long period of worrying, he and his fellow townsmen held a council, when they thought up the perfect solution. They explained the dire situation to every person living in the region, and convinced them to yield just 3 imperial-issued gold coins from their personal savings. When they had tallied their final collection, they discovered that they had enough coins on hand to cover 6 oxen from head to hooves with overlapping scales of pure, gleaming gold. Thus the coins were meticulously glued onto the bodies of the beasts of burden so in the end, they did not even resemble any earthly creatures anymore.
When the huntsman showed up again to the magistrate's court with the herd of golden creatures in tow, the official was less than pleased. "But I had searched all over the mountains, forests and deserts of this vast empire, and though I could not locate a single unicorn, I had known that this, beasts of pure gold, will please you, Your Highness", pleaded the huntsman, throwing himself on the ground before the Magistrate. Upon inspecting the creatures, the official realized that their hide was not just made of any gold, but actual gold coins with the Tang Emperor's own seal stamped on them. Every. Single. One.
Realizing the significance of this discovery, and what it meant for his future of unimaginable wealth, the magistrate ordered the herd of strange creatures be taken into his stables. However, he still ordered the huntsman be confined in a prison cell. "When my couriers have found the home of these creatures based on the directions and maps which you have drawn for us, I will think about sparing you and your fellow townspeople from death. Until then, you are all condemned", the magistrate informed the hunter as he was led away in shackles and chains. Meanwhile, he retired to his luxurious quarters, daydreaming of wealth, splendor and recognition beyond his wildest imagination.
However, the corrupt and brutal magistrate was not aware that at the same time the huntsman had left his town, several riders had also departed on the fastest horses they could obtain, bound for the capital city of Luoyang, where the Tang emperor held court. When the messengers arrived at the imperial palace, they had brought with them the most damning news which sent the Emperor into a fury. A provincial magistrate stealing coins from the Imperial coffers just to satisfy his desire to own a herd of gold plated oxen? How dare......?
Almost at once, the Emperor sent out his most feared and elite regiment of heavy cavalry, and within a week, they had seized the bewildered magistrate, bringing him in an iron cage back to Luoyang. The Imperial soldiers had also recovered the six oxen whose hides are swathed with gold coins, and upon personal inspection, the Emperor realized that these were state issued coins, bearing his own seal of divine rule. The Emperor was now more than determined to find out just how much money had this bold swine pilfered from the regional coffers. He sent out a team of royal officials to inspect the coffers and perform a thorough audit of their contents. However, the monsoon rains had arrived, turning the roads into mud baths and making travel almost impossible. Also, unbeknownst to anyone else, the imprisoned huntsman's fellow townsfolk had felled trees and triggered landslides at various points, further blocking the roads and slowing down the imperial convoys even more.
Meanwhile, the messengers from the northern town continued to supply even more tales of the magistrate's brazen thieving to the Emperor. It was only a short time before the evidence against the magistrate was strong enough to erase any and all doubts. He had stolen, from the one man who had endowed him with such authority, and for this act, he must pay the ultimate price. Thus, before the imperial officials had even finished their lengthy audits of the government coffers, the doomed magistrate, now clothed in the garb of a common peasant, was led away to his fate at the blade of the headsman's sword, screaming his innocence and begging for mercy all the way until the cold steel blade swung down and obliterated his cries in a spray of crimson.
Thus an entire community, whose members had banded together during a time of most dread, had been able to save itself from a worst fate. Much rejoicing, singing, dancing, and delicious venison, was had when the huntsman and his triumphant friends returned to their hometown.
It is rather lengthy, so pull up a chair, grab your favorite drink, and enjoy:
----------
----------
During the peak of the mighty Tang Dynasty, when the Chinese empire stretched from Korea to the steppes of Turkmenistan, there was a magistrate from a certain northern province who was very powerful and very influential, but also rather dimwitted. He was a brutal man who only sought to acquire the most fantastic items from throughout the empire, ruled his province with an iron fist, and routinely ordered people to be executed for the slightest offense to his person. Throughout his life, nothing else mattered to him more than capturing an actual living, breathing unicorn to keep in his stables. One day, he sent couriers abroad, near and far, and brought back one of the most skilled and deadliest huntsmen in the region who had a reputation of being able to slay even the most dangerous beasts with one shot kills from his bow. He was brought into the magistrate's court and informed of the duty bestowed upon him. "Hear me", the official said. "If you fail in this task, you will be put to death by beheading in front of this very court. And in addition, every person in the town from where you came from, will also be put to death."
The huntsman was now worried. He was sure he can kill many of the magistrate's enforcers and escape but the official had mercenaries and spies all over the region and neighboring provinces who can track him down easily. And there was no way an entire town filled with women and children can escape the onslaught of the magistrate's soldiers in time. He knew, from his many long travels, that unicorns simply did not exist. After a long period of worrying, he and his fellow townsmen held a council, when they thought up the perfect solution. They explained the dire situation to every person living in the region, and convinced them to yield just 3 imperial-issued gold coins from their personal savings. When they had tallied their final collection, they discovered that they had enough coins on hand to cover 6 oxen from head to hooves with overlapping scales of pure, gleaming gold. Thus the coins were meticulously glued onto the bodies of the beasts of burden so in the end, they did not even resemble any earthly creatures anymore.
When the huntsman showed up again to the magistrate's court with the herd of golden creatures in tow, the official was less than pleased. "But I had searched all over the mountains, forests and deserts of this vast empire, and though I could not locate a single unicorn, I had known that this, beasts of pure gold, will please you, Your Highness", pleaded the huntsman, throwing himself on the ground before the Magistrate. Upon inspecting the creatures, the official realized that their hide was not just made of any gold, but actual gold coins with the Tang Emperor's own seal stamped on them. Every. Single. One.
Realizing the significance of this discovery, and what it meant for his future of unimaginable wealth, the magistrate ordered the herd of strange creatures be taken into his stables. However, he still ordered the huntsman be confined in a prison cell. "When my couriers have found the home of these creatures based on the directions and maps which you have drawn for us, I will think about sparing you and your fellow townspeople from death. Until then, you are all condemned", the magistrate informed the hunter as he was led away in shackles and chains. Meanwhile, he retired to his luxurious quarters, daydreaming of wealth, splendor and recognition beyond his wildest imagination.
However, the corrupt and brutal magistrate was not aware that at the same time the huntsman had left his town, several riders had also departed on the fastest horses they could obtain, bound for the capital city of Luoyang, where the Tang emperor held court. When the messengers arrived at the imperial palace, they had brought with them the most damning news which sent the Emperor into a fury. A provincial magistrate stealing coins from the Imperial coffers just to satisfy his desire to own a herd of gold plated oxen? How dare......?
Almost at once, the Emperor sent out his most feared and elite regiment of heavy cavalry, and within a week, they had seized the bewildered magistrate, bringing him in an iron cage back to Luoyang. The Imperial soldiers had also recovered the six oxen whose hides are swathed with gold coins, and upon personal inspection, the Emperor realized that these were state issued coins, bearing his own seal of divine rule. The Emperor was now more than determined to find out just how much money had this bold swine pilfered from the regional coffers. He sent out a team of royal officials to inspect the coffers and perform a thorough audit of their contents. However, the monsoon rains had arrived, turning the roads into mud baths and making travel almost impossible. Also, unbeknownst to anyone else, the imprisoned huntsman's fellow townsfolk had felled trees and triggered landslides at various points, further blocking the roads and slowing down the imperial convoys even more.
Meanwhile, the messengers from the northern town continued to supply even more tales of the magistrate's brazen thieving to the Emperor. It was only a short time before the evidence against the magistrate was strong enough to erase any and all doubts. He had stolen, from the one man who had endowed him with such authority, and for this act, he must pay the ultimate price. Thus, before the imperial officials had even finished their lengthy audits of the government coffers, the doomed magistrate, now clothed in the garb of a common peasant, was led away to his fate at the blade of the headsman's sword, screaming his innocence and begging for mercy all the way until the cold steel blade swung down and obliterated his cries in a spray of crimson.
Thus an entire community, whose members had banded together during a time of most dread, had been able to save itself from a worst fate. Much rejoicing, singing, dancing, and delicious venison, was had when the huntsman and his triumphant friends returned to their hometown.
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