The Emperor's New Wall: A Tale For Our Time
(With apologies to Hans Christian Anderson, his descendants and full acknowledgement that I have HEAVILY "borrowed" from him.)
Once there was an Emperor. A man of great wealth, power and good looks...as he would be the first to tell you. His rule was absolute and NOT to be challenged. He alone knew what was best, not only for the people that he ruled, but for all of the world. Indeed, perhaps for all of the universe and anything that might go beyond. He was a smart, smart man...as again, he would be the first to tell you.
The Emperor KNEW that the only way to keep his domain safe was to build a wall on the south border. For only BAD things came from the south; there was no need to build walls to the North, East or West. The land in the south was the KEY place where security was needed. There might need to be some security in the North, East and West where other ports of entry existed, but nothing good came from the south. Only bad, evil, dirty criminals came from the south. And these bad, evil, dirty criminals must be kept out of his land. A wall MUST be built to keep these foul animals out!
His advisors cautioned him. The security of the country was vulnerable in many places, not just the border to the south. But the Emperor knew best. He would not hear them out. The threat was to the south and a wall...a beautiful wall of concrete would keep his country safe.
His advisors cautioned him again. The cost of such a wall would be more than the economy could bear. But the Emperor knew best. There would be a wall. A great beautiful wall; no matter what the cost. His subjects could pay...with taxes and hard work. This wall was so important, that even if they had to give up their weekly pay; it was a sacrifice that must be made. He MUST build that wall, no matter what the price. The wall MUST be built to keep his land safe from the foul stinking animals of the south.
His advisors told him that some of the land on which he wanted to build belonged to others. So the Emperor declared. "It does not matter. Take the land from them. We MUST have a wall!"
His advisors warned him that concrete would not be strong enough. So the Emperor declared. "Make it a wall of metal than. We MUST have a wall!"
His advisors warned him that bars of metal might not be strong enough. The Emperor roared. "Then we must find smart builders to come up with a material that will protect us. Gather together all the great minds, if there are any greater than MINE, and so that this wall can be build. We MUST have a wall."
All the smart people of the country came together; sequestered, in a little town, with the promise of release only when they came up with a solution. There MUST be a wall.
They thought and they prayed. They talked and argued. They shouted and cried. They prayed some more. They could not come up with an answer. Surely the land would be in ruin and they would never see their loved ones again if they did not come up with a wall that would satisfy the Emperor.
Days went by. Weeks went by. The Emperor grew more and more angry. The country lay to waste. The people grew tired and sad.
The advisors, the wise and all the people of the land cried out to the Emperor. But he would NOT listen. He MUST have a wall.
But then a small voice cried out: "But there IS a wall!"
"WHAT?!" Shouted the Emperor. "Who has spoken? And why has no one told me about this wall?"
The people were quiet and still.
"WHO has spoken?!" The Emperor yelled again.
Among the throngs a small girl, legend has it that her name was Una Astuta, slowly raised her arm.
"BRING HER FORWARD!" the Emperor declared.
The small girl slowly moved forward, scared but courageous. When she finally reached the Emperor, she shook, but stood resolute. "Emperor, there is a wall. My friends and I have built it."
"How could you, a mere girl have built a wall?"
With a voice that was soft and firm the girl replied, "I started alone with my just my thoughts. But then my friends joined me. We stood together and envisioned it. More and more people joined us. Our families, our friends...and the wall began. Then there were more of us. So many of us that I cannot count that high. But the wall has been built. Can I take you so you can see?"
So the Emperor, all his advisors and the little girl boarded his jumbo jet and flew to the southern border to behold the wall.
They stood there, looked out, but saw no wall.
"WHERE IS MY WALL??!!"
"You cannot see it?" asked the little girl. "I was certain that you, the Emperor who is so smart and so wise would. This great wall, made of la atmosfera, consists of some of the strongest, most durable elements known to humankind."
"La Atmosfera?" asked the Emperor.
"So you know of it," cried out the little girl. "Of course a man of your position would. Men as wise as you know how strong and durable la atmosfera is."
"Of course!" blustered the Emperor.
"It will protect us," the little girl said with assurance.
"It WILL!" declared the Emperor.
"So you can see? You understand?"
"This is a most beautiful wall of atmosfera!" proclaimed the Emperor. "The strongest and best wall!"
The little girl smiled. "It is."
The Emperor turned to his advisors. "Why were you not smart enough to have done this? Why did none of you think of this?"
His advisors looked at one another, not knowing what to say.
"I declare this wall to be the BEST wall in all the world. The GREATEST wall in all the universe. It will be FOREVER known as the Emperor's Wall and all who come and see it will marvel in its beauty and know that I am the MAN who made this happen. This tale will go down in history and I will be remembered forever for MY WALL."
Once there was an Emperor. A man of great wealth, power and good looks...as he would be the first to tell you. His rule was absolute and NOT to be challenged. He alone knew what was best, not only for the people that he ruled, but for all of the world. Indeed, perhaps for all of the universe and anything that might go beyond. He was a smart, smart man...as again, he would be the first to tell you.
The Emperor KNEW that the only way to keep his domain safe was to build a wall on the south border. For only BAD things came from the south; there was no need to build walls to the North, East or West. The land in the south was the KEY place where security was needed. There might need to be some security in the North, East and West where other ports of entry existed, but nothing good came from the south. Only bad, evil, dirty criminals came from the south. And these bad, evil, dirty criminals must be kept out of his land. A wall MUST be built to keep these foul animals out!
His advisors cautioned him. The security of the country was vulnerable in many places, not just the border to the south. But the Emperor knew best. He would not hear them out. The threat was to the south and a wall...a beautiful wall of concrete would keep his country safe.
His advisors cautioned him again. The cost of such a wall would be more than the economy could bear. But the Emperor knew best. There would be a wall. A great beautiful wall; no matter what the cost. His subjects could pay...with taxes and hard work. This wall was so important, that even if they had to give up their weekly pay; it was a sacrifice that must be made. He MUST build that wall, no matter what the price. The wall MUST be built to keep his land safe from the foul stinking animals of the south.
His advisors told him that some of the land on which he wanted to build belonged to others. So the Emperor declared. "It does not matter. Take the land from them. We MUST have a wall!"
His advisors warned him that concrete would not be strong enough. So the Emperor declared. "Make it a wall of metal than. We MUST have a wall!"
His advisors warned him that bars of metal might not be strong enough. The Emperor roared. "Then we must find smart builders to come up with a material that will protect us. Gather together all the great minds, if there are any greater than MINE, and so that this wall can be build. We MUST have a wall."
All the smart people of the country came together; sequestered, in a little town, with the promise of release only when they came up with a solution. There MUST be a wall.
They thought and they prayed. They talked and argued. They shouted and cried. They prayed some more. They could not come up with an answer. Surely the land would be in ruin and they would never see their loved ones again if they did not come up with a wall that would satisfy the Emperor.
Days went by. Weeks went by. The Emperor grew more and more angry. The country lay to waste. The people grew tired and sad.
The advisors, the wise and all the people of the land cried out to the Emperor. But he would NOT listen. He MUST have a wall.
But then a small voice cried out: "But there IS a wall!"
"WHAT?!" Shouted the Emperor. "Who has spoken? And why has no one told me about this wall?"
The people were quiet and still.
"WHO has spoken?!" The Emperor yelled again.
Among the throngs a small girl, legend has it that her name was Una Astuta, slowly raised her arm.
"BRING HER FORWARD!" the Emperor declared.
The small girl slowly moved forward, scared but courageous. When she finally reached the Emperor, she shook, but stood resolute. "Emperor, there is a wall. My friends and I have built it."
"How could you, a mere girl have built a wall?"
With a voice that was soft and firm the girl replied, "I started alone with my just my thoughts. But then my friends joined me. We stood together and envisioned it. More and more people joined us. Our families, our friends...and the wall began. Then there were more of us. So many of us that I cannot count that high. But the wall has been built. Can I take you so you can see?"
So the Emperor, all his advisors and the little girl boarded his jumbo jet and flew to the southern border to behold the wall.
They stood there, looked out, but saw no wall.
"WHERE IS MY WALL??!!"
"You cannot see it?" asked the little girl. "I was certain that you, the Emperor who is so smart and so wise would. This great wall, made of la atmosfera, consists of some of the strongest, most durable elements known to humankind."
"La Atmosfera?" asked the Emperor.
"So you know of it," cried out the little girl. "Of course a man of your position would. Men as wise as you know how strong and durable la atmosfera is."
"Of course!" blustered the Emperor.
"It will protect us," the little girl said with assurance.
"It WILL!" declared the Emperor.
"So you can see? You understand?"
"This is a most beautiful wall of atmosfera!" proclaimed the Emperor. "The strongest and best wall!"
The little girl smiled. "It is."
The Emperor turned to his advisors. "Why were you not smart enough to have done this? Why did none of you think of this?"
His advisors looked at one another, not knowing what to say.
"I declare this wall to be the BEST wall in all the world. The GREATEST wall in all the universe. It will be FOREVER known as the Emperor's Wall and all who come and see it will marvel in its beauty and know that I am the MAN who made this happen. This tale will go down in history and I will be remembered forever for MY WALL."
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