This story comes from a collection of writings from 2007. It has also been previously published on my web site and both blogs as "A World of Black and White". You may have read it before, but I want all of you to remember this one forever. All my stories have a surface meaning and a deeper meaning. Study them all well.
THE KINGDOM OF NIGHT AND DAY
There was once a king who feared the light so much, because it revealed all his flaws and scars. So he ordered all the people in his kingdom to sleep during the day and work only at night -- using only the light of the stars.
For years, the people lived in fear and total darkness. If anyone dared to open their eyes during the day, even by mistake, the king’s privileged guards that patrolled the village at all hours – were ordered to immediately execute them.
Slowly over time, the children in the village were getting sick and falling over like poisoned flowers. The selfish king blamed these events on the candles that were brought in from a nearby village to light up the holy temples. So the temples were abandoned and closed, and the king had also succeeded in preventing anyone from worshiping anybody higher than him.
Eventually, a young courageous doctor dared to speak up and to say to the king, "Without the rays of the sun to light up our souls and heal and feed our bodies, we will all die." But the king had the doctor immediately executed.
Over the next few years, the villagers spent most of their time at night digging graves for those who opposed the king, instead of planting seeds to eat from their gardens.
Then again, another brave soul, a concerned scientist, stood up and shouted to the king, "If we go against the way of nature, the normal cycle of life, we will all die." And just like those before him who had dared to speak out against the king, the man was quickly executed.
Another decade went by, and many other women and men dared to voice their concerns to the king about living in utter darkness. And again, one by one, they were all executed.
Then finally the day came when the king suddenly died in his sleep. In celebration of the news, the huge gates of the kingdom flung open, and the people danced and rejoiced under the bright sunlight.
In the evening, the villagers threw the biggest feast surrounded by the light of a million candles. Yet to the surprise of many, the event quickly escalated into a violent riot. Villagers were arguing over the king's belongings, and swords were waved between friends, neighbors, brothers and sisters. Within just two hours of the celebration, the village was overtaken by theft, rape, and the brutality towards the weak, old and poor. Then suddenly, amidst all the commotion, the candles surrounding them accidentally tipped over and quickly burnt down the entire kingdom.
Nobody understood what could have gone wrong. Was life truly better under their horrible king?
No, it was not. But all the good people who had dared to take a stand for what they believed was right, were now all gone.
Suzy Kassem Suzy Kassem
Suzy Kassem Suzy Kassem
THE KINGDOM OF NIGHT AND DAY
There was once a king who feared the light so much, because it revealed all his flaws and scars. So he ordered all the people in his kingdom to sleep during the day and work only at night -- using only the light of the stars.
For years, the people lived in fear and total darkness. If anyone dared to open their eyes during the day, even by mistake, the king’s privileged guards that patrolled the village at all hours – were ordered to immediately execute them.
Slowly over time, the children in the village were getting sick and falling over like poisoned flowers. The selfish king blamed these events on the candles that were brought in from a nearby village to light up the holy temples. So the temples were abandoned and closed, and the king had also succeeded in preventing anyone from worshiping anybody higher than him.
Eventually, a young courageous doctor dared to speak up and to say to the king, "Without the rays of the sun to light up our souls and heal and feed our bodies, we will all die." But the king had the doctor immediately executed.
Over the next few years, the villagers spent most of their time at night digging graves for those who opposed the king, instead of planting seeds to eat from their gardens.
Then again, another brave soul, a concerned scientist, stood up and shouted to the king, "If we go against the way of nature, the normal cycle of life, we will all die." And just like those before him who had dared to speak out against the king, the man was quickly executed.
Another decade went by, and many other women and men dared to voice their concerns to the king about living in utter darkness. And again, one by one, they were all executed.
Then finally the day came when the king suddenly died in his sleep. In celebration of the news, the huge gates of the kingdom flung open, and the people danced and rejoiced under the bright sunlight.
In the evening, the villagers threw the biggest feast surrounded by the light of a million candles. Yet to the surprise of many, the event quickly escalated into a violent riot. Villagers were arguing over the king's belongings, and swords were waved between friends, neighbors, brothers and sisters. Within just two hours of the celebration, the village was overtaken by theft, rape, and the brutality towards the weak, old and poor. Then suddenly, amidst all the commotion, the candles surrounding them accidentally tipped over and quickly burnt down the entire kingdom.
Nobody understood what could have gone wrong. Was life truly better under their horrible king?
No, it was not. But all the good people who had dared to take a stand for what they believed was right, were now all gone.
Suzy Kassem Suzy Kassem
Suzy Kassem Suzy Kassem
Copyright 2007, Suzy Kassem. All rights reserved. Image by William Blake.
