28 The Old Fox motioned to a servant who came forward with the
scrolls. The King pointed to a page who took the scrolls and
brought them to him. The King thought for several moments.
29 "You know," he said, "that foreign religions in
my land must pay a special tax each year in order to worship
here. All others have done so, but you have never petitioned me
for the right to worship. Why is this so?"
30 "Your Majesty," answered The Old Fox, "I am a
Trn! My family's generations go back in this city beyond count!
It is said we are of the blood of the original Kings. That law is
for foreign religions. Our religion was born in this kingdom, is
part of this kingdom."
31 And The King thought to himself, "And will someday rule
this kingdom, but not today!" Aloud, he said, "But your
denial of Tr and however slight denial of my authority makes you
like foreigners. You are like strangers in your own land!
Therefore, I think it proper you pay the tax. That will make you
totally foreign, and thereby qualify your followers to the right
of difference, that I grant other foreign religions."
32 "As Your Majesty wishes," The Old fox said, "I
will send a messenger with the funds tomorrow."
33 "You can raise the moneey that quickly?" asked The
King.
34 "Spirit told me to do so several weeks ago!" The Old
Fox explained. Everyone in the room looked at each other in
disbelief.
35 "You knew you would be asked to pay the tax?" The
King questioned.
36 "Yes," The Old Fox answered.
37 The King had had enough for one day. "Very well," he
commanded, "you are dismissed. Begone! And I want to hear no
reports of your people causing any trouble!"
38 "My people never cause trouble," The Old Fox
announced. "They only answer those who do!"
39 The High Priest of Tr came forward. "Surely, Your
Majesty," he cried, "you are not going to permit this
man to walk away! He is a danger to you, a threat to your crown.
These followers of his are dangerous. Do not permit this denial
of your authority. Throw him in prison where he belongs!"
40 The King rose and seized his staff, and The High Priest
stepped back. "I have made my judgement.," he roared,
"do you question my authority?"
41 The High Priest stepped back. "Of course not, Your
Majesty," he stammered, "of course not! I was merely
surprised at The King's gentleness to this traitor!"
42 The King banged his staff on the floor. "Did I say there
was any traitor in this room?" he roared.
43 "No, Your Majesty, no!" whimpered The High Priest.
"I beg Your Majesty's pardon!"
44 "Then you had best," ordered The King, "take
your leave."
45 The Priest quickly obeyed, more angry at The Old Fox than
ever. The King looked at The Old Fox and said "Go on,
leave!" The Old Fox bowed politely and left.
46 A councilman approached The King. "That's the end of
that!" he whispered.
47 The King shook his head. "This won't end," he
argued,"until one of those men is dead, and I have to keep
my Kingdom from being torn apart in the meantime." The
councilman nodded.
48 The Old Fox returned home and The Children of Spirit continued
their work. The winter rains came, and everybody was too busy to
be bothered. The planting of crops and the tending of their
gardens occupied everyone. 49 The violence against them continued
and grew steadily worse. Speakers were murdered, houses were
burned, false accusations made against many of their people. But
for every person lost, ten new people joined The Lords.
50 The Priest of Tr became angrier and angrier. "There must
be some way," he cried, "of making The King angry at
these people...of turning him against them. There must be a
way!"
51 It was with the coming of spring, and the approach of The
King's birthday, that an idea came to him....a perfect idea! He
hurried off to The Palace.
The High Priest tries to convince The King to send his forces against The Old Fox and his fighting people.
Page 49