Chapter Twenty
Now, The King had been busy with other matters and the feud
between The Old Fox and The high Priest had nearly left his mind.
So he thought nothing of The High Priest coming to him with what
sounded like a reasonable request.
2 "My King," announced The High Priest, "the day
of your birth approaches, and great celebrations are planned. I
have thought of a special celebration for your birthday.
3 Let every head of household in your kingdom bring a sacrifice
to the temple of Tr on the Worship Day before your birthday, and
let them request a prayer for your long life and wisdom."
4 "Now that is not an unreasonable thing," thought The
King, "Let it be so!" he proclaimed.
5 The next day one of his councilmen came to The King.
6 "Your Majesty," he warned, "you have been
deceived! The Priest of Tr has tricked you. You have sent out a
proclamation that the head of every household in your land must
present a sacrifice at the temple of Tr and pray for your long
life and wisdom. Your Majesty, according to their Teachings, The
Children of Spirit can make no such sacrifice. It is forbidden.
They will be forced to disobey your decree."
7 "Damn that accursed demon!" The King cursed.
"What has he done to me? The last thing I wanted to do was
provoke The Old Fox and his people, especially after the loss
they have just endured. Was not murdering his brother enough for
that temple rat? I did not begrudge them the blood they took in
revenge. I will issue another decree saying that The Children Of
Spirit may pray to Their Lords instead of making sacrifice to
Tr."
8 "I'm afriad, Your Majesty," the councilman explained,
"it is too late for anything like that. If you had made that
part of the original decree, perhaps it would have been
acceptable. Now you can only sit and wait to see what The Old Fox
is going to do."
9 "That is true," acknowledged The King. "I can
only sit and wait."
10 Now when The Old Fox heard of the decree, he simply sent very
precise instructions to all the Worshipers of Spirit, then
returned to his other business. His little family Temple had
grown too small to serve the people. A committee had come to him
desiring that a new Temple be built. The Old Fox had given them
instructions for the construction of a large tent.
11 "A tent?" asked the people, "Why a Temple made
of cloth and skins, surrounded by a courtyard of curtains?"
As The Fifth Day before The King's birhtday approached, the
further instructions that The Old Fox sent were even more
confusing. For he told them to sell their land and their houses,
for each family to buy a sturdy tent and ox carts; to buy goats,
sheep and cattle, and to gather up stores of food, gold, silver,
and precious stones.
12 Now, the people thought these instructions strange. "Sell
your property," insisted The Old Fox, "and tell the
owners they may take possession by mid-winter, at the
latest."
13 The people obeyed. Come The Fifth Day in question, every
household of Spirit had fowl for the midday meal, and that
afternoon the head of household took the head of the fowl to the
temple of Tr as sacrifice, and gave the priest a written prayer,
which said "Tr, god who is no god, grant my prayer. Let our
King live long, and may he know how to wisely rule his
people."
14 By nightfall messengers were hurrying to Tr from every city
and village of the kingdom. The temple of Tr was in an uproar.
The High Priest went about striking novices with his staff. With
the first light of day, he was at The Palace, and as soon as The
King awoke, was before him.
15 Now, The King was both amused and angry at once, but he knew
he would have to call The Old Fox before him.
16 When he arrived in his court, The King threw a bundle of
prayers at his feet, and asked him "Why did you not simply
disobey? That, I would have endured, but you insulted my
god." He rose to his feet, seized his staff, and banged it
on the floor. "And by his glory, you insulted me! Why? Why,
damn it, why?" And The King banged his staff on the floor
again.
17 "Your Majesty knows why," answered The Old Fox.
"We had to obey your decree, yet we could not bring an
animal to sacrifice. We had to make a prayer to Tr, but we could
not admit his existence. Your High Priest set his trap well! We
did what we had to do."
18 "And I will do what I have to do," roared The King,
"but I am not sure what. I have read your Teachings, I have
read The Book of The Law, and I find nothing in them offensive
other than that you will have no god. Though I think that is
wrong, that is your decision. But this once you could have
compromised! This once you couldve bent a little.
19 Now, I will give you a choice. Next Worship Day you will send
your people to the temple of Tr with a proper sacrifice and a
prayer, or I will double your taxes!"
20 "Very well, Your Majesty," answered The Old Fox.
"If you wish to use this incident as an excuse to double our
taxes, do so. If you triple them, it will make no difference. We
will not present a prayer to Tr, or, a sacrifice."
21 "Very well," proclaimed The King, "by your own
words shall you be punished. The taxes for every man, woman and
child of your people is tripled. Now get out of my sight! Go,
now!"
22 The High Priest of Tr came forward. "Your Majesty,"
he screamed, "this man has insulted your god, made a mockery
of his temple. He should be hanging from the city gate."
Page 50