Dona Nobis Pacem

A Peace Tale for the Blog Blast For Peace.
[This is my version of a folk tale told in Burma and Thailand. The story can be found in the book Peace Tales, by Margaret Read MacDonald.]
In a time long ago, there lived a king who loved to hear himself talk. One day, he called his “adviser” to him (the term was only an ornament, for the king listened to no one’s voice but his own). Together they ate a breakfast of puffed rice and honey as they gazed out the window on the activities in the street below.

The king was so busy talking that he wasn’t watching what he was doing. A drop of honey fell on the windowsill. “Oh, Your Majesty,” said his adviser. “Let me get a rag and clean that up for you.”

“No, no,” said the king. “The servants can do that. It’s not our problem. Let’s talk.”

As they continued to talk, that drop of honey oozed over the windowsill and fell with a plop to the street below. A buzzing fly landed on the honey and began a meal of its own. Then, a gecko who was exploring the wall of the palace pounced on the gecko for its meal. Unfortunately for the gecko, a wandering tabby cat spied him and gulped him down. But, while the cat wasn’t looking, a dog attacked him. An uproar ensued as they tumbled in the street.

“Your Highness,” said the adviser, “there seems to be a dog and cat fighting in the street. Should I call the servants and have them stop it?”

“No, no,” said the king. “It’s not our problem. Let’s talk.”

As they continued their conversation, the cat’s owner saw the bloody battle and came to rescue her cat. She got her broom and began beating the dog. When the dog’s owner saw this, he got a a stick and began beating the cat. Soon, they were beating each other.

“Sire, now there are two people fighting in the street!” said the adviser. “Shouldn’t I have the guards stop that?”

“No, no,” said the king. “It’s not our problem. Let’s talk.”

The king and his adviser chatted away, but soon in the street below there was chaos. Friends of the cat owner gathered around calling, “Hit him again, hit him again! Harder! Harder!” Then the dog owner’s friends came running shouting, “Hit her with a left! Hit her with a right! Stand up! Sit down! Fight, fight, fight!”

“Your Majesty,” cried the adviser. “Surely we should stop it now! A whole group of people are fighting!”

The king didn’t even bother to look out the window. “No, no,” said the king. “It’s not our problem. Let’s talk.”

The king reclined on his sofa, while the adviser nervously looked out the window. Soon he noticed that soldiers were gathering to try to stop the fight. But, the people wouldn’t stop! Someone threw a brick. Someone else lit a torch and began burning houses.

In fact, the palace itself caught fire and burned to the ground. As the king and his adviser rummaged through the rubble and ash that was once a lovely palace, the king shook his head.

“Perhaps,” he said to the adviser. “You were right. Perhaps that drop of honey WAS our problem!”

May we all catch those drops of honey before they become big problems.
Peace to one and all.

Other posts you might enjoy:

1. Dona Nobis Pacem
2. Dona Nobis Pacem. Doing Our Part.
3. Dona Nobis Pacem
4. In Harmony
5. No Peace I Find

Tagged as: Storytelling, world peace