Читать книгу The Most Amazing Story of King Fantis I. - null Pevo - Страница 4

One beautiful day (while King Fantis I was busy being sad), a girl arrived at the palace gate and wanted to see the king. Just as the king’s servants wanted to send the girl on her way, King Fantis I came back from a stroll in the venerable rose garden, saw the girl, and asked her in. He inquired after her wishes. The girl answered in a timid voice, “I have never seen a real king in my life, but that is my greatest wish.”

The king laughed and said, “This wish has now come true!” But after a long pause, the girl said, “No, you are not a proper king, for I cannot see your Crown Shine, nor do I feel the power of your heart for the kingdom.” And with this, the girl went home again, and King Fantis I was left silent and sad. He was even sadder now than before. And when the pain of his sadness became unbearable, he went to see his private physician of body and soul, old Samuel Franklin Similibus. Similibus was an experienced medico who had attended the royal family for many decades with the utmost care and devotion.

He wrinkled his trunk as if he wanted to put the king’s problem into its deep wrinkles and bury it there for good. He narrowed his eyes so that he could think better. At long last, he told King Fantis I that he suspected the king suffered from a syndrome which afflicted quite a few Executive Elephants and other Gentle Beings. He recommended that the king leave his office temporarily vacant, go on a journey and try to recover his Crown Shine.

King Fantis I thought long and hard about what made his life so miserable. Of course, he still had not gotten over his beloved grandmother Rosy Rory’s death: Rosy Rory had always made him feel safe, because she was so calm and serene. But now he was out on his own. Another thing was the burden of his office which weighed down on his shoulders. He had to make all the decisions alone. He was approached with many questions that only he could answer. He felt as if the Elephants at court asked more and more of him every single day. So he worked longer hours and did things in a rush. Lately he hardly ever had the time to go for one of his favourite strolls on the palace grounds. In earlier times, he used to walk in the rose garden several times a day and stop every now and then to sniff a rose or two. But that was long gone. Now he was lacking the time for that, and he literally felt bound to his throne office. King Fantis I had learned that a good king must do a lot of things to be loved by his subjects. And he had to win this love every day anew, with ever greater deeds.

It was alarming how he neglected his manifold interests, such as art and literature. He was no longer able to satisfy that natural desire for exercise which Elephants usually have. This led to him putting on more and more weight around his trunk. And that considerably affected his smart, dynamic animal appearance! He almost looked portly, and he felt like his crown: pale, invisible and burned-out!