The Uncrowned King | Page 9

god
Things-That-Ought-To-Be.
And so it was that when Seemsto-Be went forth from the royal palace
to ride in grand procession, clothed in regal splendors, with the Crown
upon his head, and surrounded by gorgeous soldiers of rank and
pompous officials of state, with the royal trumpeters proclaiming his
greatness and power and the multitude shouting loud expressions of
their loyalty, Really-Is, the King, stood still beside the way, smiling,
smiling sadly at the pretty show.
[Illustration: (see king011.png)]
And never did Really-Is neglect to make his offering every morning in
the temple sacred to the god Things-That-Ought-To-Be; though in
secret he worshiped there because of the decree of Seemsto-Be. And no
one told the false ruler that his commandment was broken, nor spoke to
him the name of his brother Really-Is.
But after a while, as time passed by, things went not so gaily with the
impostor on the throne of Allthetime. And it was the Crown that did
it--that wonderful Magic Crown.
The Court Fool noticed it first and made a jest about it, and Seemsto-Be

laughed royally long and loud, and all the Court laughed with him, for
the fool, Thinks-He-Is, is a most famous fool, the greatest that has ever
been since the Father of Fools was born.
Next, the Lord Chief High Chamberlain noticed, and the Lord Chief
High Chamberlain whispered to Seemsto-Be a most portentous whisper.
And the portentous whisper of the Lord Chief High Chamberlain
reached the ears of the Chief First Officer of State; then passed from
Officer of State to Officer of State until it reached the Chief Captain of
the Guard, and soon the soldiers of the royal army and even the royal
servants of the palace were whispering, whispering, whispering about
the strange affair.
Then it was that Seemsto-Be sent throughout the kingdom,
commanding in haste to the palace the most expert workers in gems
and the most cunning workers in gold to be found in the Land of
Allthetime.
It was true. The priceless jewels of the Magic Crown were losing their
brilliancy. The precious gold of the Crown was becoming dull. Nor
could all the skill of the workers in gems, all the craft of the workers in
gold restore the beauty of the Crown or keep its fading splendor.
And so the whispers grew louder and louder until the people began to
talk in low tones among themselves, questioning, questioning one
another of the meaning of this thing. And at last the Royal Officers of
State began to look with distrust and fear upon their ruler, who tried so
hard to wear bravely his crown of tarnished gold and lusterless gems;
and the soldiers came to look with doubt and fear upon the officers,
who whispered so among themselves; and the people looked with
suspicion and fear upon them all.
Without understanding, filled with dread and apprehension, worn with
wracking worry, poor Seemsto-Be sought with honors, decorations, and
distinguishing titles to hold the fast-failing confidence of his court and
army, and with holidays more frequent, festivals more gay, games more
interesting, and parades more gorgeous, tried to keep the waning
loyalty of his people.

Now all this time, while the poor foolish pretender, Seemsto-Be, was
losing his power even as the beauty of the Magic Crown was fading,
King Really-Is lived very quietly in his little house under the walls of
the abandoned temple, and never did he fail to make his daily offering
to his god, the god Things-That-Ought-To-Be. And always when his
brother Seemsto-Be with the fading Crown upon his head, passed in
gorgeous procession of state, surrounded by his distrustful officers,
doubting soldiers and suspicious people, Really-Is smiled sadly and
whispered to himself: "Poor Seemsto-Be, poor foolish one!"
So it was, that in all the Royal City Daybyday, in the Land of
Allthetime, peace and understanding dwelt only in the heart of this
King.
And the people more and more came to love Really-Is, even as they
more and more turned from Seemsto-Be, notwithstanding the holidays,
feasts and parades. Little by little, they learned to watch daily for their
King, and with the children would run to greet him. More and more the
multitude pressed about Really-Is when he stood quietly in the street,
watching Seemsto-Be pass by in the splendid chariot of state. More and
more the people went daily with Really-Is to worship in the temple
sacred to the god Things-That-Ought-To-Be.
So the time came at last when the Magic Crown, tarnished and dull,
seemed but a mockery, fit only for the rubbish heap; when the Officers
of State spoke aloud their doubts and fears and the soldiers were openly
disobedient; when the people, as the pretender passed through the city
streets, no longer shouted aloud expressions of their loyalty, but, with
dark looks