The Wish of the Short King
There was a country called “Shorty Kingdom.” In this country, everything, from people to poultry, and even plants, was exceptionally short. Naturally, their king was no exception.
The Short King was very concerned about his height. He wished to be tall and strong so he could see farther and have a broader view. However, this was an impossible wish. So, he built his castle very high, hoping for a broader view. Yet, the Short King was still not satisfied and became so worried that he fell ill.
One day, the sick Short King issued a decree: anyone who could make him see higher and farther would be richly rewarded.
A month after the decree, three people came forward, claiming they could help the king see higher and farther.
The first was a stilt master. He told the king, “Your Majesty, if you stand on stilts at the highest point of the castle, you will see higher and farther!” The king thought this was a good idea and had the master make the world’s longest stilts for him. Standing on the stilts, the king felt very majestic and could indeed see higher and farther. Unfortunately, he accidentally fell off the stilts, making his illness worse.
The second person told the king, “Dear King, if you plant a big tree at the top of the castle, you can climb it to see higher and farther!” So, the king ordered his guards to transplant the tallest tree in the country to the top of the castle and built a treehouse for him to look out from. But one rainy day, the tree was struck by lightning and split in half. The sad king’s illness worsened even more.
Only the last person remained. The disheartened king asked, “What good idea do you have?” The third person said, “Dear King, I am a merchant from a distant country called Idan. In our country, we have something that can help you see higher and farther!” The king asked, “What is it?”
“A hot air balloon.”
The Idan merchant brought out a large balloon tied to a bamboo basket and then lit a fire under the balloon. The balloon, initially deflated, grew bigger and bigger. Finally, the merchant invited the Short King to stand in the bamboo basket. The hot air filled the balloon, and it slowly rose, carrying the king’s basket higher and higher.
Standing in the bamboo basket, the Short King flew into the sky. From above, he saw the hardworking people, the bustling streets, and the beautiful mountains. He never knew his kingdom was so beautiful. His wish had finally come true; he could see higher and farther! At that moment, the king’s illness was cured!
The very happy Short King said to the Idan merchant, “You have fulfilled my wish; now I can fulfill one of your wishes.” The Idan merchant replied, “Dear King, I wish for you to buy all my hot air balloons. That is my wish.”
From then on, the skies of the Shorty Kingdom were filled with colorful hot air balloons.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
