An adaptation of "The King and the Chessboard"

I first heard a version of this story on the fabulous podcast, The Living Myth by Michael Meade. I thought I might try to make a stop motion of the story but I’m not sure… The tone and message aren’t yet clear to me. It feels too partisan also. But after I spent some time working on a possible voiceover script for the film, I thought I could at least share it here.

There was a king who never liked to think too hard. From a young age he learned to leave the thinking to all of his servants. Soon his brain grew even lazier. The king never left his neighborhood, never read a book, and never talked to people who didn’t agree with him.

The king didn’t know how weak his brain was because his servants always let him win at cards and other games. Their actions made the king so proud that he stopped listening to all his advisors and experts in his land.

One day, a talented artist brought a creation to the king. It was a giant chessboard.

The king was overjoyed. “How much?” He said.

“I only want a few grains of rice,” said the artist.

That’s all? What a fantastic deal! This artist must not be that bright. Well, the king wasn’t going to enlighten her. He knew the art of the deal. He could resell this beautiful creation for so much more!

“How many grains did you want?” said the king, trying not to laugh.

“If you would indulge me, I’d like to be paid for 64 days -- that is my favorite number. On Monday you will put two grains of rice on this first square. On Tuesday you will put four grains on this square. And on Wednesday, eight grains, you understand?”

The king looked at her without understanding.

“Your accountants will double the rice each day. Does that seem fair to you?”

The king looked at the board. 4, 8, 16, 32 and whatever came next. Still. Not that much rice.

They signed a contract and the King felt very very proud of himself.

But 3 weeks later, the king’s accountant came to him.

“What’s wrong?” said the king. “Why are you disturbing my game?”

“Your majesty, please come to the room with the giant chessboard.”

They led him to the room which was overflowing with rice.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Your majesty, I’ve done my calculations. By the 21st square you will owe the artist over a million grains of rice. When we get to the 41st square, you will owe over a trillion grains!”

The king stared at the squares. How could this be?

“That’s how math works, your highness.”

©Lewis-Barr 2020

***** There are various endings to this story.

In one, the artist lets the king off the hook, maybe hoping he learns a lesson about the complexity of the world.

In another, the king gets out of the deal by cutting off the artist’s head, showing the power of …. power?

In another the king requires the artist to count each grain in order to get her payment. What does it mean for the king to outwit the clever artist?

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New short stop motion, just finished!

My public speaking work is on hold during this pandemic so I've been working more on my short films. If you're interested in stop motion that focues on mythic, psychological themes (sometimes comic, sometimes not), subscribe to my new youtube channel. Likes and comments are helpful too.

Just posted a new 5 minute short today.

My you tube channel

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The Gardener: A Cautionary Comedy

Here's our 13 minute stop motion fairy tale.  

Our second attempt.  Not perfect but full of heart.  

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The Power of Story

I saw a video today of 3 women lashing out at the legislature in Arizona who were passing an ordinance requiring masks.  These women hurled insults at the panel and in their rage I could also hear their shared story. Their story was – you can’t trust the government and the population is being brainwashed.  To wear a mask was to be a sheep.

 

I’ve heard that to replace one story in the brain, facts don’t work. The only thing that can replace a story is another stronger story. Stories are powerful.  They organize our perceptions and are the filter we use to make sense of daily life.  I was struck today at how different these stories are from my own.  But if they were my story, I’d probably feel that same as these women.

Earlier this week I posted a call on Facebook to my local garden swap group.  It seemed like a long shot but, “did anyone have any extra swiss chard?”  Not only did someone reply, but she only lived a few blocks away.  I offered her a packet of dill seed that I’d been given but had never used.  Amazingly, she needed dill seed as her crop didn’t take. 

I rode my bike over and we passed our gifts to each other.  My interactions with facebook strangers tell a wonderful story – people are generous and kind.  This isn’t always true, of course, but it has been true for me. 

Can we learn to hear each other’s stories, especially those from different racial or class groups?  If we could hear each other’s stories, we could build empathy and a deeper understanding of the narratives that both reflect our experiences and create our worldview. 

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Part 2 -- The King's Secret"

The King learned he could trust the apprentice to keep his secret and soon the young man had his own castle, and a wife and children.  it was a good life.  But the apprentice felt the secret gnaw at him. He hated keeping anything from his lovely wife but he knew he couldn’t tell her. 

One day the apprentice rode out into the country, far from any other homes or farms.  When he found the most desolate area he got off his horse, dug a deep, deep pit, and got into the pit.  He lowered his head to the earth and said very softly, “the King has donkey ears, the King has donkey ears, the King has donkey ears.”

Then he got out of the pit, filled in the hole, and rode home.  He felt so much lighter!  He felt so great that he took his wife out dancing where he tripped on a piece of fruit and fell into the moat and died. 

The King was very very sad to lose his friend and to lose the best barber he ever had.  Instead of searching for someone else, he decided he would cut his hair himself.  Since he never took off his hat, who would know the difference? 

Some years later, the King heard laughter from a courtyard and beautiful flute music.  The King listened to the tune.  Underneath the sound was another low hum that whistled, “the King has donkey ears, the King has donkey ears, the King has donkey ears.”

“What is the meaning of this?” bellowed the King!

Soon the King learned of a magic tree, far from the Kingdom.  It had lovely wood, perfect for flutes, so some shepherds had made flutes, keeping some and selling the rest.  Throughout the Kingdom these flutes announced the King’s secret

-- housed in a tree

that grew from a hole

which heard a secret

spoken years ago. 

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Part 1 of "The King's Secret"

A King was born with donkey ears.  Otherwise he was completely healthy and whole. 

From his birth, the kingdom wondered why the King was never seen without his hat. Soon the people accepted the fact and stopped wondering. 

The problem was, the King needed to get haircuts.  His mother cut his hair until the day she died.  Then the King faced a dilemma.  Who could he trust to keep his secret?

He started with the royal barber.  He carefully watched the barber’s face and saw the look of shock when he took off his hat.  After the cut the King casually asked, “Did you notice anything unusual today?”

“Why no, King, said the barber, “just the donkey ears on your head.”

The King nodded.  He put on his hat and left the room. Moments later a guard rushed in and took the barber away.  He was never seen again.

The King’s hair grew fast and the next month he tried a barber who didn’t speak.  But the gasp that came when he saw the King’s head sealed his fate. 

Soon barbers across the land began making excuses when the King’s guards came.  To cut the King’s hair meant to lose one’s head.

Finally, an old barber convinced his young apprentice to try.  They strategized what to do and the young man went before the King. 

At the end of the cut the King asked if the young barber had noticed anything unusual.

“No, your Highness.  Only your handsome face and regal ears.”

The King searched the young man’s face.  He looked serious and sincere.

“Nothing unusual?” 

“No, your Highness.”

So the King kept the young man in his court, and had him stay in his own royal chambers.   They played chess together, and ate fantastic meals.  They talked of politics and music.  It was a luxurious life, and the young apprentice was mostly happy. 

Part 2 -- tomorrow.
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How do you measure your worth?

My self worth is far beyond net worth.  During this time of under/unemployment, so important to remember that.  
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Inner work for today.

Versus

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What gets in the way of us coming together.

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The unconscious thinks in images -- why is this so hard for me?

I was going to just post this Tillich quote until I realized how ironic that was!  I have to break my habit of always thinking through words, not images.  







[Humanity's] ultimate concern must be expressed symbolically because symbolic language alone is able to express the ultimate.  
--Paul Tillich

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Meditating on daily work, prayer, and privilege

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The Artist

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