There was once a Grand Vizier who believed that the people in the Kingdom Over the Sea were laughing at him. Of all things in the world, he could not bear to be laughed at, so he plotted revenge. And, after very little thought, he made a decree – for every egg the people across the sea sold to his country, a cabbage must be given in tribute by his own people. He thought that this would stop his people buying eggs from over the sea, would make his country rich and the Kingdom Over the Sea poor.
But his people had no chickens and they still wanted eggs, so instead they tore up their wheat fields, their orchards, and their vineyards and planted more cabbages, until the streets stank of them. And the Grand Vizier was secretly furious but, to save face, he announced he was pleased with the fields of cabbage and then declared himself King.
And so his people called him the Cabbage King and they laughed at him even more. By then all that was left was cabbage, so he tried to stuff the leaves into his ears to stop the hateful noise. But it followed him day and night until the day he died.
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Liz McPherson
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