The Bad King
by Ben
Long ago, in Russia there lived a King named Shawha and his beautiful wife named Kesam that lived happily in their kingdom. One day Kesam was walking to breakfast after working in her garden. The front of the castle was 100ft. tall. She was walking along the top of the front wall when a servant named Cojak came running up to her. He told her that her mother had died. She was so shocked that she fainted and fell off the castle wall and died.
The King was astonished, and all the people of the kingdom mourned. The funeral was held the following week. The King was so sad that he ordered that anyone that didn’t come to the funeral would be banished. That order wasn’t necessary because the people came anyway from all over to mourn the loss of their beloved Queen.
The King was so sad and lonely. After five years he had become rude and cruel to his servants and the townsfolk. He would always yell at the servants, but what was worse was his demands for cleaning the castle. It was never clean enough and there was always work to be done. Little by little, the servants would sneak away and leave the Kingdom. Occasionally, the King’s soldiers would capture the escaped servants and the servants would be locked in the dungeon. To the townsfolk, he was no longer a kind and generous King. He would demand more taxes and if he saw someone not working, they would be thrown into the filthy dungeons.
Shawha was especially mad at Cojak. Day after day, Cojak had to work extra hard and make up for all the work that the other servants did not finish. Cojak felt bad because he too, mourned the loss of the Queen, but the extra work that Shawha made him do made Cojak mad. Cojak convinced two other servants to help him get rid of the King. They devised a plan. One day before the King ate his breakfast, Cojak put sleeping powder in his food. The King ate, and he started to feel very sleepy. He excused himself from the table, thinking he would go back to bed, but he stumbled, and fell to the floor, sound asleep. Cojak and the two servants, then took rope, tied the kings hands and feet, and put him in a bag. They then carried the bag to the stable, loaded him on a wagon, and carried him far away into the woods.
Eventually, they found a small wooden cabin in a clearing next to a river. They entered and found a man named Madu. Madu was an old man with long white hair and a long beard. He wore deerskin clothes and hunted animals so that he could eat. They talked to Madu and he agreed he would let the King stay with him. Cojak gave Madu a map. He told Madu that if the king ever becomes kind again then he can give Shawha the map that says how to get back to the kingdom.
Two hours later Shawha awoke and was surprised to see that he was in a cabin. He also saw a man and asked him who he was. He told him his name was Madu and that some of his men had brought him here because he had been a bad leader ever since his wife had died. Shawha wanted to go back to his kingdom, but Madu would not let him. The King was angry with him and threatened to kill him if he did not help, but Madu told him that it is not wise to let a bad man rule the people.
Many times Shawha would try to escape but each time, he would get lost because he didn’t know how to get back and he couldn’t see the edge of the forest. Madu was an expert tracker and each time Shawha went missing, Madu would follow his trail and find Shawha lost and scared in the woods. When Madu found Shawha, he would invite him back because otherwise, Shawha would starve and die in the woods.
Months passed and then three years passed and Shawha and Madu became friends. Madu never got mad at Shawha when he would run away and Madu always shared his food with the King. Shawha was starting to learn how to live in the forest, but more importantly, he started to be kind to Madu.
One morning, Madu and Shawha awoke and decided to have berries for breakfast. They opened the berry basket and found that it was empty and that their door was broken. Madu, who was the expert tracker, found bear hair by the basket and bear tracks leading away from the cabin. Both Madu and Shawha grabbed their bow and arrows and their knives and left the cabin to track down the bear. They followed the bear tracks for over two hours and as Madu crossed the river, he looked up and found himself 6 inches from the face of an angry bear. Shawha was a few steps behind, and without thinking stepped in front of Madu. Shawha shouted at the bear and raised his knife to strike the bear.
Madu said, “WAIT!’’. The bear backed off, and Madu said, “Thank you kind bear. You have helped me greatly.” Shawha was shocked. Then Madu explained. “You have passed the test. I had my friend bear come in last night and take the berries. Today, you have shown true friendship and kindness because you were willing to risk your life for me. When we get back to the cabin, I will give you the map and show you the way back to your kingdom.” Shawha was excited that he could go back to his kingdom.
Shawha’s journey back home took two days and Madu went with him. When they came to the castle, they met Cojak and Madu explained what had happened. Shawha became the King once again but this time, he ruled fairly and with kindness to all the servants and the people.
The King was astonished, and all the people of the kingdom mourned. The funeral was held the following week. The King was so sad that he ordered that anyone that didn’t come to the funeral would be banished. That order wasn’t necessary because the people came anyway from all over to mourn the loss of their beloved Queen.
The King was so sad and lonely. After five years he had become rude and cruel to his servants and the townsfolk. He would always yell at the servants, but what was worse was his demands for cleaning the castle. It was never clean enough and there was always work to be done. Little by little, the servants would sneak away and leave the Kingdom. Occasionally, the King’s soldiers would capture the escaped servants and the servants would be locked in the dungeon. To the townsfolk, he was no longer a kind and generous King. He would demand more taxes and if he saw someone not working, they would be thrown into the filthy dungeons.
Shawha was especially mad at Cojak. Day after day, Cojak had to work extra hard and make up for all the work that the other servants did not finish. Cojak felt bad because he too, mourned the loss of the Queen, but the extra work that Shawha made him do made Cojak mad. Cojak convinced two other servants to help him get rid of the King. They devised a plan. One day before the King ate his breakfast, Cojak put sleeping powder in his food. The King ate, and he started to feel very sleepy. He excused himself from the table, thinking he would go back to bed, but he stumbled, and fell to the floor, sound asleep. Cojak and the two servants, then took rope, tied the kings hands and feet, and put him in a bag. They then carried the bag to the stable, loaded him on a wagon, and carried him far away into the woods.
Eventually, they found a small wooden cabin in a clearing next to a river. They entered and found a man named Madu. Madu was an old man with long white hair and a long beard. He wore deerskin clothes and hunted animals so that he could eat. They talked to Madu and he agreed he would let the King stay with him. Cojak gave Madu a map. He told Madu that if the king ever becomes kind again then he can give Shawha the map that says how to get back to the kingdom.
Two hours later Shawha awoke and was surprised to see that he was in a cabin. He also saw a man and asked him who he was. He told him his name was Madu and that some of his men had brought him here because he had been a bad leader ever since his wife had died. Shawha wanted to go back to his kingdom, but Madu would not let him. The King was angry with him and threatened to kill him if he did not help, but Madu told him that it is not wise to let a bad man rule the people.
Many times Shawha would try to escape but each time, he would get lost because he didn’t know how to get back and he couldn’t see the edge of the forest. Madu was an expert tracker and each time Shawha went missing, Madu would follow his trail and find Shawha lost and scared in the woods. When Madu found Shawha, he would invite him back because otherwise, Shawha would starve and die in the woods.
Months passed and then three years passed and Shawha and Madu became friends. Madu never got mad at Shawha when he would run away and Madu always shared his food with the King. Shawha was starting to learn how to live in the forest, but more importantly, he started to be kind to Madu.
One morning, Madu and Shawha awoke and decided to have berries for breakfast. They opened the berry basket and found that it was empty and that their door was broken. Madu, who was the expert tracker, found bear hair by the basket and bear tracks leading away from the cabin. Both Madu and Shawha grabbed their bow and arrows and their knives and left the cabin to track down the bear. They followed the bear tracks for over two hours and as Madu crossed the river, he looked up and found himself 6 inches from the face of an angry bear. Shawha was a few steps behind, and without thinking stepped in front of Madu. Shawha shouted at the bear and raised his knife to strike the bear.
Madu said, “WAIT!’’. The bear backed off, and Madu said, “Thank you kind bear. You have helped me greatly.” Shawha was shocked. Then Madu explained. “You have passed the test. I had my friend bear come in last night and take the berries. Today, you have shown true friendship and kindness because you were willing to risk your life for me. When we get back to the cabin, I will give you the map and show you the way back to your kingdom.” Shawha was excited that he could go back to his kingdom.
Shawha’s journey back home took two days and Madu went with him. When they came to the castle, they met Cojak and Madu explained what had happened. Shawha became the King once again but this time, he ruled fairly and with kindness to all the servants and the people.