| The African Chief and His Throne |
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 An African chief heard stories about kings that sat on thrones. So he had one built for him out of ivory. He had his men set it outside his hut’s door every morning and there he sat to reign over his “kingdom.” He sent out raiding parties to subdue other tribes and forced them to bring expensive offerings to him. Other chiefs thought it was the throne that gave him this power. So one chief made a raid and took off with the throne. Then HE was the one everyone had to give expen- sive gifts to. Chief after chief captured the throne and made like kings. Finally, the original chief got the throne back. This time, he hid it. He had his men put heavy-duty rafters in his grass- thatched hut and built an attic. They hoisted the throne up into the attic. He remained king because raiding parties could not find the throne. One day the chief was sitting in his hut. Suddenly there was a terrible cracking sound above his head and the throne broke through the rafters and fell smack on top of the chief, killing him instantly. The moral of this story: People who live in grass houses shouldn’t stow thrones. |
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