Read the latest from the Kingdom of California before reading this Fairy Tale.
Once upon a time there was a mythical land called California. The Kingdom was a lovely place to live, and had many loyal subjects. Over time, the best artisans and craftsmen moved to Bay City in California and created a wonder for the world. A marketplace filled with inventions, creations, and contraptions to behold. They didn't think of it that way at the time, but as more and more craftsmen and artisans gathered, it became a font of ideas, exchange, and innovation. It became the Golden Market. The Golden Market made it possible for many of the peasants to make a fortune, all without taxing anyone! And the rest of the world benefited from the Golden Market as goods and services poured across the border of California to Kingdoms far and wide. Other Kingdoms looked at the Golden Market with envy, and those with Wise Kings encouraged their peasants to make their own. Several did. Other cities in California made their own Golden Market, but the original Golden Market in Bay City would stay the largest in the world for a long time.
As the wise men said, "And This Too, Shall Pass".
One day, a terrible King became ruler of California. His name was King Grayson Davos, and he ruled the land with an iron fist. From his castle, he taxed the peasants far and wide. He was a shrewd King, however, and had learned to take from the peasants second hand in addition to their already high levy. He would create taxes so difficult to understand that most of his serfs didn't even realize they were being taxed. When the famine finally came, only a handful of the peasants realized that it was actually the King who had caused their misery. When they proclaimed it, they were derided as madmen. "California is still the strongest of all the Kingdoms," the other peasants cried. "We have the best and biggest Golden Market."
Angel City was the largest city in the Kingdom of California, but had only a small Golden Market of their own. Even though Angel City had barely enough food for the peasants who lived there, many more came into the city from a neighboring Kingdom. The city coffers were nearly empty in this time of need, and the stores of city bread would soon begin to run out feeding all of Angel Cities peasants and those from the other Kingdom. One day, nearly a year after the famine had begun, the Exchequer to the Baron of Angel City had an idea to fill the city coffers again. He would tax the Golden Market for goods in other places! He realized that the Golden Market made wondrous baubles for world. While most Kingdoms placed a levy on them, some did not. He could start by taxing the artisans for goods in the no tax Kingdoms!
The craftsmen of the Golden Market cried out "You cannot levy against our baubles in other Kingdoms!" But the stern judges of Angel City drowned their cries "Yes, the Exchequer can." And so it began.
The coffers of Angel City were filled again as the Golden Market paid its heavy due. Then the Exchequer, emboldened by his success, levied another tariff on the Golden Market, then another. Soon, Bay City followed suite, for all the towns in the Kingdom of California were suffering under the famine from the King. The craftsmen and artisans of the Golden Market wailed and gnashed their teeth, but to no avail. The judges had ruled. The peasants might have come to the aid of the craftsmen if they had understood, but they were too happy to get bread instead. The peasants had the power to tell the judges no, but they didn't.
Then a strange thing happened. It didn't happen all at once. In fact it was so gradual that most of the peasants didn't notice, nor did the King, nor his Barons. The craftsmen and artisans started to leave the Golden Market they had created. They journeyed to other Kingdoms, and dispersed far and wide. They made new Golden Markets in a hundred different cities in dozens of different Kingdoms. The coffers of the Cities of California that had been temporarily filled, went completely dry as the Golden Market shriveled and died. The illusion of plenty gave way to the reality of scarcity. The famine redoubled.
One day, King Davos heard a commotion and looked out over his castle ramparts. He saw an army of peasants gathered.
"You killed the Golden Market," they cried. "You have given us famine and grief."
"Guards. Guards!" he called. The guards were gone. The peasants stormed the castle and killed the King, but it was too late. The Golden Market was gone from California and would not return for a hundred years.
July 12, 2001
