BY JAMES BALDWIN
Other Wise Men of Gotham
Famous Stories Retold: Story 11 of 50
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Clever Strategy: The men of Gotham devised clever strategies to avoid the king's visit, knowing that it would bring great expense and trouble.
Moral: The story illustrates how cunning and pretense can sometimes achieve desired results more effectively than direct confrontation.
A good book we like, we explorers. That is our best amusement, and our best time killer
- Roald Amundsen, Explorer
Cunning and Survival: Tactics of Gotham's Wise Men
Discover the engrossing tale of Gotham's wise men, their cunning strategies and fierce determination to protect their town from a ruthless king. This compelling narrative not only unveils their ingenuity but also their audacious spirit. Their story is a testament to the power of survival and the lengths ordinary people will go to safeguard their community. Expect to be enthralled by the unexpected twists and turns in this age-old tale, offering valuable insights into human wisdom and resilience.
The Arrival of Unwanted News
The tranquility of Gotham was disturbed one day with the advent of news that was far from welcome. The despised king, known for his cruelty, was to journey through the town. The men of Gotham were well aware of the burden this would bring; they would have to cater to the king and his men, providing them with food and lodging. Moreover, the king would undoubtedly seize anything that caught his eye, leaving the townsfolk even more destitute. The news spread swiftly, clouding Gotham with a sense of dread and apprehension.
The Wise Men's Council and Decision
With the impending arrival of the king, the men of Gotham convened to discuss their course of action. The suggestion put forth by one of the wise men was to drop the large trees within the woods, obstructing all routes leading into the town. This was greeted with unanimous approval, and armed with their axes, they set to work. The roads were soon laden with logs and brush, creating an obstacle that the king's horsemen would find difficult to overcome. They had either to forge a new path or abandon their plans of visiting Gotham.
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The King's Reaction and Threat
Upon discovering the obstructed path, the king's wrath was kindled. He demanded to know who was responsible for this inconvenience, and upon learning that it was the men of Gotham, he vowed to punish them. He threatened to send his sheriff to the town to cut off their noses as retribution. This grim news was relayed to the townsfolk by two country lads who had witnessed the king's fury. This sent a wave of fear through the town, prompting the men to scramble for a solution to their predicament
The Ingenuity of Gotham's Men: A Unique Solution
The plan of the Gotham's wise men was an exemplar of cleverness and ingenuity. Rather than bowing down to the cruel king's demands, they chose to act with resourcefulness. A man named Dobbin, considered the wisest among them, put forth a compelling plan. He suggested that while wisdom may often lead to danger, no one ever faced harm for being a fool. Thus, he proposed that when the king's sheriff arrived, they would act in a manner that would make them appear like fools. The men of Gotham agreed to the plan, proving that sometimes, the best way to confront a problem is to approach it from a completely unexpected angle.
The Arrival of the Sheriff and Encounters with Gotham's 'Fools'
As the king's men struggled to clear the roads leading to Gotham, the king, growing impatient, returned to London. However, the sheriff and his soldiers made their way towards Gotham early one morning. But what they found in Gotham was quite unanticipated. They observed the old men of Gotham engaged in seemingly senseless tasks, such as rolling stones uphill to make the sun rise, while the young men simply watched and grunted.
As the sheriff encountered more inhabitants of Gotham, he found them all engaged in similar foolish actions, such as building a wall to keep a cuckoo from flying away, or carrying a door on a journey out of fear of thieves. The Gothamites' absurd behavior left the sheriff and his men bemused and incredulous.
The Final Verdict: Gotham, A Town of Fools
The sheriff and his men, convinced that Gotham was a town populated by fools, decided to return to London. They reported their experiences to the king, describing the seemingly foolish behavior of the Gothamites. Their tales of the simple people of Gotham made the king laugh, and he decided that it would be unjust to harm such naive folk.
Thus, he allowed the people of Gotham to keep their noses, and the town earned a reputation as "Gotham, A Town of Fools". This story demonstrates how the wisdom of the Gothamites, hidden behind a facade of foolishness, successfully saved their town from the king's wrath.
Conclusion
The tale of the wise men of Gotham underscores the strength of communal unity and the triumph of wit over might. Their audacious plan used deception, feigning foolishness, to protect their town from a tyrannical king. Their ingenious tactics led to the king's decision to spare Gotham, deeming it a town of fools. The narrative is a testament to human resilience, wit, and the power of collective wisdom in the face of adversity. Despite the looming threat, they proved that survival isn't just about physical strength, but also about the cleverness of the mind.
One day, news was brought to Gotham that the king was coming that way, and that he would pass through the town. This did not please the men of Gotham at all. They hated the king, for they knew that he was a cruel, bad man. If he came to their town, they would have to find food and lodging for him and his men; and if he saw anything that pleased him, he would be sure to take it for his own. What should they do?
They met together to talk the matter over.
"Let us chop down the big trees in the woods, so that they will block up all the roads that lead into the town," said one of the wise men.
"Good!" said all the rest.
So they went out with their axes, and soon all the roads and paths to the town were filled with logs and brush. The king's horsemen would have a hard time of it getting into Gotham. They would either have to make a new road, or give up the plan altogether, and go on to some other place.
When the king came, and saw that the road had been blocked up, he was very angry.
"Who chopped those trees down in my way?" he asked of two country lads that were passing by.
"The men of Gotham," said the lads.
"Well," said the king, "go and tell the men of Gotham that I shall send my sheriff into their town, and have all their noses cut off."
The two lads ran to the town as fast as they could, and made known what the king had said.
Everybody was in great fright. The men ran from house to house, carrying the news, and asking one another what they should do.
"Our wits have kept the king out of the town," said one; "and so now our wits must save our noses."
"True, true!" said the others. "But what shall we do?"
Then one, whose name was Dobbin, and who was thought to be the wisest of them all, said, "Let me tell you something. Many a man has been punished because he was wise, but I have never heard of any one being harmed because he was a fool. So, when the king's sheriff comes, let us all act like fools."
"Good, good!" cried the others. "We will all act like fools."
It was no easy thing for the king's men to open the roads; and while they were doing it, the king grew tired of waiting, and went back to London. But very early one morning, the sheriff with a party of fierce soldiers rode through the woods, and between the fields, toward Gotham. Just before they reached the town, they saw a queer sight. The old men were rolling big stones up the hill, and all the young men were looking on, and grunting very loudly.
The sheriff stopped his horses, and asked what they were doing.
"We are rolling stones uphill to make the sun rise," said one of the old men.
"You foolish fellow!" said the sheriff. "Don't you know that the sun will rise without any help?"
"Ah! will it?" said the old man. "Well, I never thought of that. How wise you are!"
"And what are you doing?" said the sheriff to the young men.
"Oh, we do the grunting while our fathers do the working," they answered.
"I see," said the sheriff. "Well, that is the way the world goes everywhere." And he rode on toward the town.
He soon came to a field where a number of men were building a stone wall.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Why, master," they answered, "there is a cuckoo in this field, and we are building a wall around it so as to keep the bird from straying away."
"You foolish fellows!" said the sheriff. "Don't you know that the bird will fly over the top of your wall, no matter how high you build it?"
"Why, no," they said. "We never thought of that. How very wise you are!"
The sheriff next met a man who was carrying a door on his back.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I have just started on a long journey," said the man.
"But why do you carry that door?" asked the sheriff.
"I left my money at home."
"Then why didn't you leave the door at home too?"
"I was afraid of thieves; and you see, if I have the door with me, they can't break it open and get in."
"You foolish fellow!" said the sheriff. "It would be safer to leave the door at home, and carry the money with you."
"Ah, would it, though?" said the man. "Now, I never thought of that. You are the wisest man that I ever saw."
Then the sheriff rode on with his men; but every one that they met was doing some silly thing.
"Truly I believe that the people of Gotham are all fools," said one of the horsemen.
"That is true," said another. "It would be a shame to harm such simple people."
"Let us ride back to London, and tell the king all about them," said the sheriff.
"Yes, let us do so," said the horsemen.
So they went back, and told the king that Gotham was a town of fools; and the king laughed, and said that if that was the case, he would not harm them, but would let them keep their noses.
