Once,in a far away land,farther than you could fly with a Lear Jet for two weeks,a hateful king had nothing better to do than annoy one of his most prosperous subjects,a farmer.
He raised his taxes nearly to the point that even the most prosperous of his subjects were reduced to poverty,until he could not raise them any more without a rebellion.
The farmer liked to keep everything simple.He made it so that this much money went there,that much money went there,and had everything automated by his servants.In fact,despite the complaints of others,he did not mind the taxes so much,since they had ceased to changed.
Hearing such things,the King then lowered the taxes from50%to30%just to annoy the farmer,to screw up his little plan.The farmer complained,but the other farmers ridiculed him.How could anyone object to lower taxes?
Despite his grumbling,though,the farmer sorted out his accounts,and made everything fair again.
The king lowered them again.15%
The farmer,despite his loud annoyance,sorted out his accounts,again.
The king,realizing this,lowered his taxes further,to2%.By now,the farmer had steam coming from his ears.His accounts were more jumbled than ever,and he was finding it hard to figure out how much to pay people,and where his money would go.
The farmer stormed into the castle,and demanded that the taxes be returned to a simpler,easier way,and to stop changing them all the time.
The king,of course,dismissed him haughtily.
This turn of events brought the king great pleasure,so he sent a spy to the farmer's estate to survey his reaction.
The spy returned to the smug king.
“Sir,the farmer's having a great banquet to celebrate his extra income with all the other farmers.He asked me to extend you a invitation.”
Thus did the farmer outwit the king.
