The Ruby of Corundum: A Tale of Wisdom and Greed
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, rested the kingdom of Corundum, famous for its fiery red ruby mines. Its proud people lived with an odd contradiction - living in the lap of wealth yet, untouched by greed or sin. This was thanks to the goodness that radiated from their kind-hearted King, Ethelred.
One fateful day, misfortune struck the kingdom when King Ethelred took his last breath, leaving young Prince Aldous to rule. Aldous was an apple that fell far from the tree. Unlike his father, Aldous, who had grown up in luxury, was unbearably spoiled and greedy. The peace of the kingdom was soon replaced by turmoil under his rule, as he hoarded all the rubies, satiating his insatiable greed.
Among those greatly affected by King Aldous’s tyranny was a humble miner, Oswald. Despite the harsh conditions of labor, Oswald was content, as he believed in the power of hope. One day, while working, Oswald struck upon a rusty box. On opening the box, he found a tiny, old, magic ruby. Unlike the fiery red rubies, this one was a beautiful sea-green shade and pulsed with a strange energy. It was said to grant one heart's deepest desires.
Seeing this as a way to end the king's reign of tyranny, Oswald wished for wisdom and courage to bring back prosperity in Corundum. Suddenly, he was flooded with understanding and knew exactly what to do. Oswald decided to challenge Aldous to a game of chess, with the stipulation that if he lost, he would become the king's slave. But if he won, Aldous would return the rubies to the people.
King Aldous, thinking it an easy victory, agreed to the terms. The courts were full as the commoners and nobility alike came to watch the spectacle. As the game started, all eyes bore down on the humble miner and the tyrant king. Word by word, move by move, Oswald played strategically, his moves reflecting newfound wisdom. Aldous, blinded by ego and greed, made rash decisions, leading him to lose one piece after another. Finally, after hours of tense gameplay, Oswald checkmated Aldous.
True to his word, Aldous returned the rubies to the people. The king, disheartened, asked Oswald how he had been defeated. Oswald, looking at the defeated king, simply said, 'Wisdom and humility are worth more than any ruby.' That moment was a turning point not only for the kingdom of Corundum but also for King Aldous, who in defeat, found the wisdom he needed to rule with the goodness and fairness of his father King Ethelred.
Corundum flourished again, returning to the kingdom of prosperity it used to be, only this time, it also had a leader who understood the real worth of his crown. As for Oswald, he went back to his humble beginnings, content knowing he had used the magic ruby's power well. The kingdom of Corundum was forever engraved with the tale of a humble miner's wisdom and courage and a wake-up call for a king, whose ignorance nearly ruined it all.