The King and the Monk Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

4bms: Cache was in good condition but its time to go. Disposed of properly.

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Hidden : 2/25/2012
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:


The King and the Monk

Once upon a time, long ago, there was a peaceful, self-sustaining Kingdom. The Kingdom was very large with people of every skill. There were farmers, butchers, cooks, blacksmiths, carpenters, seamstresses, clergy, soldiers, Inn keepers, financers, tax collectors, servants, advisors, and the Royal family. The King ruled the Kingdom with an even hand. The rule of the land was simple with punishment but no cruelty or torture. The village was prosperous, not just in terms of finances but in terms of food, building materials, education, arts, security, and health. They lived a very good life in relative comfort.

In the fall season of each year the King would hold a feast for the entire Kingdom. They would come together to eat, drink, and be merry. It was a joyous time for everyone to be thankful for the spoils of their labor. The feast would last an entire day from sun up till past sun down. They had any and every food available from racks of lamb to Lobster tail. Breads and soups of many varieties with fresh vegetables from the harvest were prepared and bountiful. Fruits and nuts with desserts of cakes and pies as far as the eye could see with wine for all. The Kingdom looked forward to the feast each year.

As the Kingdom continued to grow the feasts got larger and larger. The King would get occasional complaints about the work required to pull it together and cleanup after wards. The years passed and the complaints got louder and more numerous. He decided it was time to intervene. The Queen got wind of the Kings idea of putting limits on the feast and voiced her displeasure.

The Queen, who was beautiful and very well liked, lived to entertain. She enjoyed the food and drink of the feast but the singing, dancing, and socializing was her draw. She pleaded with the King to continue the feast as is, no restrictions. They disagreed, heartily sometimes, as to the proper course of action. The arguing continued until she kicked him to the guest house. She was standing her ground and he was going to pay.

The King would not tolerate being a guest in his own Kingdom. He sought guidance from his advisors but they were to smart to get involved with a Royal argument. He needed this resolved for the time to start preparing for the feast was near. But at the same time he did not want to let the Queen have her way either. Before swallowing his pride he chose instead to seek help from a man of the cloth. He went to the Monastery to speak with a Monk.

High on the hill stood the Monastery with breathe taking views and complete serenity. This place was run down with nothing of value. But the peace and quiet never felt so good. He found the Monk and asked for help concerning his dilemma. The Monk listened intently and when the King finished explaining his situation, the Monk stood in silence. After several minutes he responded, "Peace comes from within." The King asked for more explanation. "Worldly possessions mean nothing." It was obvious the Monk was done speaking. The King turned to leave and something caught his attention. It was a meditation room. He entered and suddenly it was clear what needed to be done.

A messenger knocked on the Queens bedroom door. He entered and delivered a sealed note from the King. She quickly opened and read it. She was to meet him in the Garden, by the fountain.

The King was already there when the Queen arrived. He asked for her hand, which she offered, and he spoke of his idea to resolve the feast disagreement. His plan was simple but brilliant. He would hire outside servants to prepare for and cleanup from the feast. Everyone could enjoy the day and eat, drink, and be merry. She only had one concern, who would oversee the planning. He threw caution to the wind, for he wanted back in his bedroom for he had needs too, and decided to find peace from within, and allow her to oversee the arraignments. She welcomed him into her arms and all was good in the Kingdom again.

The plans were made and the day of the feast was a glorious success. The people of the Kingdom felt the King had outdone himself this year. They were very pleased with being afforded time to attended and enjoy without the worries of planning, preparing, and cleaning up afterward. The King was a hero and the Queen was a bundle of joy. They lived it up and renewed their marriage in youthful bliss. Everything was perfect.

Months after the feast the King noticed some discontent from some of the Kingdoms people. He inquired his senior advisors as to what the current issues were. They informed him that the treasury was low so they had to increase the taxes on the commoners. In turn the Shoppe keepers and service providers were raising their prices and a vicious cycle was unfolding. The King then asked what caused the low treasury in the first place. He was told that the bills from the feast seem to be much higher than anticipated.

While preparing to go to bed the King asked the Queen how the financial end of the feast went. She said everything went better than expected. The musicians were in perfect harmony, the flowers perfectly matched her dress, the aroma of the food danced heavenly around the Courtyard. He could see already what had happened. The King asked her if she knew the cost of any of these things. She admitted that the receipts were confusing and she was not exactly sure of the prices associated with the services. It was a quiet night.

The full scope of the damage was apparent the next day. The people of the Kingdom were rioting with fires in the street and violence toward one another. The Soldiers were not keeping the peace, for without pay for their services they too had a gripe. The Kingdom was in shambles. The King needed help so he returned to the Monastery to consult with the Monk again.

The Monastery was as beautiful as ever. Outside you could see an addition on the South with a large fountain, trees and bushes with flowers of all kinds strategically arranged. The ornamental pond had large fish with walking paths, bridges and benches. Inside marble floors with many beautiful displays of art and vases of fresh cut flowers everywhere. The King found the Monk and asked for his assistance with his current problem. As before, the Monk listened intently. When the King had finished the Monk weighed his response for several minutes and replied,my"Peace comes from within."your pockets The King was about to turn and leave when the Monk again spoke.your"Worldly possessions mean nothing." to meThe King realizing the Monk was done speaking turned and left. As he passed the meditation room he decided to stop, hoping again to have an inspirational moment. As he knelt something caught his eye. It all made sense now, he understood.

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