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The
Serpent and the King
One
day a soldier spotted a giant serpent traveling toward the border
of the Coyan Kingdom. The king was informed of the threat and
ordered the serpent killed. "I don't know if this creature
can be destroyed," the king's general said. "I have
heard of this monster. Offer it a small portion of your treasure
and it will go away."
"I'm
not giving my riches to a serpent," the king said. "Kill
that monster."
So
the king's army killed the serpent. But the next morning the
serpent came back to life and grew to twice its size. "I
warned you of this," the general said to the king.
"Not
another word," the king said. "Bury that beast."
The
king's army killed and buried the serpent, but the next morning
the serpent came back to life, doubled in size, and emerged from
the earth. "Give it part of your treasure and it will go
away," the general pleaded.
But
the king didn't listen. The king's army killed the serpent again,
and, on orders from the king, they burned its flesh. The next
morning the serpent again came back to life, and this day it
grew so large that it conquered the entire kingdom, keeping all
of its treasure and land for itself.
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