By Jeffrey You
“Dad, what is the most unbreakable thing in the world?” asked the small boy, his eyes wide with curiosity. “My friends and I were asking each other questions, but I could not quite answer this one.”
The king sighed, “I am not too sure son. I have other things to worry about.” He quickly walked past his son to continue his administrative duties.
His son cried out saying, “But Dad, today is my birthday. You told me last year you will do anything for me this year.”
The king swiftly turned around to face his inquisitive son. Blankly looking at the calendar, he saw that it was indeed the first day of June, his dearest son’s birthday. The boy had a point.
“You know what, son? I was wondering the same thing. “What is the most unbreakable thing in this world?” he questioned with a nervous smile. A feeling of alarm consumed the king as he fell into a state of panic. How could I forget my son’s birthday?
On the following day, during the parade celebrating the king’s victory over the neighboring kingdom, everyone celebrated in style; bottles of wine and champagne were carried across the streets, and the majestic fanfare of the trumpets embraced the feeling of triumph. When the king entered the parade, his presence was immediately welcomed by his followers. Everyone in the crowd cheered him on, bowing down to him on their knees while weeping tears of joy. Clearing his throat, the king shouted “SILENCE!” and the chaotic,exulting people silenced themselves in an instant.
With a booming voice, he made his announcement: “I am seeking to find what the most unbreakable thing in the world is, and the person who brings me such a thing will gain fathomless fortune and innumerable ingots of gold.” With that, people from all over the world started to search and search to obtain this prize.
The next day, an elegant man wearing a white robe arrived at the king’s chamber, carrying a gleaming box in his two hands. The man boasted proudly, “Your Majesty, here I present to you the most unbreakable thing in the universe. Thousands have tried to break it, but none have succeeded. It is the diamond box handcrafted by generations of the finest artisans who have worked on this masterpiece.”
The king scoffed. Grabbing the nearest iron ax, the king struck the box with all his might, but the box remained unbroken. Still unmoved, the king ordered the guard to get the strongest diamond ax. The king once again hit the diamond box, yet this time around, the box collapsed, yielding to its might. Wearing a dissatisfied expression, the king said, “Next.”
Another man came up to the king. “Your Majesty, this is the strongest shield in the world. No one has ever broken it before. I can assure you that this is the most unbreakable thing to ever exist in this world.”
The king sat on his throne, his face stony. The king whispered to his guard, telling him to bring out the diamond ax once again. The king struck the diamond shield with all his might, but like magic, the shield did not even slightly bend. The blacksmith who had brought the shield could not help himself and smirked a little. He proudly announced with the utmost insolence, “Your Majesty, I told you. It cannot be broken.”
The king, on the other hand, was unfazed as he pulled out a gigantic, glamorous sword from the sheath under his belt. A loud clash reverberated through the hallway of the king’s palace, and on the ground were the two pieces that had once comprised the shield. “That shield stands no chance against the mightiest sword in the world.” Carrying a frown on his face, the king took a deep breath and sighed as he sat down on his chair.
The following day, an old man came up the door steps of the king’s chamber. With a soft and tired voice he murmured, “I know what the most unbreakable thing in the universe is. But I will show it to you under one condition. Please bring your son down here to view this spectacle. He will be amazed and delighted.” The king agreed. Eager to have his wish fulfilled, his son came trancing down upon the stairs.
Suddenly, the old man lunged for the king’s son and grabbed the little boy by the throat, choking him. The elderly man wavered his sword to shoo off the guards and he bellowed at the king, “Bring me gold and silver and all of your jewelry or this boy is going to lose his head.”
The king took a step towards the intruder, his hands wide open in order to show he did not mean any harm. “Everybody, let us calm down and put our weapons down,” said the king in a trembling voice.