The wise man looked around. He spotted a little girl
that was one of the King's people. He motioned the child forward. Very slowly
she came over and looked shyly up at the King and the wise man.
"Don't be afraid, child," the wise man said. "I need
you to tell the King what it is that you like about him."
In a timid voice the little girl said, "I
I liked
it when you played games with us. I liked it when you told us stories. One
time you made up a poem about me and my mama. That made me very happy and
my mama cried because she liked the poem so much."
"But don't you like it that I protected you from the
trolls?"
"Yes but the trolls are gone, sir, and you have soldiers
to protect us if they come back."
Frowning, the King said, "but what should I do?"
Hiding behind the wise man, the little girl said softly,
"play games with us again. Tell us more stories and poems. That is what would
make us happy."
"Would everyone come back to my Kingdom if I did?"
"Yes."