King Canute and the Tide

Long ago, England had a king called Canute. He lived in a big castle, and he had many people around him all day long. These people liked to please the king, so they told him he was wonderful all the time.

“Your Majesty, you are the strongest man in the world,” said one. “You are the wisest king who ever lived,” said another. “Everything in the world must do what you say,” said a third. King Canute listened, and he sighed. He knew that these were just sweet words, and that no person can do everything. So he thought of a way to show them.

“Bring my chair,” said the king, “and follow me down to the beach.” His people were puzzled, but they did as he said. They carried his big wooden chair all the way down to the edge of the sea. King Canute sat down in his chair on the wet sand, right where the little waves were rolling in.

The tide was coming in, and each wave crept a little closer than the last. The king held up his hand and spoke to the sea in his biggest, boomiest voice. “Sea, I am your king!” he said. “I command you to stop, and do not come any closer!” “Do not dare to wet my feet or the edge of my royal robe!”

The people waited and watched. But the sea did not listen at all. Splash went a wave, right over the king’s shoes! Splash went another wave, up to his knees, and it soaked his long robe! The people gasped, and some of them had to jump back to keep their own feet dry.

King Canute stood up, dripping wet, and he turned to them with a smile. “Do you see?” he said. “The sea does not do what I say, and neither do the wind and the rain.” “A king is only a person, just like you.” The people looked at their shoes, and they felt a little bit silly.

After that day, they stopped telling the king that he could do anything. And King Canute went back up to his castle to change into some nice dry clothes.