Story on King Canute and His Courtiers and Sea Waves
King Canute and Sea Waves
Story on King Canute and Sea Waves
Long long years ago, England was ruled by a king, named Canute. He was a man with great power and sense of knowledge. He was often surrounded by admirers and courtiers who often flattered him.
Hoping to please him, they remarked, “Your Majesty, you have endless power. There is no one as mighty as you.” One would say, “O, King! There can never be another man as powerful as you. No one in this world dares to disobey you.”
Then another would say, “Even nature recognizes your greatness. If you wish, you can command the sea to stop and the wind to cease to blow.” But the king was a man with good sense. He did not like the flattery.
He became so tired of hearing such flattery that he wanted them teach a lesson. One day he went to the sea-shore with his courtiers. The king asked them, “Do you think I am the most powerful man and everyone obeys me?” They said, “There is no doubt that the world bows before you and dares not to disobey you.”
Then the king took his seat on his royal chair on the sea-shore. The sea was rough and the waves were rolling on. The king commanded, “O, sea, stop there. Don’t move forward to touch my feet.”
But the waves rolled on as before and after a few minutes lashed on the king’s feet. The water rose higher and higher and drenched the king and his courtiers.
Then the king turned towards his courtiers and said, “Don’t flatter like this. Remember that God is the only Almighty who rules everywhere and even the sea. God can stop the sea and holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand.” The courtries felt ashamed of their conduct and gave up their flattery. Thereafter, Canute took off his crown and never wore it again.
Moral : A wise man is never flattered.
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