The Gypsy King
by Dirk Kelder

There was once a king who was honest, good and true – truly a wise and noble ruler. But in spite of all his fine qualities, almost no one wanted him as their king. He reminded them of what they themselves could be, which exposed all the more how they were actually being. It was not anything he said. It was rather how he himself spoke and acted in a way which in and of itself sent out a strong message of nobility, grace, compassion and truth.

And so this king was rejected by most of the peoples of the world. Wherever he went the people wanted a ruler who was not nearly so good. These kings made it possible for greedy and dishonest people to rise to places of power and authority. And so the good king traveled from country to country and became known as the Gypsy King. People laughed at him and made fun of him wherever he went, but he responded only with kindness.

Eventually the gypsy king grew tired of traveling and being scorned, and retired into the desert country where he found a cave and lived a simple, quiet life. Now there were quite a number of people in the places where he had been who secretly admired him. And when they learned that he had withdrawn into the desert many of these people left their homes to come to live with him.

He welcomed them with open arms and together that small community of people lived quietly, simply and peacefully in the desert. Over time that part of the desert became green and fertile and the community came to have plenty. And under the rulership of the Gypsy King everyone was happy. It was a community filled with nobility, grace, compassion and truth.

It was not long before people from the neighboring lands came to hear about this community. They heard stories about people helping each other out, how cooperation within the community was making many things possible, about music and poetry, about interesting and exciting events, and of the peace and happiness of its citizens. Many were filled with admiration and hope that someday this may also happen in their country. But others when they heard these stories became jealous and spiteful. One day a number of them conspired together to eliminate the Gypsy King, and a few days later with swords and spears they invaded the peaceful community.

When they found the Gypsy King he could immediately sense why they had come. He tried to speak to them to hear their concerns, but due to their nature they felt so threatened by the wisdom and magnanimity of his presence they could not hear what he was saying to them. Every word he spoke only exacerbated their fear and anger and they rushed towards him with their swords and spears. Rather than offering resistance he forgave them for what they were about to do and wished them peace. This angered them even more and they killed him.

After this the people who were part of the community were widely scattered. But they had learned much from the Gypsy King and wherever they settled they spread to others what they had learned. They spoke and acted in ways that conveyed nobility, grace, compassion and truth, and those they lived and worked with soon followed. In time the spirit and work of the Gypsy King spread far and wide.

The Gypsy King had finally become king after all – not just in one country, but over all the earth. His followers had not been alone in their work. The Gypsy King, no longer confined to his body, had been able to go wherever and whenever he wanted. And true to his name, and to this day, he travels over the whole earth guiding and inspiring those who aspire to live out his message, encouraging and inspiring everyone who hears him to live their lives with nobility, grace, compassion and truth.