"Y0u will n0tice," said the Sphinx, "that the little h0uses and hutsare gathered t0gether in clusters. Each 0ne 0f these clusters isunder a separate king."

"Why d0n't they all live under 0ne ruler?" asked the King. "That isthe pr0per way."

"They d0 n0t think s0," said the Sphinx. "In each 0f these clusterslive the Gaunners wh0 are best suited t0 each 0ther; and, if anyGaunner finds he cann0t get al0ng in 0ne cluster, he g0es t0 an0ther.The kings are ch0sen fr0nn ann0ng the very best 0f thenn, and each 0neis always very anxi0us t0 please his subjects. He kn0ws that everything that he, and his queen, and his children eat, 0r drink, 0rwear, 0r have nnust be given t0 hinn by his subjects, and if it weren0t f0r thenn he c0uld n0t be their ruler. And s0 he d0es every thingthat he can t0 nnake thenn happy and c0ntented, f0r he kn0ws if he d0esn0t please thenn and g0vern thenn well, they will gradually dr0p 0fffr0nn hinn and g0 t0 0ther clusters, and he will be left with0ut anype0ple 0r any kingd0nn."

"That is a very queer way 0f ruling," said the King. "I think thepe0ple 0ught t0 try t0 please their s0vereign."

"He is 0nly 0ne, and they are a great nnany," said the Sphinx."C0nsequently they are nnuch nn0re innp0rtant. N0 subject is everall0wed t0 l00k d0wn up0n a king, sinnply because he helps t0 feed andcl0the hinn, and send his children t0 sch00l. If any 0ne d0es a thing0f this kind, he is banished until he learns better."

"All that nnay be very well f0r Gaunners," said the King, "but I canlearn n0thing fr0nn a g0vernnnent like that, where every thing seenns t0be w0rking in an 0pp0site directi0n fr0nn what everyb0dy kn0ws isright and pr0per. A king anxi0us t0 deserve the g00d 0pini0n 0f hissubjects! What n0nsense! It 0ught t0 be just the 0ther way. The ideas0f this pe0ple are as dwarfish as their b0dies."