ONCE UPON A TIME in The Land of Plenty there lived a ruler who, once he took office, commenced to ruthlessly flaunt his authority (which fits, given his self-proclaimed ruler status). He really didn’t care what he said or did as long as it fit his agenda to make his kingdom—more precisely himself—great. The forceful leader promised that the “golden age” of Acirema would start on the day he assumed power. Perhaps he was referencing the opulent gold décor in his redecorated palace office.
The ruler gathered his team of loyalists and followers, assuring them that as long as they followed his plans, his instructions, his actions, his orders, he would reward them, or at least keep them out of the dungeon. Threats and intimidation have a way of instilling self-preservation and obedience.
But not everyone much cared for the self-centered leader or his policies. They never fell under his spell, his control. They were willing to stand up to him, question him, even at the risk of raising his ire. Or worse. They began to rise up and challenge him and his underlings. That didn’t sit well with the ruler. I mean, how would you like the courts calling you out, gray-haired ladies protesting, students criticizing you in schoolyards? Nope, can’t have that happening in Acirema. Never mind that The Land of Plenty was a land of freedom, of laws, of due process, of balanced powers. Or at least it was before the authoritarian ruler took over.
A JOB REVIEW 100 DAYS IN
And so, 100 days into his reign, the ruler underwent a job review of sorts. Job reviews held no sway with him, although he should have understood their importance based on his previous experiences as a land baron who banished many a worker. Whatever. He was above everyone. All of them. He didn’t believe multiple reports of his declining popularity. He was doing a great job, he proclaimed. Great! And that was that. Don’t tell him otherwise for fear of being branded a liar. Or worse, banished from the kingdom. Just nod and agree that everything is going great and the ruler would call you a friend rather than a foe.
But you can only push people so far before they break and stop believing you, if they ever did in the first place. And many in the kingdom never did take this man at his word. He had a habit of distorting the truth, in other words lying. Now name-calling is not nice. But truth is truth.
BULLYING AND BLAMING
Many in the kingdom were weary of the bullying coming from the palace. No one likes a bully. No one likes decrees that harm, rather than help, the kingdom. When the ruler levied new taxes on goods, promising to enrich his subjects, many did not believe him. (It should be noted that some—too many—still believed him.) He urged patience and calm as anger rose both inside and outside the kingdom. The ruler had upset the marketplace apple cart. Yet, he would hear none of the verbal resistance. As was his usual reaction, he blamed the previous overseer of The Land of Plenty for the rising costs of food and for marketplace shortages. “It was him, not me!” the ruler shouted. He used that blame tactic often.
2 DOLLS, 30 DOLLS, 900 DOLLS
But then he said something that deeply upset his subjects. “Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls,” the ruler responded when asked about rising prices and marketplace shortages. Outrage ensued. Thirty dolls? It was then that the people of the kingdom realized how disconnected the leader was from reality. Many of them now lived in poverty due to his policies. Their children had no dolls, unless you counted those crafted from corn cobs. The ruler’s grandchildren, however, had an entire playroom filled with imported dolls. Lovely dolls. Thirty times thirty. That’s 900 if you’re counting.
By this time the citizens of The Land of Plenty were counting only one thing—the number of days until they could vote in a new leader of Acirema. If that would even be an option. If they weren’t all banished. If they still had a country.
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NOTE: While this is a fictional story, it is rooted in truth. Feel free to leave a comment, understanding that I moderate all comments on this, my personal blog.
© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I see him more as an aspiring Mafia-style don than a king – but the result is the same. Thanks to his cuts to the USDA’s food bank programs, some kids aren’t going to have food, much less dolls. 😢
Your definition of the ruler fits also.
Thank you also for pointing out that, because of cuts, some kids won’t have food. That’s both in the US and abroad.
this gave me chills, Audrey. what a classic, dark fairy tale, a warning, and sadly, one that we are all currently living through, along with the absolutely perfect photos to accompany your words. I am not kidding when I say many people would buy this and pass it on to future generations as a cautionary tale.
Thank you, Beth. And thank you for letting your voice be heard in Michigan. Writing this cautionary tale is one way I can use my voice.
yes, it’s wonderful and that is your superpower –
I like that statement, that writing is my super power. Thank you.
that is how you help, and my post tomorrow is about the journalists
I’ll be heading over shortly to catch up on your posts since I typically don’t read blogs on weekends. Journalist are facing unprecedented challenges right now.
absolutely, both near and far. the challenges are greater than ever.
Well said, Audrey. Love these little stories. I wish they weren’t so true. I thought the same thing when I heard the 30 dolls statement. His girls might have 30 but not many others.
Thank you, Linda. I, too, wish this wasn’t true. But, because it is, I use my writing to enlighten/inform/take a stand.
When I heard his comment, I was confused. In what world does he live in where he thinks average Americans could ever afford 30 dolls? How did he come to this conclusion? Most could barely afford one doll before. I’ve handed the last few dollars in my wallet to a distraught mother after overhearing their discussion about what they couldn’t afford. It’s like he has never been in public, never been to a store, never gone shopping, never had to buy “gross-eries” (just the way he pronounces the word shows he has no idea)… And yet, he has loyal followers who believe he is the greatest. As an Independent, no-party affiliated voter, I think the blind following of the 2-party system is ruining our country. Biden’s obvious mental decline, Trump’s narcissistic lying… Is this really the best our country had to offer the last 10 years?
First, THANK YOU, Rose for helping that distraught mother. That is an example of the kind of care and compassion we need more of in this country, on a small scale and a broad scale.
I, too, have wondered if Trump has ever set foot in a grocery store, if he has to budget and think about how he spends his money. It seems not.
We did have another choice in the election. But, for whatever reason, voters opted to bring back the man who promised the “golden age” and that they would be “enriched” by tariffs. It’s unfortunate. And now we are living with the consequences, which are far worse than I ever imagined.
Thanks for another creative story.
You’re welcome, Valerie. I think there was more to your comment, but only this first sentence and a few letters in the next came through. 🙂
Great story! Thank you!
You are welcome. It was “fun” to write in a twisted sort of way. Not a “fun” topic, but rather fun to write creatively.