The Rooster

Once upon a time, there lived a proud king. The king ruled over all the land, growing the land's riches and his own ego. One day, the king grew sick with a deadly illness. Desperate to save his life and keep his power, the king looked all over the land for a doctor that could clutch back his life from the grasp of death. But no doctor was to be found. With the plant of desperation growing deep in his soul, the king made a desperate plea to the inhabitants of his kingdom. A poor witch, looking to line her pockets, traveled to the palace in order to treat the king. Using magic, the witch healed the king from his great sickness. Having done the herculean feat, the witch demanded payment. However, after the king was healed, doubt began to gnaw at his mind. With his ego now restored, the king cheated the witch out of her pay, giving her a bag of 'gold' that was filled with stones. The witch left the palace in satisfaction, but when she opened the bag, the trick was discovered. The seeds of revenge were planted in the witch's brain, and she cursed the king to fall from his position of power to a lowly existence. At once, the king became a rooster. Even today, roosters still wear a poor excuse for a crown on their head, and though they are extremely weak, strut about with the air of royalty.