Clearly I deserve credit. Sure, he was the one who dethroned the evil tyrant, but he certainly wouldn’t have been able to do it without me. I had supplied his horse that he rode up to the enemy’s black gates. I had housed him that night when it was raining deathly hard and cold. He must remember how I helped him. So why had he not mentioned me when the grand king knighted him? Because I am a poor stable master who is as insignificant as the fleas that buzz about the horses. Why, even his horse was honored. Actually, my horse, because I gave it to him because he had nothing.
He was sullenly stumbling by my stables one dark and extremely rainy night when I saw him. I’m a sympathetic man, you see, so I went outside and asked him if he’d like to stay in my stables. He had earnestly told me he must press on, that he was on a very important mission. Still, I pitied him and convinced the fool to take refuge for at least one night. He would surely catch a cold or worse and not be able to continue on his adventure if he didn’t stop his trek that night. Luckily, he was gullible, so I simply told him that I would give him a horse if he’d just stop. I wasn’t really thinking of the rewards I could’ve reaped at the time, but now I think I should have because I still have not gotten anything to honor me. But that’s ok, because I have a plan to get my revenge.
Tomorrow night, I shall retrieve my horse back. It will be easy, since it was my best horse and trusts me completely. At the strike of midnight, I will ride through the castle gates in the guise of a messenger on a pitch-black horse. I shall then proceed carefully towards the royal stables. By simply calling the horse’s name, it shall come to me and I shall ride off with it into the moonlight. The next morning, the newly knighted knight may just wake up to an empty horse stall and be completely dismayed. I had noticed that through the night that he had stayed with me that he was very attached to the horse. This is precisely why I gave him that particular one. Now that he has no horse, he may remember me and come back for a new one. I’ll then give it back to him and cleverly lie that it had run by during the night in pure terror. He will want to know what had frightened his treasured horse so, but will have to return to the castle because of pressing business that has to be tended to. When he arrives at the castle with the wonderful news that his horse had been found, his personal minstrel will write a song about me, the great stable master. I shall be given prize upon prize, reward after reward, and will become sick of all the money. But I shall not complain as I move into my castle and rule my own land, for I had gotten what I wanted. Soon, the knight’s name shall fade from history, but fine shall live forever! All shall pay homage to me, the King of all the Land!
Ahh, I see that you do not think my idea will work. You think I am insane and power hungry. But you are miserably wrong. I can see it in your disbelieving eyes. You believe that something will go wrong. Maybe they won’t let me in at the castle gates. Perhaps the horse will not remember me or will like its royal life better. Possibly, the knight won’t come to me when his horse is gone. Even if he does, maybe he does not tell everyone and I do not become famous. But I will not let your doubts stop me. Everything will go exactly as planned. I will be disguised so well, they will believe I’m a messenger with a very important message. The horse loves me so much that it will not give a second thought as it runs to me when I call. The knight will remember and honor me for my deed. Farewell, my fair people, because I will rule you some day soon.
Dear Sir William,
I found this paper in the pocket of the thief we found trying to sneak into the castle disguised as a messenger last night. He claims to know you. I suggest you come down into the prisons today to identify this stable thief. He seems raving mad. Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
Prison Warden