A warlord king went off with his men to attack a neighboring kingdom. While he was away his city was vulnerable — and another warlord saw his chance. When the unprotected city’s inhabitants saw the approaching army, they made hasty defenses, fought vigorously, and were able successfully to beat off the attackers.
When their king returned, a delegation of the city’s inhabitants told him of their valiant defense of the city.
The king had them executed on the spot.
To the onlookers he proclaimed: Do not presume that bearing arms and fighting is ever your job. That power is mine and mine alone!
* * *
I’m reminded of the hassling and prosecution of parents who homeschool their children in the United States, Germany, and other places.
In these countries, one can go to jail for homeschooling:
Sierra Leone, Greenland, Brazil, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Trinidad, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Sweden, Serbia, San Marino, Montenegro, Moldova, Malta, Macedonia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Bosnia, Belarus, Albania, Andorra, Germany. (List as of 2015.)
That is one of the reasons that made me decide not to procreate until I move out of Brazil, if ever.