Once upon a time there was an old man who lived on the outskirts of town. He had lived there so long that no one knew who he was or where he had come from. Some thought that he had been a very powerful king, but that was many years ago. Others suggested that he was once famous, rich, and generous, but he had lost everything. Still others said that he was once very wise and influential. There were even some who said he was holy. The children in the town, however, thought he was an old and stupid man and they made his life miserable. They threw stones at his windows, left dead animals on his front porch, destroyed his garden, and yelled nasty words at him at every opportunity.

Then one day, one of the older boys came up with an idea to prove once and for all that those who thought he was a …