Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a ruthless king who ruled over many vassal states. The king was feared by all because he was very strict and expected everyone to pay tribute to him.

One day, the king heard of a bastion, a strong fortress, that was located in one of the vassal states. The bastion was said to be so strong that no one could penetrate it. The ruthless king became very curious and decided to visit the bastion himself.

When the king reached the bastion, he was greeted by the governor of the vassal state. The governor told the king about the strength of the bastion and how it had protected the people from all sorts of danger.

The ruthless king was impressed but he still demanded tribute from the governor, just like he did from all the other vassal states. However, the governor refused to pay and told the king that the people of the vassal state were already suffering and couldn't afford to pay anymore.

The king was furious and decided to launch a relentless attack on the bastion. But, try as he might, he couldn't penetrate the fortress. The people of the vassal state, who were safe inside the bastion, laughed at the king's attempts to break through.

This made the king even angrier, and he decided to lay siege to the bastion, hoping that the people inside would eventually surrender. However, the people of the vassal state were determined and refused to give in.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, but the king's efforts to conquer the bastion were in vain. In the end, the king realized that the people of the vassal state were strong and brave, and that he could not defeat them. He lifted the siege and left, never to return again.

From that day on, the people of the vassal state lived in peace and freedom, protected by their bastion. And the ruthless king learned a valuable lesson about the importance of respecting others and the power of determination.

Reflections

1. Why was the king in the story considered ruthless?
2. What was the bastion and why was it important?
3. Why did the governor of the vassal state refuse to pay tribute to the king?
4. How did the people inside the bastion protect themselves from the king's attack?
5. What did the king learn from his failed attempt to conquer the bastion?
6. How did the story show the importance of determination and bravery?
7. Can you think of a real-life situation where someone showed determination and bravery?