Once upon a time, there was a great empire that was threatened by a powerful barbarian tribe. The emperor of the empire tried everything to defeat the barbarians, but nothing seemed to work. So, he decided to try diplomacy and sent a delegation to negotiate with the leader of the tribe.

The delegation was led by the wisest diplomat in the empire and he brought with him gifts of gold and silver to offer as a dowry. The diplomat also explained to the barbarian leader the importance of preserving humanity and the benefits of forming an alliance.

To the surprise of everyone, the barbarian leader was impressed by the diplomat's wisdom and agreed to the alliance. The barbarian tribe and the empire joined forces to repel any other threats and became the strongest force in the land.

The two leaders sealed their friendship with a marriage between the emperor's daughter and the barbarian prince. The couple had a beautiful baby boy who was born with the best of both worlds, the wisdom of the Germanic people and the compassion of the empire.

And so, the siege was lifted, peace was restored and the two civilizations lived happily ever after, together in one great empire, forever remembered as an example of the power of diplomacy and the importance of preserving humanity.

Reflections

1. What was the problem that the empire faced in the beginning of the story?
2. How did the diplomat try to solve the problem?
3. What did the barbarian leader do after hearing the diplomat's proposal?
4. What did the emperor's daughter and the barbarian prince do to seal their friendship?
5. How did the alliance between the empire and the barbarian tribe benefit both cultures?
6. What was the importance of preserving humanity in the story?
7. Why did the alliance between the empire and the barbarian tribe live happily ever after?