The King woke up one morning. He looked around his enormous castle and decided it was not good enough. He went to his Adviser and told him, “Look at this place,” in a rage, “Would you call this castle desirable?”  

“Of course not, your majesty,” The Adviser said confidently, “this castle is not worthy of you.”

 “I need a new bigger, grander, better castle,” The King demanded.

“There is only one problem,” The Adviser warned The King, “A grander, better, bigger castle will take a lifetime to build, you might never see it finished.”

“I want this castle as soon as possible, I do not care how. I want it done. And I want it soon. Or you pay. Are we clear,” The King threaten. “Do WHATEVER it takes to get my castle done.”

The Adviser hired 100 builders to work on The King’s castle. “In the end,” the Adviser bribed them, “The King will give you enough riches that neither you nor your children will ever need to work again,” and the builders accepted the offer with much delight.

The builders started the very next day. Smiles filled the air, the builder sang and worked, worked and sang. Never to work again was the only thought on their mind.

A week passed, the singing was barely noticeable, but the goal was still first on their minds.

But The King wanted his castle sooner, he gave the Adviser the orders, “I want my castle by the end of next year! Oh, I don’t like the idea of giving them lifelong riches.”

“Do not worry, your majesty, I’ve got a plan. They won’t be getting anything,” the Adviser said with full confidence.

So, the Adviser gave the builders more work, so much they were working all day and night.  

It went on like this until the workers started to complain. The Adviser said persuasively, “It’s for you, you’re doing this, so do it faster and when it’s done, you will all be given so much money you will never work again,” he reminded them.

They all nodded in agreement. “We can do this men,” said one. “Yeah!” They shouted in agreement.

So, they worked. And they built.

They thought of their families. And built. STONE BY STONE!!!!!!

Weeks passed. The stones were rough, and their callouses grew.

They desired to get back to their families; they desired to finish and desired the riches. So, they worked!!

Weeks passed. And they built. STONE BY STONE!!!

They worked: their muscles had built up strong. And there dream still lived. Riches!

Weeks passed. They worked. STONE BY STONE!!! Weeks passed they built one stone after the other. Weeks pass the castle came together. Stone!!! By!!! Stone!!

 “For the money,” they would chant.

Weeks passed they felt no more pain. They thought of the reward. Stone!!! By!!! Stone!!! Weeks passed Stone by Stone!!… Weeks passed stone by stone!… weeks   passed–stone.   by.   stone. 

With every stone they place the less they cared.

Till that glorious day when they finished. The workers rejoiced and went on their way home with the money. They bought themselves new houses and furniture, living life as royals.

This made The King furious, “HOW DARE YOU GIVE THEM ALL THOSE RICHES. You promised me you wouldn’t.”

“Do not worry, your majesty. My plan isn’t over yet,” the Adviser replied calmly.

The works excitement soon passed. They got bored with their new lives. They didn’t know what to do without the work.

So, they met up; they talked about their life. Each of them lying about how great it is. Till one spoke the truth, “Life is so boring.” This opened a floodgate of candor, “I missed that place,” said one builder, and they all agreed. “They were the worst years of my life,” said another and they all agreed. “What are we to do,” one asked. 

The builders marched back to The King (who was adoring his new castle) and said, “We don’t want the riches. Take it back” they complained, “and take us back to do more work.”

“You complain for 2 years out there, and now you want it back,” The Adviser asked happily. They nodded, except for one. He saw the smug smile on The King and his Adviser. “Of course, how could we be so stupid! He made us work so hard for all those years, till we couldn’t live without the work. We forgot are families, and only focused on the money. He took our lives away, he’s made us numb,” he thought to himself.

He was the first and the only one who saw that they had been tricked. He saw that the work had become the deepest desire of each of their hearts.