Young Deimos gazed down at the casket, sorrow and despair glazing over his complexion as a single tear fell from his eye. Mournful dirges tinged the cool morning mist as he stole one last glance at the freshly-dug hole before turning his back and returning to his position near the guards. Townsfolk filed by and cast woeful stares upon the wooden box; mothers pulled their children close while fathers laid a gentle hand upon his wife’s shoulder.

“Our beloved King Evander is no longer with us,” the high priest proclaimed. “At just shy of 32 years of age, he was plagued by devilish disease and suffered great illness. After months of suffering and agony, he ceased to rise from bed early yesterday morning. Today we gather to honor this great ruler and present his younger brother, Deimos, as our newly appointed king.”

As the new crowned-head in this Greek village he had always called home, Deimos felt a powerful shift in dynamic as he took up his brother’s role as king. Villagers could no longer be found strolling up and down the town square, for there were no craftsmen producing goods and no desire to mingle or interact with one another anymore. Golden fields became overgrown and unkept, for there were no farmers tending to their crops and no vendors contending for space in town to sell fresh produce. All of the kingdom seemed to have a gloomy, downcast disposition. King Deimos spent days on end trying to follow Evander’s actions and lead like he had, but it was no use. No matter what Deimos did, his people’s spirits could not be lifted. 

One day, when the young king could no longer stand the daily drudgery of trying to live up to his brother’s standards, he came up with a brilliant idea. Sparing no time, he ordered the castle’s servants to get to work preparing a banquet and setting up the hall for a great feast. He gathered the royal orchestra and instructed them to arrange hours of music to last the entire night. 

Within a few hours, streams of animated villagers flooded the palace gates and entered the castle with curiosity and delight. Deimos watched with pride as his people danced to blissful melodies, piled plates high with the most delectable cuisine one could offer, and became friendly consorts with one another. As the night carried on into dawn, he knew his plan had been a success. So, the next evening Deimos scheduled another festival in the palace and all the villagers returned to celebrate. 

Soon enough, the king was holding festivities in his castle every night. After a week, however, the number of townspeople attending decreased and the palace hall was in ruins. Of course, this did not stop King Deimos. He went out and bought the most lavish treasures in all of the kingdom and returned home with sacks full of these gifts. Villagers returned to his palace immediately upon hearing the munificent king’s offer of grandiose gifts free of charge. Deimos was pleased with himself for hatching such marvelous plans. He was so caught up in the constant coordinating of gatherings and gift-giving that he was unaware of his own fatigue and financial downfall. The king had barely slept for days on end and quickly spent nearly his entire fortune to satisfy the kingdom. 

One particular afternoon while Deimos was peering out of a palace window with dignity as he watched people gathering in the streets and working in the fields once again, he constructed a third and final plan that he knew would ensure the happiness of the kingdom forevermore. He went out at once and began planting golden seeds that would soon grow into beautiful, lofty trees. 

“These trees will provide an endless supply of lumber, flowers, and fruit for every family in all of my kingdom,” Deimos thought. And they did. As the trees began to blossom and flourish, every family had a warm fire, luscious fruit, and the components to make any craft they desired each day. 

As time went on, however, the trees continued to multiply until every foot of land was covered as far as the eye could see. The canopy of broad leaves casted a dark shadow over the entire kingdom and brought a sense of melancholy and gloom along with it. Within days, every home’s door was shut and the jubilation of every villager ceased to exist. King Deimos was grief-stricken and perturbed, his hard work upholding the joy in the kingdom meaning nothing now. He wandered into the dim, grand forest, rambling to himself as he went. 

“Evander, my brother, how did you do it? How is it that I can never succeed, that I can never live up to your greatness? I have done everything in my power to please our people, yet no gesture, no matter the size, can withstand the doleful nature of this kingdom. What more could I possibly do?” 

With this final sentence, Deimos looked up with horror as he heard his own voice ringing out among the multitude of trees. He had spoken a bit louder than he had intended to, and now his words could be heard throughout the entire kingdom. The regretful king buried his face in his hands and began to weep, exhaustion and anguish washing over him and he sobbed. 

When he finally gained his composure once again, Deimos wiped away his tears and lifted his head. He was shocked at what he saw before him. Every man, woman, and child in the kingdom encircled his crumpled body with faces full of sympathy and grace. The king jolted upright and staggered back as he turned to meet the eyes of each person, humiliation and uneasiness seeping into him as he tried to make sense of their kind looks. 

A young woman stepped forward and gently spoke, saying, “We heard your shouting, King Deimos, and we understand what you have said. You have shown us much goodwill and generosity with very little in return.” 

A man stepped forward with a similar message, then another, until every villager was shouting words of praise towards their king. King Deimos’ heart was filled with gladness at this, and he began to weep once more, this time with tears of joy. 

From that day forward, King Deimos and his people lived in harmony. The town overflowed with vendors and artisans selling their goods, the fields produced lush crops and were tended by diligent farm hands, and every family in the village worked with the king to provide a bright and effervescent life for all people under his rule. When a problem presented itself, it was quickly resolved and forgotten by the whole community. If a dreary day arrived, the king and his people would gather together and celebrate with festivities and cheer. And most importantly, King Deimos never felt daunted, fearful, or ashamed. He was able to rule with confidence and poise without having to stop and question his decisions ever again.