Eat Like The King

• Esther Lin, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2020

Lynn sighed sadly as she looked at the food on her plate. All there was on her plate was a piece of boiled broccoli, five cold snow peas and half a piece of homemade bread. No meat. Again. The meal had been plain for week, or even months.
“I wish I could eat like the king,” Lynn mumbled picking at her food. “Come on Lynn! Be grateful for what you have!” her mum would always scold her.

Meanwhile at a nearby palace, four kings stared down at their food in disgust. It was full of roast lamb, fried chicken, cooked beef and a variety of seasoned and boiled vegetables. “I wish I could eat like a normal kid,” one of the kings said. “Yeah I know right just plain food for a day. How delicious would that be,” another king murmured miserably.

The four kings walked out for some fresh air, after all that fancy food. They talked loudly about eating like a ordinary kid with no feasts while walking in a poorer part of the kingdom. Then they suddenly overheard or couldn’t help eavesdropping about Lynn complaining about all the plain food she was eating and her dream of eating like a king.

“Sorry, but I couldn’t help overhearing that you want to eat like the king?” one of the kings asked curiously. “I-uh-ah, yes y-your m-majesty, I-I-I do want t-to eat like the king,” Lynn stammered nervously. “No need to be nervous! How about we swap dinners for the day?” the king suggested. “R-really?” Lynn’s eyes widened in surprise. After a bit of negotiating, Lynn we to the gigantic castle while the kings went to Lynn’s house.

Lynn tasted the roasted lamb first, it was so savoury! Then she had a mouthful of chicken, it was too sweet! She didn’t have the appetite to try the rest, “I do not want to eat like the king!” Lynn ran home unhappy with what she ate. When she arrived home, the kings didn’t like the food either! It was too plain, apparently. They whined and bickered for what seemed like hours about the food they tasted. Finally, Lynn’s mum stopped the. And said very sternly, “Now all of you have learned a lesson: Be grateful with the food you have! Now Lynn, did you get to eat like the king?”