The Emperor of Everything
Herbert Flumm wanted to possess a great deal of power, and he wanted to possess it without hindrance. He wanted to be the highest of all leaders, with no one equal to him or above him, so that he could tell everyone what to do and what to think. He wanted to rule the world. He wanted to be the Emperor of Everything.
Because Herbert was only ten years old, his dream of ruling the world was difficult to achieve. Children who want to rule the world are, in most cases, rarely taken seriously by their elders. The grownups who knew Herbert regarded him merely as a silly boy with a silly ambition. Even other children regarded him as silly. Herbert, however, would not allow himself to be so easily dismissed.
"Someday I am going to have a great deal of power," Herbert said to his father.
"Is that so?" Mr. Flumm said, as he was reading a newspaper. "That's quite a big undertaking for a small boy."
"Someday I am going to tell everyone what to do and what to think," Herbert said to his mother.
"That's nice, dear," Mrs. Flumm said, as she set herself to peeling a pile of potatoes in the kitchen. "Whatever makes you happy is fine with me."
"Someday I am going to rule the world," Herbert said to Miss Wonkle, his teacher at school.
"It's good for a person to have a goal in life," Miss Wonkle said. "I must advise you, though, that if you want to rule the world, you will have to get better marks on your schoolwork."
"Someday I am going to be the Emperor of Everything," Herbert said to Milton, his best friend.
"Why would anyone want to do that?" Milton said. "I'd rather watch cartoons on TV and eat candy."
Herbert refused to be perturbed by the lukewarm opinions of the people around him. He firmly believed that it was his destiny to become an absolute ruler, and he was resolved to make it happen before he reached the age of thirty. He had committed himself to the path of uncommon greatness.
Nothing could distract Herbert from his solitary drive toward final conquest. With the fullness of Herbert's mind completely engaged in his pursuit of power, no one was able to resist the unstoppable force of his unrelenting will. All attempts at mental opposition were melted by the burning strength of his singular intellect.
When Herbert had attained twenty-nine years, his ambition finally was achieved. He held more power than anyone else had ever possessed in all of human history. He was the highest of all leaders. He could tell everyone what to do and what to think, and they all had to obey him. He was the unquestioned ruler of the world. Herbert was, at last, the Emperor of Everything.
A little more than six months after Herbert had gained total power, he began to display signs of boredom. He found that being an absolute ruler was not nearly as wonderful as he had imagined it would be. He needed to pursue an activity that would be more interesting. Accordingly, Herbert resigned as the Emperor of Everything and became a full-time collector of stamps.
Because Herbert was only ten years old, his dream of ruling the world was difficult to achieve. Children who want to rule the world are, in most cases, rarely taken seriously by their elders. The grownups who knew Herbert regarded him merely as a silly boy with a silly ambition. Even other children regarded him as silly. Herbert, however, would not allow himself to be so easily dismissed.
"Someday I am going to have a great deal of power," Herbert said to his father.
"Is that so?" Mr. Flumm said, as he was reading a newspaper. "That's quite a big undertaking for a small boy."
"Someday I am going to tell everyone what to do and what to think," Herbert said to his mother.
"That's nice, dear," Mrs. Flumm said, as she set herself to peeling a pile of potatoes in the kitchen. "Whatever makes you happy is fine with me."
"Someday I am going to rule the world," Herbert said to Miss Wonkle, his teacher at school.
"It's good for a person to have a goal in life," Miss Wonkle said. "I must advise you, though, that if you want to rule the world, you will have to get better marks on your schoolwork."
"Someday I am going to be the Emperor of Everything," Herbert said to Milton, his best friend.
"Why would anyone want to do that?" Milton said. "I'd rather watch cartoons on TV and eat candy."
Herbert refused to be perturbed by the lukewarm opinions of the people around him. He firmly believed that it was his destiny to become an absolute ruler, and he was resolved to make it happen before he reached the age of thirty. He had committed himself to the path of uncommon greatness.
Nothing could distract Herbert from his solitary drive toward final conquest. With the fullness of Herbert's mind completely engaged in his pursuit of power, no one was able to resist the unstoppable force of his unrelenting will. All attempts at mental opposition were melted by the burning strength of his singular intellect.
When Herbert had attained twenty-nine years, his ambition finally was achieved. He held more power than anyone else had ever possessed in all of human history. He was the highest of all leaders. He could tell everyone what to do and what to think, and they all had to obey him. He was the unquestioned ruler of the world. Herbert was, at last, the Emperor of Everything.
A little more than six months after Herbert had gained total power, he began to display signs of boredom. He found that being an absolute ruler was not nearly as wonderful as he had imagined it would be. He needed to pursue an activity that would be more interesting. Accordingly, Herbert resigned as the Emperor of Everything and became a full-time collector of stamps.