King Canute and His Courtiers Story

Long ago, there was a very important king named Canute. The people who were close to him often said nice things to make him feel really special. One day, these people told the king, "Your Highness, you have so much power that even nature listens to you. If you tell the sea to stop, it will listen to you and stay still." King Canute didn't like this kind of talk because he knew it wasn't true. He wanted to show them that it's not good to say things that aren't true. So, he took his courtiers to the edge of the sea. The water was rough and the big waves were crashing onto the shore. The king sat down in a chair and said, "Hey sea, stop right there and don't come any closer." But the waves just kept on coming and even got their clothes wet. Then, the king looked at his courtiers and told them, "Don't say things just to make me feel good. Remember, only God has the real power to control the sea. People can't do that." The courtiers felt embarrassed and stopped saying untrue things.

The lesson here is that it's not good to say things just to make someone happy, especially if those things aren't true.