ABSTRACT
One day King Canute told his followers to carry him and his throne to the seashore at low tide. “Set me down right there at the water’s edge,” he said. “And I will command the sea to stay away. I will order the tide not to rise.” “Oh, wow!” said his followers as they obeyed the King. “This ought to be something to see!” King Canute sat. He shouted: “Sea, stay away! Tide, do not rise!” But slowly, slowly, the tide came in and the sea rose, over his feet, past his knees, up to his waist. The crowd of followers pulled back a little to keep their own feet dry. They were puzzled. Why did the sea not obey the King? The water rose higher and higher, up to the King’s shoulders, over his chin. “Loyal [glub] subjects,” he gurgled. “Now you see that [glub] there are some things no man, be he [glub] king or commoner, can [glub] do! Now pull me the [glub] out of here!”
