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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Teens
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Comedy / Humor
- Published: 12/28/2023
The Parliment Of Tomfoolery # 1
Born 1951, M, from Gore Bay, Canada![The Parliment Of Tomfoolery # 1](/storage/story/318259A3-882E-FBE3-18D8-2DB717468BFB_1703791675-image(285x285-crop).jpeg)
The man in the moon looked down at the earth with a bored expression. He had seen it all, from wars and plagues to love and peace. Nothing surprised him anymore, except for one place: the kingdom of Tomfoolery. There, the most absurd and ridiculous things happened every day, and the man in the moon enjoyed watching them with amusement.
Today, he saw something that made him chuckle. The Parliment of Tomfoolery was in session, and the topic of debate was the age-old question: which came first, the chicken or the egg? The ministers of Tomfoolery were all experts in nonsense and silliness, and they had their own opinions on the matter. The speaker of the house, the Ring Master, called the meeting to order with a loud whistle.
"Order, order!" he shouted. "We are here to settle this important issue once and for all. The fate of the chicken and the egg depends on our verdict. Let us hear from the honorable ministers of Tomfoolery. Who would like to speak first?"
"I would, sir," said the Jester, raising his hand. He wore a colorful outfit with bells and a hat with three points. He jumped up and down, making funny noises.
"Very well, the Jester has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Jester said. "My fellow ministers, I have a simple and elegant solution to this dilemma. The answer is obvious: neither the chicken nor the egg came first. They both came at the same time, in a big explosion of feathers and shells. That's how life began on this planet, and that's how it will end. Thank you for your attention."
The Jester bowed and sat down, amid laughter and applause from the other ministers.
"Bravo, bravo!" the Ring Master said. "That was a brilliant speech, full of wit and wisdom. But I'm afraid it's not enough to convince me. I need more evidence and arguments. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Harlequin, raising his hand. He wore a patchwork costume of different colors and patterns, and a mask that covered half of his face. He walked on his hands, doing cartwheels and flips.
"Very well, the Harlequin has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Harlequin said. "My fellow ministers, I have a different and better solution to this problem. The answer is clear: the chicken came first because the egg is a chicken in disguise. The egg is just a clever way for the chicken to hide from its enemies and predators. When the coast is clear, the egg cracks open and reveals the chicken inside. That's how the chicken survives and thrives in this world, and that's how it will always be. Thank you for your consideration."
The Harlequin bowed and sat down, amid cheers and whistles from the other ministers.
"Wow, wow!" the Ring Master said. "That was a marvelous speech, full of logic and reason. But I'm afraid it's not enough to persuade me. I need more proof and facts. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Fool, raising his hand. He wore a simple tunic and a cap with bells. He carried a stick with a puppet on the end, which he used to make jokes and comments.
"Very well, the Fool has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Fool said. "My fellow ministers, I have a better and different solution to this question. The answer is obvious: the egg came first because the chicken is an egg in disguise. The chicken is just a clever way for the egg to grow and mature. When the time is right, the chicken sheds its feathers and reveals the egg inside. That's how the egg evolves and adapts in this world, and that's how it will always be. Thank you for your attention."
The Fool bowed and sat down, amid claps and hoots from the other ministers.
"Amazing, amazing!" the Ring Master said. "That was a wonderful speech, full of facts and logic. But I'm afraid it's not enough to convince me. I need more reason and proof. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Clown, raising his hand. He wore a bright red nose, a big wig, and oversized shoes. He rode a unicycle, juggling balls and pies.
"Very well, the Clown has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Clown said. "My fellow ministers, I have a different and better solution to this dilemma. The answer is clear: neither the egg nor the chicken came first. They both came from somewhere else, in a big spaceship of metal and glass. That's how they arrived on this planet, and that's how they will leave. Thank you for your consideration."
The Clown bowed and sat down, amid laughter and applause from the other ministers.
"Fantastic, fantastic!" the Ring Master said. "That was a brilliant speech, full of wisdom and wit. But I'm afraid it's not enough to persuade me. I need more evidence and arguments. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Mime, raising his hand. He wore a white face, black clothes, and a striped shirt. He did not speak, but acted out his speech with gestures and expressions.
"Very well, the Mime has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Mime said, without saying anything. He pretended to hold an egg in his hand, and then cracked it open. He showed that there was nothing inside, and then threw the shell away. He then pretended to hold a chicken in his hand, and then plucked its feathers. He showed that there was nothing inside, and then threw the carcass away. He then shrugged his shoulders, and made a sign of zero with his fingers. He then bowed and sat down, amid silence and confusion from the other ministers.
"Uh, uh," the Ring Master said. "That was a speech, I guess, full of something and something. But I'm afraid it's not enough to convince me. I need more something and something. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Preriot, raising his hand. He wore a white costume with black buttons, and a black hat with a white pom-pom. He played a flute, singing a song.
"Very well, the Preriot has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Preriot said. "My fellow ministers, I have a better and different solution to this problem. The answer is obvious: the chicken and the egg are the same thing, just in different forms. They are both part of a cycle of life and death, of birth and rebirth. They are both beautiful and mysterious, and we should not question them, but admire them. This is the song I wrote for them:
The chicken and the egg, the egg and the chicken
They are one and the same, they are different and the same
They are round and they are oval, they are soft and they are hard
They are yellow and they are white, they are brown and they are red
They are warm and they are cold, they are fresh and they are old
They are tasty and they are nasty, they are healthy and they are sick
They are alive and they are dead, they are quiet and they are loud
They are simple and they are complex, they are easy and they are hard
They are the chicken and the egg, the egg and the chicken
They are one and the same, they are different and the same
Thank you for your attention."
The Preriot bowed and sat down, amid cheers and whistles from the other ministers.
"Beautiful, beautiful!" the Ring Master said. "That was a lovely speech, full of poetry and music. But I'm afraid it's not enough to persuade me. I need more logic and reason. Who else would like to speak?"
"Nobody, sir," said the Rooster, standing up. He was a large and proud bird, with a red comb and a colorful plumage. He had been sitting in the front row, next to the Hen, who was a small and timid bird, with a white feather and a brown spot. They had been listening to the speeches with interest and anxiety, hoping for a favorable outcome.
"Nobody, sir," the Rooster repeated. "We have heard enough. We have heard too much. We have heard nothing at all. You and your ministers are all fools and idiots. You have no clue about the chicken and the egg. You have no clue about anything. You are wasting your time and ours. You are wasting the air and the space. You are wasting the world and the life. You are the Parliment of Tomfoolery, and we are the victims of your tomfoolery. We have had enough. We are leaving. Come on, Hen, let's go."
The Rooster grabbed the Hen by the wing, and dragged her out of the room, leaving behind a trail of feathers and eggs. The other ministers watched them go, stunned and speechless.
"Well, well," the Ring Master said, after a long pause. "That was unexpected and rather rude, uncalled for indeed. But I suppose it was also honest. And maybe it was also right. Maybe we are the Parliment of Tomfoolery, and maybe we have no clue about anything. Maybe.
The Parliment Of Tomfoolery # 1(Donald Harry Roberts)
The man in the moon looked down at the earth with a bored expression. He had seen it all, from wars and plagues to love and peace. Nothing surprised him anymore, except for one place: the kingdom of Tomfoolery. There, the most absurd and ridiculous things happened every day, and the man in the moon enjoyed watching them with amusement.
Today, he saw something that made him chuckle. The Parliment of Tomfoolery was in session, and the topic of debate was the age-old question: which came first, the chicken or the egg? The ministers of Tomfoolery were all experts in nonsense and silliness, and they had their own opinions on the matter. The speaker of the house, the Ring Master, called the meeting to order with a loud whistle.
"Order, order!" he shouted. "We are here to settle this important issue once and for all. The fate of the chicken and the egg depends on our verdict. Let us hear from the honorable ministers of Tomfoolery. Who would like to speak first?"
"I would, sir," said the Jester, raising his hand. He wore a colorful outfit with bells and a hat with three points. He jumped up and down, making funny noises.
"Very well, the Jester has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Jester said. "My fellow ministers, I have a simple and elegant solution to this dilemma. The answer is obvious: neither the chicken nor the egg came first. They both came at the same time, in a big explosion of feathers and shells. That's how life began on this planet, and that's how it will end. Thank you for your attention."
The Jester bowed and sat down, amid laughter and applause from the other ministers.
"Bravo, bravo!" the Ring Master said. "That was a brilliant speech, full of wit and wisdom. But I'm afraid it's not enough to convince me. I need more evidence and arguments. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Harlequin, raising his hand. He wore a patchwork costume of different colors and patterns, and a mask that covered half of his face. He walked on his hands, doing cartwheels and flips.
"Very well, the Harlequin has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Harlequin said. "My fellow ministers, I have a different and better solution to this problem. The answer is clear: the chicken came first because the egg is a chicken in disguise. The egg is just a clever way for the chicken to hide from its enemies and predators. When the coast is clear, the egg cracks open and reveals the chicken inside. That's how the chicken survives and thrives in this world, and that's how it will always be. Thank you for your consideration."
The Harlequin bowed and sat down, amid cheers and whistles from the other ministers.
"Wow, wow!" the Ring Master said. "That was a marvelous speech, full of logic and reason. But I'm afraid it's not enough to persuade me. I need more proof and facts. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Fool, raising his hand. He wore a simple tunic and a cap with bells. He carried a stick with a puppet on the end, which he used to make jokes and comments.
"Very well, the Fool has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Fool said. "My fellow ministers, I have a better and different solution to this question. The answer is obvious: the egg came first because the chicken is an egg in disguise. The chicken is just a clever way for the egg to grow and mature. When the time is right, the chicken sheds its feathers and reveals the egg inside. That's how the egg evolves and adapts in this world, and that's how it will always be. Thank you for your attention."
The Fool bowed and sat down, amid claps and hoots from the other ministers.
"Amazing, amazing!" the Ring Master said. "That was a wonderful speech, full of facts and logic. But I'm afraid it's not enough to convince me. I need more reason and proof. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Clown, raising his hand. He wore a bright red nose, a big wig, and oversized shoes. He rode a unicycle, juggling balls and pies.
"Very well, the Clown has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Clown said. "My fellow ministers, I have a different and better solution to this dilemma. The answer is clear: neither the egg nor the chicken came first. They both came from somewhere else, in a big spaceship of metal and glass. That's how they arrived on this planet, and that's how they will leave. Thank you for your consideration."
The Clown bowed and sat down, amid laughter and applause from the other ministers.
"Fantastic, fantastic!" the Ring Master said. "That was a brilliant speech, full of wisdom and wit. But I'm afraid it's not enough to persuade me. I need more evidence and arguments. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Mime, raising his hand. He wore a white face, black clothes, and a striped shirt. He did not speak, but acted out his speech with gestures and expressions.
"Very well, the Mime has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Mime said, without saying anything. He pretended to hold an egg in his hand, and then cracked it open. He showed that there was nothing inside, and then threw the shell away. He then pretended to hold a chicken in his hand, and then plucked its feathers. He showed that there was nothing inside, and then threw the carcass away. He then shrugged his shoulders, and made a sign of zero with his fingers. He then bowed and sat down, amid silence and confusion from the other ministers.
"Uh, uh," the Ring Master said. "That was a speech, I guess, full of something and something. But I'm afraid it's not enough to convince me. I need more something and something. Who else would like to speak?"
"I would, sir," said the Preriot, raising his hand. He wore a white costume with black buttons, and a black hat with a white pom-pom. He played a flute, singing a song.
"Very well, the Preriot has the floor," the Ring Master said.
"Thank you, sir," the Preriot said. "My fellow ministers, I have a better and different solution to this problem. The answer is obvious: the chicken and the egg are the same thing, just in different forms. They are both part of a cycle of life and death, of birth and rebirth. They are both beautiful and mysterious, and we should not question them, but admire them. This is the song I wrote for them:
The chicken and the egg, the egg and the chicken
They are one and the same, they are different and the same
They are round and they are oval, they are soft and they are hard
They are yellow and they are white, they are brown and they are red
They are warm and they are cold, they are fresh and they are old
They are tasty and they are nasty, they are healthy and they are sick
They are alive and they are dead, they are quiet and they are loud
They are simple and they are complex, they are easy and they are hard
They are the chicken and the egg, the egg and the chicken
They are one and the same, they are different and the same
Thank you for your attention."
The Preriot bowed and sat down, amid cheers and whistles from the other ministers.
"Beautiful, beautiful!" the Ring Master said. "That was a lovely speech, full of poetry and music. But I'm afraid it's not enough to persuade me. I need more logic and reason. Who else would like to speak?"
"Nobody, sir," said the Rooster, standing up. He was a large and proud bird, with a red comb and a colorful plumage. He had been sitting in the front row, next to the Hen, who was a small and timid bird, with a white feather and a brown spot. They had been listening to the speeches with interest and anxiety, hoping for a favorable outcome.
"Nobody, sir," the Rooster repeated. "We have heard enough. We have heard too much. We have heard nothing at all. You and your ministers are all fools and idiots. You have no clue about the chicken and the egg. You have no clue about anything. You are wasting your time and ours. You are wasting the air and the space. You are wasting the world and the life. You are the Parliment of Tomfoolery, and we are the victims of your tomfoolery. We have had enough. We are leaving. Come on, Hen, let's go."
The Rooster grabbed the Hen by the wing, and dragged her out of the room, leaving behind a trail of feathers and eggs. The other ministers watched them go, stunned and speechless.
"Well, well," the Ring Master said, after a long pause. "That was unexpected and rather rude, uncalled for indeed. But I suppose it was also honest. And maybe it was also right. Maybe we are the Parliment of Tomfoolery, and maybe we have no clue about anything. Maybe.
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Shirley Smothers
01/05/2024What a cute story. This can be enjoyed by all ages. Tomfoolery indeed. Enjoyed reading this. Congratulations on SHORT STORY STAR OF THE DAY!
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Valerie Allen
01/05/2024I have attended and participated in many meetings during my career and the theme of your story, unfortunately, sounds familiar! I wonder how much time we waste in these ridiculous discussions. Thanks for making a point of this with your story. Causes one to ponder ~
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Lillian Kazmierczak
01/05/2024That was a fun take on an age old question. I chuckled when rooster and hen left in such a tizzy! A well crafted short story star of the day!
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Donald Harry Roberts
01/05/2024Thanks Lillian...sometimes just writing humour is the best. I am glad you had a good chuckle.
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Joel Kiula
01/05/2024Very interesting story and conversations. I enjoyed the fact that most of them tried to explain which came first the chicken or the egg and no one seemed to get it right. Wonderful
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Donald Harry Roberts
01/05/2024I had a blast writing this...even the miss spelt title because it fit so well. Thanks for the read and response.
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Cheryl Ryan
01/05/2024Wow, I enjoyed reading this!
But to my surprise, the question of who comes first between the "Chicken and the egg" wasn't answered.
Just curious, which comes first?
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Donald Harry Roberts
01/05/2024The Parliment will discuuuuuss the matter again someday maybe, depends on the insanet...lol
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