Alice saw a kobold climbing up the landing. He looked really important. He wore a beautiful green cloak, decorated with golden thread. On his head he had a helmet, which was strewn with diamonds and rubies. "He must be the king of the country", Alice thought. She saw the kobold raising his hands into the air and starting to speak to the crowd.
"Dear fellow earthmen, look here at the fruit of our hard labour." He picked up the basket, which was filled with all kinds of precious stones. Even in the dim light the stones were shining in the basket. The king continued in a trembling voice: "Again we send another load of precious stones to the giants. I know you all would rather see it differently but we just don't have any other choice. They control the water and without water we cannot live."
The king paused for a while and looked into the crowd before him with a grave face. He threw his hands up, with both his forefingers sticking out, as if he were conducting a choir. "I ask you all to sing our national anthem, loud enough that the giants will hear it. And show them that you are proud to be a kobold!"
