The Thief and the Cobbler

It is written

among those limitless constellations

of the celestial heavens

and in the depths of the emerald seas

and upon every grain of sand

in the vast deserts

that the world which we see

is an outward and visible dream

of an inward and invisible reality.

Once upon a time

there was a golden city. ☻

In the center of the golden city,

atop the tallest minaret

were three gold balls.

The ancients had profecied

that if the three golden balls

were ever taken away

harmony would yield to discord

and the city would fall to destruction

and death.

But, the mystics had also foretold

that the city might be saved

by the simplest soul,

with the smallest and simplest of things.

In the city

there dwelt a lowly shoemaker

who was known

as Tack the cobbler.

Also, in the city

existed

a thief

who shall be nameless.

Haii ! Woaoww !

Seize him! Take him!

Seize him! Take him!

Seize him!

Take him into the palace!

Wake! Wake, father!

Er... er... oh!

Something's happening!

Oh, Great King Nod,

have no fear,

Zigzag, your Grand Visir, is here!

Oh,

it's you, Zigzag.

And now, o Greatest of the Great,

to rest you from affairs of state

I've searched the world and brought you thence,

at no little effort and great expense,

a plaything from far south of Gaza

A bountiful maiden from...

Mombasa!

Mombasa?

Oh, father!

Mombasa

Who is this?

O, Greatest King of all the Earth,

This low-born cobbler of no worth

Attacked me in the square, today

Shall we take his head away?

What?

No...

Yes, Zigzag, if really think so.

But what has he done?

Attacked me!

Really?

Yes.

You great fool!

What? What? What?

At the moment, daddy,

I need a cobbler.

Er, er, yes, ... of course.

of course, o Rose of the Land,

your slightest whim is my command.

Er, cobbler,

go with Princess Yumyum.

Open for the Royal Polo Ponies!

The nice young mam is fixin'

your slippers m'dear.

Yes, nanny.

Cobbler, what's your name?

Tack?! Is that your name?

Tack!

Your bath is ready my dear.

Where is my back scratcher?

Oh well, I have another.

La la... huh?

What's happening to me?

Oh! Maybe the pipes are backed up.

Maybe something died.

Aha! You've finished Yumyum's shoe.

You've done it very well!

And now, she has no need of you,

we'll put you in a cell.

Oh, Imperial Majesty!

Yes, yes, Zigzag?

From farthest Cathay,

at my bidding, were sent

the best polo ponies of the Orient

Very nice.

To please King Nod,

beloved by all

Commence the game!

In short, PLAY BALL !

Father, father!

Oh?

Do you know where my cobbler has gone to?

What? No.

Isn't he with you?

Fixing your shoe?

He seems to have vanished

Oh! How wonderful, swing o King!

Yes... Oh, yes...

O, wisest of rulers!

Happy is the kingdom

in this milk and honeyed land

Happy are the sujects

who live beneath your hand

We rejoice at all around us,

as this beauteous evening falls,

Safe beneath the sure protection

of the ancient golden balls

One-eyes! One-eyes!

One-eyes win again!

One-eyes! One-eyes!

I shall gnaw the golden city

to the bone

and I shall spit it out!

No one is left alive to warn them!

One-eyes! One-eyes!

The day of death

has come to the golden land!

And I shall conquer the golden city!

I shall trample and break them

and not show pity!

No man escapes the mighty One-eye!

Sleep... sleep... sleep.

They sleep, they sleep..

They're all asleep

But I am quite awake!

Eh, Fido?

I rise above the human heap.

The world is mine to take.

Eh, Fido?

Men are fools who walk in dreams.

They sleep their lives away.

But I, Zigzag, will reign supreme,

for they are easy prey.

Eh, Fido?

For I intend to take as wife...

the daughter of the King.

And with her, my royal bride,

I'll rule in public sight,

with Princess Yumyum at my side.

The crown is mine by right!

Eh, Fido?

Poor Fido! How could I forget?

I fear you haven't eaten yet.

For you, dear bird, a special treat

For breakfast

you'll have cobbler to eat.

Thief!

Stop, thief!

Youll have the head for starters

then the neck and then the heart.

Such a tasty little man, eh...

My flying garbage can?

There's your breakfast, Fido dear

You can eat it up, right here.

Zigzag! Zigzag!

Get me Zigza!... Now!

Fido, affairs of State.

I fear your breakfast will have to wait.

Coming, Your Majesty, coming!

Oh Great King Nod, have no fear!

Zigzag, your Grand Vizir is here

Death and destruction, Zigzag

My kingdom will come to destruction and death.

Calm, Serene Highness.

You must catch your breath

What dawn of disaster?

Why speak you of death?

A nightmare... no, a vision!

A vision of invasion!

An entire race of one eyed men!

And death... death, everywhere.

Excellent Majesty, Ruler Supreme!

I can safely assure you

a dream's just a dream.

I saw it, I tell you!

Calm down, Your Highness.

Invaders?! One-eyed?!

But, this is against what has been profecied.

For, has it not been written, we are safe from any threat.

as long as those three golden balls are on the minaret?

Aah! What if the balls are taken away?

A way has never been found

to take them away.

What freak of nature

could ever get up to the top of that minaret?