The Parable of the Recalcitrant Artist

A Chatcaavan parable:

Take this as you will.

In the time of Emperor Belet there lived a great artist who called himself Mad. There was no artist to compare with Mad.

When the emperor saw the works of Mad, he grew full of rage. The works were too beautiful for the world, he said. The world does not deserve them.

So the emperor commanded Mad to the palace, and said he would pay Mad the salary of a king for all his life if he would never create another work again.

Mad refused. Emperor Belet ordered his death, but Mad laughed all the way to his execution.