Thread by @Joannechocolat

There is a story the bees used to tell, which makes it hard to disbelieve. #Storytime

A man built a house in which to live, and to provide for his family and his old age. #Storytime

It was a small house at first, but over the years the man added wings and outbuildings, and in time, the house became very grand. It began to attract attention. #Storytime

A local lord, fallen on hard times, asked the owner if he could rent one wing of the house. They agreed to the owner’s terms; a ten-year lease, a fair price for the rent, and no building, or painting, or tearing down parts of the house without permission. #Storytime

The lord moved in, and the two men lived comfortably alongside each other for the ten years of their arrangement. #Storytime

When at last the lease expired, another lord asked to rent in his place – this time two wings of the house, for a slightly smaller rent, but with the same rules: no building or development without the owner's permission. #Storytime

The lord agreed, and ten years passed. #Storytime

During those years, the owner of the house continued to raise his family and to think of his future. He also took in a poor family who had fallen on hard times, and allowed them to use one of his outbuildings as their own, rent free, for as long as they needed it. #Storytime

The family was grateful, and with the owner’s permission, transformed a little summer-house into a pleasant living space for themselves and their children. #Storytime

This irked the lord, who was renting two wings of the main building. “Why do I not have a summer-house?” he said, and prepared to build one himself, much larger than the original one, on the front lawn. #Storytime

But the owner pointed out that the lord could not do so without his permission. The lord was displeased, but could do nothing to change the owner’s mind; and he moved out of his two wings of the house the moment his ten-year lease had expired. #Storytime

However, it was not long before a third lord approached the man, asking to rent three wings of the house, on the same terms as the previous tenant (if for a little less money). #Storytime

By now, the man’s children had left home, and he and his wife were the only residents, except for the folk in the summerhouse, and he needed the money. #Storytime

He agreed for the lord to take over three wings, as long as he abided by the rules; no development of the house without the owner's permission. He also invited another poor family to take over and live in his barn, rent-free, and to make any changes they needed. #Storytime

This irked the lord, who felt that it was beneath his dignity to live so close to the common folk, and that their presence undermined the grandeur of his own dwelling. #Storytime

He complained to the man, and demanded the right to make changes to the main house. “I want a turret,” said the lord, “and a grand conservatory. These will add value to the house, and enhance both our reputations.” #Storytime

But the man refused, saying that he was happy with his house as it was, and pointing out their agreement. #Storytime

The third lord was angry, and sought a way to exact revenge. He went into the village, and spoke to the folk, saying: “See that big house over there? It could house two dozen poor families, but instead the greedy owner chooses to rent his property to the rich.” #Storytime

The people of the village agreed that the owner was very greedy. #Storytime

“Come with me to Court,” said the lord, “and we will petition the King himself. He must change the laws on property, so that this unreasonable man can no longer continue to impose his will upon his tenants.”#Storytime

And so the third lord went to Court, with the villagers behind him. “This man built his house almost thirty years ago,” said the third lord, “and still he claims control of its use and management, as if he had not profited from it for most of his life." #Storytime

"Surely, Your Majesty, this is wrong. Thirty years should be enough. After that, it should be in the public domain.” #Storytime

The villagers behind him agreed. “Yes, let it be in the public domain!” they cried. “Then we can all live there, rent-free!” #Storytime

The poor families already living there rent-free pointed out that this was nothing new. But no-one listened to them; the noble lord in his velvet coat was infinitely more imposing. #Storytime

His arguments were so eloquent that the King agreed to change the law. “After thirty years,” he decreed, “properties will henceforth be deemed to be under the control of the occupant, and not the original owner.” #Storytime

The villagers applauded, and the lord went back to the house, where his ten-year lease had almost expired. The day it did, he announced to the man that the property was now no longer his own, but under the control of the general public. #Storytime

“But where shall I go?” said the man. “I built this house to provide for me and my family.”
“You can build other houses,” said the lord. “Surely the rent you have collected over thirty years is more than sufficient to pay for them." #Storytime

”
And so the man – whose savings were small, and who was now getting old and infirm - moved out of his house and into one of the outbuildings – a shed – which, though small, he adapted to suit himself and his wife.#Storytime

Meanwhile, the third lord moved into the house and changed all the locks as soon as he could, so that when the villagers came by, asking for their share of the property, they were not able to enter. #Storytime

So instead, they divided between themselves the rest of the unclaimed outbuildings – a coal shed, a chicken coop, a dovecot – which, though not entirely satisfactory, were at least rent-free. #Storytime

Then they built homes in the gardens, and against the main walls of the house, which the third lord had already converted into the castle of his dreams, with great tall turrets on every wing, so that the shape of the original house was completely obliterated. #Storytime

People called it “the Castle”, and in time, forgot how the lord had used them. #Storytime

Most people assumed he’d inherited the Castle from his noble forebears, which was only fair, they told themselves. Nobles were better than ordinary folk.
Common rules did not apply.
#Storytime
The end