Household Tales · Chapter
The Three Sluggards explained
A dying king, unable to choose among his three equally beloved sons, devises a contest: the laziest son shall inherit the kingdom.
What happens
A dying king, unable to choose among his three equally beloved sons, devises a contest: the laziest son shall inherit the kingdom. Each son boasts of his extreme idleness, and the third, who would rather be hanged than lift a hand to save himself, wins the crown.
Themes in this chapter
Virtue Rewarded and Vice Punished
In a twist, the vice of laziness is paradoxically rewarded with the kingdom, subverting the typical moral framework.
Family Dynamics and Betrayal
The king's unusual test pits the three brothers against each other in a competition of idleness, highlighting familial rivalry.
Characters to notice
- the son
The three sons of the king, each vying for the throne by proving their laziness.
- the young King
The third son, who wins the kingdom by claiming he would rather be hanged than raise his hand to cut the rope.
Key passages
“whichsoever of you is the laziest shall have the kingdom.”
The kingdom will go to whichever son is the most lazy.
The king's unconventional decree sets the premise for the contest.
“I would rather let myself be hanged than raise my hand to the rope.”
I would prefer to be hanged than lift my hand to cut the rope.
The third son's extreme claim of laziness wins him the throne.