Immediately on entering the palace, they commenced ransacking the whole establishment, and every one was trying to get the best of every thing. All wanted the pleasantest rooms, and the handsomest clothes, and the best articles of food. Each person claimed that he had as good a right to the best of every thing as any one else, and no one was willing to give up his rights. The children liked to use the nicest china and cut glass to play with, and the cakes and sweetmeats for their food; the servants liked the silks and satins for dress, and the sailors and soldiers liked the fine parlours with their light carpets and silk curtains and sofas, to smoke and eat in. And if any of the company tried to control them, insult and abuse were showered down, for thus taking away the rights and liberties of others. Very soon quarrels began, and these grew worse and worse, until they came to blows, and there was constant fighting for every thing. The result was this; the servants, the soldiers and the sailors were the strongest, and so they got possession of the best of every thing. The richest clothing, the finest rooms, and the best food were all taken by them. The captain, officers and gentlemen were the next strongest, and they got the next best. The women and children were the weakest, and so they were obliged to put up with the poorest of every thing.
But after they had thus divided their possessions, the question then was, who should do the work? All wanted to sit in the parlours, and walk in the gardens, and eat their meals, and ride in their carriages; but nobody wanted to cook, or wash, or sweep, or plough, or take care of horses. And yet all this work must be done, or they would be destitute of the necessaries and comforts of life. At first, the strongest tried to force the weakest to work for them, and for a while, it seemed as if the poor women and children, who had little strength to resist, would be made slaves to the strong.
But they declared that nobody had a right to make them work, and that they would go with their complaints to the king, if their rights were thus invaded.
Thus matters went on, till all the carpets were covered with filth, all the dishes were dirty, all the clothing was soiled and torn, and every thing about the estate was fast going to destruction.