Just a Good Ol' Story

This is a re-telling of a story my teacher told me many years ago. I changed it a bit here and there, but it still has the same main point.

The sun rose above the hills, casting a -red blanket over the town. It was a simple weekday morning, no one suspected that this particular day would change the lives of many.
On the far side of town, upon the highest hill, sat a medieval castle, in which lived the King of the land. The entire town understood that he was not to be disturbed, the grasses around his castle hadn't been trodden upon for years. The King awoke, and gazed out his window at the town that lay before him. 'This will be the day. I won't live much longer. They have to know.' he thought to himself, 'Today I must tell them.' He sat uprightly and called in his one and only servant, John.
"John, send the message to the town."
"T-the message sir?
"Yes John, the message."
"About Prince-"
"Just go!"
"As you wish, sire."
With that, John started off toward the village. There wasn't a soul that went un-told. Everyone had heard the news - Prince Charles has passed away.
The following day John visited the village for a second time. He stood upon a tower in the middle of town and proclaimed "The King decrees that every young man between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one are to meet at the castle gates tomorrow evening." The crowd gasped. No one was to be seen within a hundred yards of the castle, and now the King wants young boys to arrive at the very gates? "The King will ask all the young men to complete a task, and the man to complete it first will be proclaimed Prince of the Land."
The next evening, all the boys able to attend were standing at the castle gates. Some were wearing armor, others just came as they were, but all were there. John came toward them, and instructed, "The royal King has requested that each of you try and complete the task which I am about to give you. Are you ready?"
The soldiers stood up straighter and nodded their heads proudly.
"Good. You are to throw this spear up into the air." Slowly, John revealed a mighty silver spear, with the King's royal seal engraved upon it. The young men smiled. Some started imagining what they would do once they became prince. Others giggled. But John wasn't finished.
"The King realized that many of you could complete this simple task. So he decided to add a little detail. You must catch the spear, but you must be able to count to ten before it lands in your hands. The King has set no further rules. You are able to do anything, as long as you throw it, count to ten, and catch it. Surely you will be able to do that."
The men gathered around gazed once again at the broad spear. It must way nearly fifty pounds! Very few thought they could complete such a task. Nonetheless, all the men formed a neat line in front of John. The ones farther back watched as one by one, their friends and family failed to complete the task set before them. Soon, only a handful of men were left.
The first was Jedrek, an extremely large man with broad shoulders and enormous muscles. Surely he could complete the task. He hurled the silver spear upward, and slowly, he began to count, "7. . .8. . .9. . ." The spear came downward out of the vast blue sky at lightning speed. Inches away from the ground Jedrek caught it. He had failed.
The next was Griffith. His lean body was no where near being as muscular as Jedrek's has been, but he was the quickest man in the village. Surely he could complete the task. He thrust the spear into the azure sky. Quickly he began counting, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8" The spear plummeted downward and landed in the ground in front of the disappointed Griffith. He had failed.
The last was Jordan. A plain man, tall, lean, fit and always ready to work. He wasn't strong or quick, but perhaps he could complete the task. Jordan grabbed the spear with both hands and yanked it out of the rich soil. Jordan cast the spear as hard as he could and began. When the spear started coming back he counted faster, "eight, nine, t-" The spear smashed to the ground. He had failed.
There was no one left. Everyone had tried, but none could complete the task. What would become of the village? Would there be no king to watch over them? All the men began the short journey home, and John started back towards the palace.
"I haven't gotten to try yet." came a voice, high-pitched and extremely small. John spun around. There, right there, was a tiny young boy, Alex Thornton from the west side of town.
"You aren't of the right age." John pointed out simply.
"Well, sir, I just turned 17 last week." the boy replied, his voice determined.
"I beg your pardon. I suppose you must be given the chance the others were given." John walked back and picked up the spear and placed it carefully in the young boy's hands. "Well, go ahead."
Alex took a deep breath. He wasn't strong like Jedrek, nor quick like Griffith, but he was clever. He would find a way. Alex gazed up into the clear blue sky. Suddenly, he smiled. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of it before? The King had only required that he throw the spear, count to ten, and catch it. Nothing else.
He thrust the spear into the sky with all his might. It went no farther than five feet high. Easily he counted to ten and caught the spear. He had succeeded.
John was amazed. The boy had seen something the others hadn't. The King hadn't specified HOW they were to count to ten, he just told them to do it. All the others had counted by ones, Alex had counted by fives.
He hadn't broken any rules, he hadn't done a single thing wrong. In a measly two seconds he did what the others had failed to do. The King was satisfied. Alex had found the one and only flaw in his orders. The King interviewed Alex in his bedchamber. Alex wasn't strong or quick, but he was organized, a good leader, thoughtful, kind, and clever in his ways. He was exactly what the King was looking for.
Alex was declared prince of the land.

~ Hoppy 12 Years of Age