Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Ill Conceived Supposition [my lightning strike presentation]


Storybook Theatre proudly presents The Ill Conceived Supposition; a conjectured tale depicted with a lack of evidence.  This story was written and illustrated by the Duchess Daphne.

As is the tradition with fairy tales this story begins in a customary way... Once upon a time, in a not so distance place, lived the beautiful Princess Penelope.  She was known throughout the land as a kind and generous sovereign who was particularly susceptible to fits of giggles.  Many believed that she woke up smiling and smiled throughout the entire day.

Although she was loved by all, she was also known for making disastrous assumptions.  In fact some of her assumptions had caused great inconvenience and suffering for her people.  Many of her kinsfolk were irritated with her aptitude for making quick decisions reliant only on her great enthusiasm for any quizzical conundrum that was presented in her court.

Storybook convention requires that the heroine of the story has a confidant.  Slide #4 seemed like the perfect place to introduce an additional character, so please welcome Princess Penelope’s most trusted and loyal companion, the Countess Chloe. 

Countess Chloe was wise beyond her years as was evident through her elegant elocution and her lofty aspiration to counsel the young Princess Penelope in the ways of academia.  Countess Chloe often petitioned the Princess Penelope to seek out the great thinkers of their age as she believed that they alone would help to inform the decisions that Princess made with great haste.

Although the Princess Penelope loved and admired the Countess Chloe, she was greatly concerned that knowledge and evidence would significantly undermine her enthusiasm.  In short, she felt that the great thinkers of their age might be no fun!

As we can see from the tale thus far, the Princess Penelope although consistently eager is exceedingly stubborn.  Who will save this young maiden from certain demise and devastation?

Who indeed?  As is the tradition with fairy tales, we need a fairy godmother.  The godmother’s role in this tale is to use her magic to help guide and inform the Princess Penelope.   With that in mind, will the Viscountess Virginia please enter from stage left and take your place amongst your kinsfolk. 

The Viscountess Virginia felt a great fondness for the Princess Penelope, despite her folly.  The astute Viscountess Virginia had discovered that great librarians, I mean, sovereigns can benefit from the balance found between excitement and expertise.  She alone could counsel our young Princess.

Viscountess Virginia’s strategy began with a tale of woe.  She described the disastrous events that could occur as a result of not consulting the great minds of our time, relying instead on gut instinct or popular opinion.

Princess Penelope began to feel a great sorrow as she indeed saw parallels in her own kingdom of this folly.  To add insult to injury, the young maiden often did not ask for further instructions or did not fully understand the instructions that she was provided, when initiating a new royal decree. 

The lessons that Viscountess Virginia was kind enough to share slowly began to enlighten the Princess Penelope.  She began to see the error in her ways. 

The Princess Penelope would no longer make decisions with great haste.  She would consult the greater thinkers of her age so that they could impart their wisdom to her.  She would learn, study, read, consult and make decisions based on evidence and practice.  Isn’t that what being a professional princess is all about?

Countess Chloe although delighted by the sudden transformation in the Princess Penelope, was left slightly perplexed.  Hadn’t she been saying this for years?  Why had not the Princess Penelope chosen to listen to her wise counsel?

Viscountess Virginia knew that she that her work was done in this tiny kingdom.  Viscountess Virginia would henceforth travel the land and disseminate the tale of the Ill Conceived Supposition, so that all who choose to listen may benefit from the story of Princess Penelope.

As is the tradition with fairy tales, this story concludes in a customary way.  Princess Penelope, the Countess Chloe and Viscountess Virginia lived happily ever after. 

The moral of this tale for those who choose to hear it: examine the evidence, expand your knowledge, inform your opinion but remain thoroughly enthusiastic about all complex conundrums that you are presented with.

The Duchess Daphne wishes to acknowledge the pedia de wiki for without it many literary mistakes may have been made.  A great debt is also due to the thesaurus, without which many fancy words may not have been revealed and the allure of this narrative otherwise greatly diminished.

And with a flourish, I bid you adieu. 

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