The King sent for the Prince, who arrived nervously at the large wooden doors that led to the great hall. The Prince was afraid because he had witnessed many times the robust and mysterious power the King seemed to have over all matters be they great or small. After the Prince finally plucked up enough courage to enter the hall, the King began explaining the premise for a great journey on which the Prince was to embark. The Prince was to take whatever time necessary to travel to all parts of the Kingdom and observe all that he would one day control.

The Prince immediately gathered the meager supplies that the King would allow him and set out alone, excited by all of the unknown possibilities that lay in front of him. Over an indeterminate period of time the Prince searched the farthest reaches of the Kingdom. He saw the grand vistas that presented themselves from the top of the highest mountains. He heard the strange sounds one hears when traveling in the deep forests alone. He felt the crisp coolness of the water of many crystalline brooks and rivers. He tasted the exquisite variety of the local food favorites in scores of villages and spoke with many wise and kind folk that he encountered there and on the trail.

As the final part of his epic journey the Prince was heading for the sea. He had been traveling a long while when one day, walking along lost in thought, he become aware of the smell of the sea riding on the gentle breeze. He picked up his pace with the energy that welled up within him from he knew not where. He crested the final giant hill, only to stop and stared in amazement at something he had never once experienced before. The great blue panorama spread at his feet as far as he could see in any direction. As he drew a deep breath of the salty air an undefined joy surged up within him and suddenly he bolted into action. He ran at an incredible speed all the way down the steep slope until he stood at the waters’ edge. It would be many years before he would realize that he had run down the sheer face of a rock cliff.

Abandoned to the pure energy of a totally new experience the Prince was suddenly stunned and confused at what he saw before him. Just offshore an old man, wearing a long, brilliantly colored, pointed cap with a crescent moon embroidered in a precious metal. He wore a matching long flowing robe and held a shoulder high staff that had bound to its top the largest and brightest jewel the Prince had ever seen. The old man was standing on something surrounded by the sea. Overcome with curiosity the Prince called shouted out "Old man, who are you and what is that upon which you stand?"

With a peculiar twinkle in his eye the old man gazed at the Prince and in a melodious voice said, "I am God and I am standing on an island."

The Prince became very agitated and, in the strongest voice he could muster, yelled "This cannot be old man, for one of the known facts about our kingdom is that there are no islands!"

The old man smiled in a way that was oddly frightening. Then in a sharp and commanding tone said, "I am God and this is an island on which I stand. It is after all a land mass surrounded by water, and that is an island is it NOT!!"

The Prince was so thoroughly confused that he felt sick in his stomach. He had been taught all of the known facts about the kingdom over and over again since before he was old enough to speak. Now before him was a sight that ran against all of the facts he had taken to heart all his life.

When the Prince had recovered enough so that he could moved he somehow knew what he must do. Without delay he sat off for his fathers castle with a resolve that he had never known in his life before. When the Prince reached the castle he rushed through the wooden door into the great hall and pleaded with the King to hear his disturbing news at once.

"What is it that has shaken you so much son?"

"Father when I arrived at the sea I saw God standing on an island," the Prince blurted out.

The King tilted his head as if in thought and said, "This cannot be for there are no islands in my kingdom."

Desperately the Prince interrupted, "But, Father, I witnessed this with my own eyes and I swear to you that I speak the truth."

"My son," the King said with a slight smile, "How was this God dressed?"

"He was wearing a long pointed cap with a crescent moon on it and a flowing robe!"

The King’s grin widened. "That was not God, my son. It was a magician and the island was just an illusion," he said.

Now the Prince, realizing that he had been tricked, flushed with anger and set off back to the ocean to confront the magician. When he arrived at the shore the old man was still standing out there. "I told my father about you and he said that you were a magician and that the island was simply an illusion," the Prince snapped.

The old man fell down laughing. After rolling around on the ground guffawing for some time, he gathered some of his composure. "Yes, this is true. I am a magician and the island is just an illusion. But, did your father also tell you that he is a magician and that the whole Kingdom is an illusion?"

The Prince was stunned beyond belief and, without uttering another word, left for the castle to challenge his father with the magicians new claim. In what seemed like no time at all he was before his father in the great hall. "Father, the magician said that you were a magician as well an that the whole kingdom was simply an illusion, please tell me that this is a lie!"

The King gazed at his son as though he were gauging his inner strength. After a short silence he spoke in his most somber voice. "What the magician said is true. I am a magician and the Kingdom is an illusion. You see, son, magic and illusion is all there is!"

The Prince, dumfounded, slumped dejectedly to the floor and muttered,"Everything I have learned and believed in all my life has been a lie. The kingdom I was to inherit is just a magicians humbuggery. I prefer to just die!!"

Suddenly, with great force, the giant wooden doors to the hall swung open and crashed fiercely against the walls, twisting the metal hinges and splintering some of the hardwood planks. DEATH stalked into the hall scowling at the Prince with eyes that were terror realized. Fate marched inexorably toward the Prince, one THUDDING STEP after another. The Prince sat, benumbed with fear as death drew closer and CLOSER. At the very last moment, almost without thinking about it, he threw his arm up as though defending himself from a blow. To his utter amazement death vanished.

The Prince rose along with the exultant energy coursing through his being now. He looked with aplomb at the King. "No, Father. Magic and illusion are not all there is, for I have vanquished your magic."

A harmonious chuckle parted the king’s lips and his eyes glowed with acknowledgment. "No, Son, it is true. Magic and illusion are all that exists. You see, it’s just that you are becoming the magician NOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!"