Water Carriers

Once upon a time, in a galaxy near, near home, there was an earth-like planet, teeming with intelligent and not-so-intelligent life. Like all the living planets we know of, this one was highly dependent on water. Also like all the living planets we know of, it was ruled by its wealthiest creatures.

Now, to put these two themes together ... water dependence and wealthy rulers, that is ... it is obvious that wealthy rulers could not be bothered to fetch their own water. There arose, therefore, a caste of creatures whose purpose it was to bring the rulers their water.

In the course of time, the rulers learned to trust their water carriers and became rather fond of them. So they decided to elevate the water carriers over the normal run of riffraff. The rulers paid their water carriers well, dressed them in flowing black robes, and gave them high-sounding, multisyllabic titles.

Then the rulers said to their subjects, "Behold! Here are your leaders! Follow them! Respect them! Heed their counsels! For they are wise and learned and just and skilled in the ways of leadership."

But for all the hoopla, they were still water carriers.