There is a story from...
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There is a story from Taiwan of a young king who was dismayed by the practice of human sacrifice, which was done to ensure a good harvest. He outlawed the practice. But when a drought came, and then when crops failed for the second year in a row, he was faced with a delegation demanding a return to the old practice. Seeing that his only choice was to capitulate or face revolution, the young king gave in. He instructed the advocates of human sacrifice to go to a certain tree in the forest the next morning at dawn, and there they would find their victim. If the executioner would strike fast and true, a good harvest would be assured.
The next morning the delegation did as it was told. They found their victim tied to the tree, hooded and dressed in a red robe. With relief they killed him immediately, decapitating him. As the hood rolled away from the severed head, their joy turned to horror as they discovered the sacrificial victim was none other than the young king himself.
They say human sacrifice stopped that day on Taiwan. And today there still are followers of that young king, who dress in red robes and are called the People of the Robe.
The next morning the delegation did as it was told. They found their victim tied to the tree, hooded and dressed in a red robe. With relief they killed him immediately, decapitating him. As the hood rolled away from the severed head, their joy turned to horror as they discovered the sacrificial victim was none other than the young king himself.
They say human sacrifice stopped that day on Taiwan. And today there still are followers of that young king, who dress in red robes and are called the People of the Robe.
