ptons and Downeys

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

The Baron realized that much of the economic well-being of Lilliland was dependant on the tourists coming and enjoying themselves.

The Baron made sure that Lilliland was always peaceful and friendly. However, there were stories of bickering between two families that had lasted for three generations. The families were the Uptons and the Downeys. They each lived on a farm on opposite sides of Lilliland. They both raised dairy cows and each one had about 60 that provided milk, cheese and cream for the local's needs.

After the latest street fight between the farmers, Upton and Downey, the Baron had the two elders from each family come to Lilliland Castle for a mandatory meeting. Professor Hamblin would also be at the meeting since he was the Baron's chief advisor.

The Baron asked both family elders why the family bickering seemed to be going on since the 1840s? "What was the original cause of their disagreement?" he asked. Neither side could remember what their ancestors had told them about the cause of the families' always feuding. The Baron concluded if neither side could come up with a satisfactory reason for the fighting, then it was really a waste of everyone's time and energy. Both sides agreed that the fighting should stop at once. The Baron said that if there were any more reports of fighting then he would confiscate three cows apiece per each fight to be sent to the farm that provides milk and cheese for the orphans' home. The cows would be on loan for 90 days.

Unfortunately, the fighting did not stop. The next week there was another fight, then the following week another fight, and later still, another one. The Baron kept confiscating the cows until half of each herd was over at the farm that provided for the orphanage.

Unbeknown to the elders, one young man from the Upton family was dating a young lady from the Downey family. Later they became engaged and a June wedding was announced.

To both the Baron's and Professor Hamblin's surprise the fighting stopped and the cows were returned as promised. The June wedding took place and everyone became very friendly to each other because then The Uptons and Downeys were related through marriage and were very happy with their new in-laws. Everyone in Lilliland breathed a sigh of relief and were happy too.