riendly Stranger

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

The Baron and his chief advisor, Professor Hamblin, formerly of Cambridge University in England, would often discuss the historical problems of a monarchy. The essence of the problem was that the royalty loses touch with the people.

It was the old story of those who were the haves and those who were the have-nots. The Professor believed that those in the middle between the haves and have-nots should be in the majority.

Meanwhile, in Lilliland there were reports of a friendly stranger who was not a tourist or visitor or resident. He just seemed to come and go without anyone knowing really who he was and the true nature of his business.

Finally, on of the Lilliland citizens thought that the friendly stranger was overly friendly, always asking about what seemed to be on the minds of the citizens. A few of the citizens decided to follow the stranger as he roamed all around the town. To their surprise, the friendly stranger would always disappear near Lilliland Castle.

One day, the citizens asked the police to take the stranger into the police station to inquire about why he was always asking questions about the cares and concerns of the residents of Lilliland.

When the police brought the stranger in for questioning, he did not object. He requested that before the questioning began, could he send a note to Professor Hamblin? The police granted the request and a note was immediately sent to the Professor. To the police chief’s surprise, Professor Hamblin quickly appeared at the police station.

The police asked only one question of the friendly stranger, “Why were you asking so many questions about what concerns the people of Lilliland?”

The answer from the stranger was that it was his job. At this point, he took off his disguise and it was the Baron Von Lodge himself. Professor Hamblin was there to verify that it was, indeed, the Baron, although it really was not necessary.

The Baron said that he felt that as the Baron and he asked questions that concerned the people, he would get a very polite answer, but when he asked the same question as a friendly stranger, it would be a more truthful answer.

The Baron liked getting a more truthful answer because, in the long run, that made him a better Baron to lead his people.