©Peter Worley 2014

The Luckiest Man in The World (story version)

Starting age: eight years

Themes:• Luck / skill• Providence• Fate• Destiny• Power

(See page 177 for more on the origins of the story)

StoryPolycrates of Samos was lucky. He was very lucky. Some said he was the luckiest of all men.

Every time he fought a battle he would win. Sometimes the weather would favour Polycrates, disadvantaging his enemy. Sometimes the wind would blow the enemy’s ships off course, giving Polycrates’ navy a strong wind; Polycrates’ ships would then arrive before the enemy was ready. Sometimes the enemy’s allies would fail to turn up at the battlefield, perhaps because of an earthquake or an angry volcano at home leaving Polycrates’ enemy greatly outnumbered. It was the conspiring of events like these that gave Polycrates the nickname, ‘the luckiest man in the world’.

Amasis II was the Pharaoh of Egypt and, as Polycrates won battle after battle and conquered kingdom after kingdom, Amasis grew frightened. He knew that fighting Polycrates was dangerous, especially as it seemed that fortune favoured Polycrates. Amasis had also heard that he was known as ‘the luckiest man in the world’. He decided to employ a different strategy. Amasis would offer to

onlineresources.indd 16 28/01/2014 14:26

©Peter Worley 2014

form an alliance with Polycrates thereby strengthening both their kingdoms and protecting each other from each other. When a messenger brought Amasis’ proposal to Polycrates he too could see the mutual benefit in forming such an alliance. Together, the two rulers became invincible, all would surrender before the awesome might of their combined armies.

Polycrates’ string of good luck continued until Amasis began to be fearful himself. He thought it unnatural. In order not to anger the gods Amasis recom-mended that Polycrates create some bad luck for himself or, he feared, the gods may make them both pay for it.

‘Polycrates!’ Said Amasis, ‘You must take your most treasured item and throw it away.’

Polycrates listened to Amasis and agreed that this would be a wise sacrifice and an ingenious way to cheat fate. He took a jewel-encrusted ring that was his most prized possession and flung it into the sea from the highest cliff he could find. Being such a unique and irreplaceable item it took him a great deal of will power to let go of the ring. But let go he did. And as it plunged into the ocean he knew he would never see his ring again.

To celebrate Polycrates’ sacrifice and to further cement their alliance, Amasis threw a banquet of the finest food and wine in Egypt. Polycrates sat next to Amasis and the food was brought to them. One of the main courses was a huge swordfish. The cook brought the impressive catch to the table, freshly caught that morning by the Pharaoh’s own fishermen. The great beast was placed before them both and served up to them personally. As the fish was sliced open by the cook they were both horrified to see that inside the belly of the fish was… Polycrates’ ring.

onlineresources.indd 17 28/01/2014 14:26

©Peter Worley 2014

Task Question: When Polycrates’ ring had been returned to him in the belly of the fish was it lucky or unlucky?

Nested Questions

• If you have lots of good luck does that mean, like Amasis thought, that you would have lots of bad luck?

• What is luck?• Can someone be a ‘lucky person’?• Does luck come from somewhere?• ‘There is no such thing as luck.’ Discuss.

onlineresources.indd 18 28/01/2014 14:26