A tale of triumph

Eliza Cook’s King Bruce and the Spider tells the story of a monarch who wears a crown and embodies true kingship. In Scotland, there was a king named Robert Bruce who ruled when Scotland was not part of England. He was known for his bravery and wisdom. One day, the King of England led his large army into Scotland and drove Robert Bruce out. However, King Robert Bruce refused to give up his country and gathered a small army group to bravely fight against the King of England.

His small army of brave men fought six times but lost each battle. After each fight, the Scottish soldiers were left with nothing but to flee to save their lives. The army was completely broken, and all lost hope. In the end, the Scottish army was scattered, and the King could do nothing but run and hide. He sought refuge in the woods and lonely places among the mountains. With no army left, the king didn’t know what to do next. He wandered alone in the garden, growing weaker and losing hope day by day.

One day, it suddenly started raining heavily. Seeking shelter, King Bruce found an empty cave. Exhausted and disheartened, he contemplated giving up, feeling that all was lost. As the King lay on the cold ground, considering giving up, he suddenly saw a spider spinning her web in the cave. The spider struggled to spin her thread from one end of the cave to another, but she kept falling as the thread was short and thin. King Bruce observed that the spider tried six times to make her thread stick to the cave wall but failed each time. He felt extremely sad for the spider.

Yet, the indefatigable spider didn’t lose hope even after failing six times. On the seventh attempt, she finally succeeded. This time, she tried spinning the thread from the other side of the cave. King Bruce was surprised by this display of perseverance. Witnessing the tiny creature’s determination gave the King new hope and strength. He cried out, “If a little spider can bravely persist without losing hope, then so can I.” With this, the King resolved to raise his army once more. When the rain stopped, he emerged from the cave and declared, “I shall try the seventh time.”

King Bruce rallied all his soldiers and marched to the battlefield. He shared his plans with them and asked for more men to join his army from his country. The loyal soldiers followed the King and recruited strong men for his army. Soon, there was an army of brave Scottish men standing with the King. Another battle ensued between Scotland and England. This time, King Bruce of Scotland emerged victorious, reclaiming his kingdom.

The story illustrates the spider’s determination in achieving success. Witnessing the spider’s bravery encouraged King Bruce to take another step forward in reclaiming his lost kingdom. This story teaches us the importance of persevering until we succeed.

King Bruce resolved to fight against the enemy once more, and as the storyteller recounts, he tried once more. This time, he achieved a brilliant victory over his enemies. This story is relevant to us as well. Since gaining independence, we have faced socio-political challenges. Our enemies threaten us both within and beyond our borders. Our democratic governments often struggle to deliver for the people, and past administrations have fallen victim to external and internal threats. Extremism and state terrorism continue to pose challenges to our leaders. Now is the time for newly elected parties to unite and confront these challenges, taking inspiration from King Bruce’s determination.

Our leaders must prioritise the well-being of the people over personal interests. They should learn from King Bruce’s example of rising for the welfare of his people. Let us stand united and defend our country from all threats, whether within or at the border.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2024.

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