Before his arrival, Talent's reputation had preceded him. As a result all the guest house officials, being star-struck themselves, were especially curious to meet him. Surprisingly, considering the particularly tense circumstances, they managed to persuade him to sign a few autographs.
When the time came for him to be ushered into the hallowed presence of the King, Talent showed an eagerness that was not noticeable in all the other usurpers that preceded him. Not for him the paralysing fear that had seized several of the gods and goddesses that had appeared before His Majesty.
It was a surprise that he did not, at any point, betray signs that he was apprehensive about meeting the King. It was difficult to fathom what informed this bravado. Could he have been in possession of any advanced information that assured him that he had nothing to fear? Could he have been cleared in advance unknown to the guest house officials?
When Talent finally came face to face with His Majesty, he was taken to task almost at once.
'My friend,' bellowed the King,
'You have let me down greatly in that you derailed my appointed representatives.'
'Great Potentate,' replied Talent, bowing,
'Who shall not acknowledge your wisdom and power, great friend of the just. I must state that I have been grossly conspired against by your representatives. The truth is that I could not have usurped your emissaries.'
'With your permission, Your Majesty, let me describe myself as the exceptional grace to accomplish when carrying out a task or doing anything that requires a skill or an enabling.
'As the great source, I knew I had my origin in you. I have no doubt at all that everything that is good about me can be attributed to you.
'Your Majesty, in your own wisdom, you have, without fail, ensured that I can always be found in everyone of these representatives of yours in one form or the other, to varying degrees. Initially, I may need to be nurtured in order for me to come to full maturity. I am usually at my best when I am fully matured. It is for the grace to perform that I am set apart and best known. It is in my nature to excel in whatever I do. When I do perform, I give great delight to those at the receiving end.
Talent continued his defence,
'Glorious King, even though I give delight to people, that should not necessarily have qualified me to be worshipped as your representatives decided to do. To their utter disappointment, despite the fact that I am worshipped I have not been able to be their all in all.
'I have always held the view that worship should be reserved not for me but for you from whom all good things flow and who ensured that I am embedded in everyone of your representatives.
'Moreover, I am not unaware that lasting fulfilment can only come by carrying out your mandate.
'On my part, I shall continue to be amazed and saddened that your representatives decided to make me god. All their actions have thus implied that Your Majesty, who is the great giver, should take second place and relegated to the background while I, a mere gift from you, should be deified.
'Your Majesty, this is my story. You know as well as I do that I would not work against your interests.'
Not surprisingly, Talent's submission was considered good enough for him to be granted a reprieve.
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