Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Le Bon Roi Dagobert

My French professor at Montclair State taught us a bunch of traditional songs that are still in my head more than 50 years later. One is "Le Bon Roi Dagobert," about a king whose trusted adviser is always helping him out. The song has dozens of verses, starting with  one in which the king has his pants on backward and takes action after his adviser points out the problem.

Although the song may date back to 1750, certainly individuals in power at various levels today can benefit from King Dagobert's example. Not only does he keep a trusted adviser close by, he actually pays attention to his advice.

Whether on the national political stage (think Gingrich) or locally (pick a name), the ability to seek and heed advice is one of the best tools in a would-be leader's box.

King Dagobert is somewhat of a comic figure, as are many politicians in retrospect. Nursery rhymes and folk songs have long been used to poke fun at people in power and even to foment revolution against incompetent or malevolent rulers.

Recent events in Plainfield make us wish some people would check themselves with a close ally before they wreck themselves in public. Without perspective, some in this coming political season are bound to do the same.

--Bernice

1 comment:

  1. I simply love how some of the local politicians think no one remembers what they say or do 6months before the election and then it comes up and suddenly they are best friends with "Public Enemy #1" because "we was just pokin fun"...

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