The State That Politely Declined

📘 The State That Politely Declined

A Forest Fable About Sovereignty, Swagger, and Saying No with Grace

By Forest Moss © 2025

Rooster Goldcrest rose with a gleam in his eye,

“Look north!” he declared, “That land’s mine to buy!

It’s quiet and snowy and far too polite—

Let’s give them some guns and call it Freedom White!”

He sketched out a map with his gold-plated pen,

“This frozen politeness needs freedom again!

No more of this ‘sorry’ or two-language dance—

We’ll teach them real swagger and give them a chance!”

Rooster flew north to a podium of ice,

And crowed, “I’m here with some friendly advice!

Ditch the red leaf! Ditch French on your signs!

Trade syrup for ketchup and strengthen your spines!”

But Maple stepped forward, her voice calm and clear,

With wisdom that echoed like wind through the year.

She spoke without bluster, without any wail:

“We’re flattered you asked… but we’re not for sale.”

“Our strength runs as deep as the roots of these trees,

It flows through our valleys, our rivers, our seas.

We’ve weathered all storms without boastful tall tale,

So hear it once more: we are not for sale.”

Rooster tried harder—he promised them gold,

He mapped out their future with stories he told.

But the forests stood firm and the mountains stood tall,

They whispered together: “Not for sale at all.”

So Rooster flew home in a blizzard of rage,

Still posting his maps on each digital page.

While Maple stood steady through snowfall and gale,

Her answer unwavering: “We are not for sale.”

🪶 Moral:

You can sketch all the borders and shout all you’d like,

But some places stand firm when the big voices strike.

Their silence speaks truth that no money can scale:

The answer stays simple—“We are not for sale.”

🌿 Why I Wrote This

This fable satirizes the collision between loud ambition and quiet dignity.

It was written for anyone who's watched a small, sensible place hold its ground while a larger one tried to rebrand it “for its own good.”

The story works equally well whether you're thinking of icy northern territories, vast Arctic islands, or any place where someone mistakes “polite” for “available” and “quiet” for “weak.”

Maple doesn’t argue or insult. She simply knows her worth.

Rooster Goldcrest mistakes volume for strength… and learns otherwise.

Sometimes the most powerful word in any language is: “No.”

🔗 Explore more forest fables by Forest Moss