'This little box contains the thing you most desire.'
'Not likely. It's not big enough.'
'Are you sure?'
'Yes.'
'How sure?'
'What exactly are you proposing?'
'Open it, and look inside. If I told it true, everything you own belongs to me.'
'Except the thing I most desire?'
'Except it.'
'Deal. Give me the box.'
'Hah! Here. Take it! It always contains what people desire!'
'Too bad for you.'
'What?'
'What I most desire, is everything.' said the man who now was King of All. And he opened the box, and jumped inside.
And the other found himself standing in the middle of nothing at all. And within the box, nothing left.
Too bad. I really liked this. Is it yours, [MENTION=10324]jonesy[/MENTION]?You must spread some Experience Points around before giving it to jonesy again.
Maybe he was. And by giving the box away which now contained everything as a version owned by the man he gave the box to, he created two realities. One where the man he gave the box to has everything, and another where there is nothing but the boxgiver and an empty box.Not to nitpick, but when I originally read that I wndered why wasn't the guy who gave the box to the king of everything also in the box? Was it because being in the box, as per the original desire, would create a quantum paradox that could destroy reality?