Take the 60's The Mouse That Roared . It was an awful movie, but the story line based on the original book sounds very much like someone we know. The head of a miniscule government decides to wage war on the United States, deliberately lose, and sit back and collect all the goodies that the great and forgiving U.S. government always doles out to its enemies (Japan, for example).

Or what about Hans Christian Andersen's classic, The Emperor's New Clothes? A proud king refuses to hear obvious truths from his advisors or people and makes an absolute fool of himself.

But in the light of current talk about yet another coming meeting of the great powers, where promises will be made and threats will be submitted and aid will be extorted from nations who fear North Korea's weapons, the following Kipling poem is the most appropriate piece for the day:

It is always a temptation to a rich and lazy nation, To puff and look important and to say:

"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you,

We will therefore pay you cash to go away."

And that is called paying the Dane-geld*;

But we've proved it again and again,

That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld

You never get rid of the Dane.

So when you are requested To pay up or be molested, You will find it better policy to say:

"We never pay anyone Dane-geld, No matter how trifling the cost;

For the end of that game is oppression and shame, And the nation that plays it is lost!"