The Prince and the Mapmaker

The map is not the territory — an allegory

Once upon a time, in a flourishing kingdom nestled between mountains and seas, there lived a wise Mapmaker and a young Prince. The Prince, with a noble desire to understand and care for his realm, summoned the Mapmaker to his grand palace.

“Mapmaker,” the Prince began, “create for me a map of my entire kingdom. I wish to see all that I rule over in its true essence.”

The Mapmaker nodded and set to work. He spent many days and nights crafting a beautiful map, showing mountains, rivers, forests, and towns.

When he presented it to the Prince, the young ruler was delighted.

“This is splendid!” the Prince exclaimed. “But tell me, can you make it more detailed? I wish to see every village and path.”

The Mapmaker cautioned the young Prince. “A map’s value lies in its simplicity. In trying to capture every detail, we lose the very essence of what makes it useful.”

But the Prince insisted. So, the Mapmaker took back the map. Ever diligent, he spent weeks adding roads, paths, and the buildings they connected.

He returned to the palace with the new, more detailed map. The Prince looked at it and was pleased but not yet satisfied.