TANSTAAFL  (C)*


     After  the war of the Almonds,  the Land of Kulumar  was  the 
richest and most powerful of all.

Its fields were bountiful and its granaries were full.

Its flocks were fat and sleek.

The  Kulumese  were proud and productive.  They  worked  and  they 
rejoiced in the highest standard of living known.

Sire  The Generous surveyed all this plenty and  said:  "Surely  a 
country  as  rich as Kulumar should provide food and  housing  and 
garments for our less fortunate.  I will ask the Lawmakers to levy 
a tax on the workers to provide for this."

And  the  Lawmakers,  each of whom hoped one day to  become  Sire, 
levied the taxes.  They then said:"Let there also be free circuses 
for those who do not work. And let there be soft hassocks and free 
food and wines for those who watch the circuses."

And the Lawmakers levied more taxes.

When the workers of Kulumar heard of the free circuses,  the  soft 
hassocks,  and  the  food and wines,  and then figured  their  now 
monstrous taxes, they said: "This is for us."

The farmers left the fields. The shepherds abandoned their flocks. 
The weavers laid down their shuttles. The blacksmiths cooled their 
forges. All the Kulumese were watching the free circuses.

Plenty  turned  to scarcity.  No longer was there  abundant  food. 
Garments  were  hard to come by.  The Kulumese did not  even  have 
camel chips to heat their tents.

Prices  rose and rose.  And the Lawmakers raised taxes  again  and 
again. (It was the only thing they knew how to do.)

Misery and gloom replaced joy and pride.

And Sire The Generous,  who was well-intentioned, went to the Wise 
Man of the Mountain and said:  "Wise One, I have tried to give the 
good life to my people,  but they no longer want to work. Food and 
goods are scarce.  Prices are outrageous.  Taxes are even more so. 
Give me a solution."

And the Wise Man of the Mountain replied in Kulumese: "TANSTAAFL."

Which means: "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch."



* The above fable was taken from the summer 85 NASA TECH BRIEFS,
  orriginally printed in the Industry Week, April 28 1975.
         Copyright (c) Penton IPC, Inc., Cleveland, OH.

   The  term  TANSTAAFL  was first used in The  Moon  is  a  Harsh 
  Mistress  by Robert A. Heinlein, (c)1965, G.P.Putnam.