So the little story has a perfect ending. All the bad people washed away. It almost makes you believe in the power of prayer.

Maybe the story will have a perfect ending. It isn't over yet.

So that good officer made a little special prayer that there would be a little bloodbath to wash the bad people away. There. Isn't that a nice little story? Maybe not a perfect story. Because it ends with a prayer, and not a bloodbath. But maybe the story isn't over yet.

And even better, the good officer suspected that the bad people who were bribing the bad magistrate were probably criminals themselves. So the good officer decided that it would be good if the bad people who were bribing the bad magistrate should go away. Forever.

For a long time, the good officer sighed, and said, 'What can I do? Because the bad magistrate has important friends, and nothing I can do will touch him.' But then, the good officer said, 'Say. Wait a minute. What about the bad people who are BRIBING the bad magistrate? THEY haven't got important friends. And if they aren't around, then the bad magistrate can't get any more bribes.'

At the same time there was a good officer who enforced the laws because he thought laws made people happy and safe. And it bothered the good officer that enforcing the laws did no good, because the bad magistrate let the criminals go as quick as the officer caught them.

Once upon a time there was a bad magistrate who took gold from criminal organizations to reduce the sentences and fines of criminals. Everybody knew he was doing this, but nobody could prove it. Because even if it could be proved, the bad magistrate had important friends, and proof is not as powerful as important friends.