Humility

"Humility" title screen

**Humility** is the eleventh episode of the first season of Adventures from the Book of Virtues.

## Plot

Annie is elected for class president and ends up winning. However, she also ends up being rather prideful in her new position, so because of that, Plato and the others tell her some stories about the importance of Humility.

## Full Synopsis

At Spring Valley School, everyone is gathered in the auditorium where Mrs. Mathers, the principal of the school, is making the announcement of the results of the 5th grade election results. Mrs. Mathers then announces that the new class president is Annie, which everyone cheers for, while Annie is surprised.

    Mrs. Mathers is certain that Annie will make a fine leader, before telling her to meet her on Monday so that Annie can tell her what she would like to accomplish this year, before congratulating Annie again. Later, two kids named Russ and Kira are congratulating Annie for winning the election as they give her a balloon, while Annie thanks them. Russ then asks Annie what she's going to get them now that she's got the principal's ear, before Annie answers a recycling campaign while reasoning that they can get kids to save cans, bottles, and paper and turn them in for money so that they can buy new books for the library, so that they would help the school and the environment. However, Russ thinks that the idea is small potatoes for a heavyweight like Annie, which Annie questions about, before Kira lets Annie know that she won by a landslide and that she's got the whole class behind her and that Annie is practically the most popular kid in school.

    Kira then directs Annie to a poster of her while stating that Annie has qualities of a leader, strength, courage, and power, the last one which Annie is curious about. Russ then adds that Annie has the power to do something really awesome, like getting Mrs. Mathers to ban homework on Fridays, but Annie says that Mrs. Mathers would never do that, but Kira is certain that Mrs. Mathers would if Annie asked her, while calling Annie 'Madame President', which interests Annie. Because of that, Annie ends up agreeing with Russ and Kira that she can make that happen, before Russ tells her that when she does, then she'll have the whole school at her feet. Annie once again agrees with the notion as she says, "Today, the school, tomorrow, the world!"
All of this has been revealed to be a flashback that Annie was telling Zach, Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle, before Zach asks her, "Why not the whole universe?" Ari then states that they knew Annie when she was just a regular kid, while Zach tells Annie that she pulls this kind of stuff and no one will ever listen to a kid.

    Annie tells Zach not to be so sure then tells him to look at her face, asking him what he sees, before Zach cheekily answers a trace of ketchup from lunch. Annie is taken back but tells Zach that she has the qualities of a leader, reiterating what Russ and Kira told her about strength, courage, and power. However, Plato asks Annie if she's forgetting something, a quality that every good leader needs, which is humility, which means having a realistic opinion of yourself, while Zach adds not biting off more than you can chew.

    Annie states that Russ and Kira think that she can chew this just fine. Of course, Plato points out that just because others flatter you doesn't mean what they say is true, and that if you believe false flattery, you can wind up looking awfully silly, just like a certain emperor. Because of that, Ari pops up out of the ground while carrying the Book of Virtues while saying, "You mean the one with the big designer wardrobe!" Annie has been looking at a picture of the emperor in the book while saying that his wardrobe doesn't look silly at all, which Plato says was the problem.

Story #1: The Emperor's New Clothes

After the story ends, Zach laughs at this while asking if you can believe the Emperor; walking down the street in his underwear because he's too proud to admit that he blew it. Ari then points out that if the Emperor had been more humble, he never would have gotten caught with his clothes off.

     Annie then adds that the Emperor's courtiers got tricked because they didn't think enough of themselves and that they should have realized that they were no dummies. Plato praises Annie for the point, before reminding her that being humble doesn't meant putting yourself down, and that there's nothing wrong with knowing your true talents and taking pride in them, then adds that for example, he has a talent in storytelling. Zach then states that he can swing a mean baseball bat, before he tosses a rock in the air and hits it with his baseball bat, before Aurora flies in and catches the rock in her beak before flying down and giving it back to Zach, while saying that being a hawk, she's an expert flyer. Ari then points out that prairie dogs are tops at tunnel digging, but ends up falling into one of his holes while explaining this. Sock then points out that bobcats are graceful and agile, before leaping from rock to rock then asks if it's a gold medal performance or what. However, Sock then loses his balance and falls into the water, while Zach laughs that Sock wanted to make a big *splash* and that he really did.

     Aurora points out that Sock is graceful, but he got all wet because he tried to show off, unlike a certain wise and humble king who got all wet refusing to show off. Zach and Annie are confused by this, while Ari asks who it was, with Aurora answering that it was King Canute the Second, the first Dane to sit on the throne of England.

Story #2: King Canute at the Seashore

After the story ends, Zach states that it was a good thing that King Canute didn't listen to his courtiers, or else he could have gotten carried away with himself.

     Ari points out that King Canute's humility really helped him keep his balance, before acknowledging Sock, who is soaking wet from falling into the water. Sock then retaliates by shaking himself dry, shaking the water all over Ari. Annie chuckles at this, before stating that maybe the homework ban is outrageous, but points out that Russ and Kira are expecting her to ask for it and that they have possibly told half the school about it. Annie then asks that if she wants to prove she's a leader, if she can actually go through with it, but Plato points out that sometimes, leadership means having to say you goofed; It's when you're too proud to admit your mistakes that you can get into real trouble.

     Plato then quotes Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction; a haughty spirit before a fall", which is a lesson that Phaethon learned too late. When Annie asks if Phaethon was a king, Plato answers that according to Greek mythology, Phaethon was a kid, just like Annie, who wanted to prove to his friends how great he was.

Story #3: Phaethon

After the story ends, Annie acknowledges how awful it was that Phaethon's vanity destroyed him and everyone around him.

     Plato explains that bad choices can hurt others, especially when you're a leader. Annie then realizes that she could hurt others, and that if she asked for something outrageous, it might turn Mrs. Mathers off and that she might not be open to other suggestions that kids have, then realizes that no homework on Fridays might not be such a great idea anyway. Zach then points out that Phaethon could have asked for something else, then acknowledges that Annie can too. Aurora agrees, before pointing out that you can accomplish a lot if you know what to tackle, before she proceeds to recite the Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr. Because of that, Annie returns to the school before entering the principal's office. Russ and Kira have been waiting outside for Annie, until Annie exits the principal's office as Russ asks her what Mrs. Mathers thought of her idea. Annie answers that she loved it, which causes Kira to think that Annie got the homework ban, until Annie corrects her that it was actually the recycling campaign.

     Because of that, a lot of kids have come to donate their recyclables in order to get them recycled, while Mrs. Mathers is proud of Annie for coming up with a beneficial idea for the school, rather than an outrageous one.

## Characters

* Annie Redfeather
* Zach Nichols
* Plato
* Aurora
* Aristotle
* Socrates

## Trivia

* This is the first episode where Annie's last name Redfeather is revealed.
* This episode marks the first appearance of Mrs. Mathers.