JUNIOR EDITION for Ages 6+
Taxes: Who Pays for Civilization? · Book 2

The Granary: How Grain Fed an Empire

Why did kings collect a mountain of grain — when a king can only eat one dinner?

In this book, you will find out…

When you grow up, you could…

Who is in the story

SiriSiriAsks "why?" about everything.
CharlieCharlieAsks one good question — then lets Siri find out.
WarrenWarrenTurns up late. Thinks about a hundred years from now.

Today’s mystery

Why did kings collect a mountain of grain — when a king can only eat one dinner?

Look for the clues. Try to guess the answer before Siri does!

Chapter 1

Six Towers

🔍 Who needs that much wheat at once?
By Siri's river stand six concrete towers. Taller than the church. Full of wheat.
By Siri's river stand six concrete towers. Taller than the church. Full of wheat.
A chute opens. Grain pours into a barge. Four minutes, and it is full.
A chute opens. Grain pours into a barge. Four minutes, and it is full.
Siri had walked past a hundred times. Today she counted.
Siri had walked past a hundred times. Today she counted.
SiriWho needs that much wheat?
At the museum she found a saucer of black crumbs. Burnt grain, 1,300 years old.
At the museum she found a saucer of black crumbs. Burnt grain, 1,300 years old.
It came from a pit as deep as a house. One of hundreds!
It came from a pit as deep as a house. One of hundreds!
Charlie was looking at it too.
Charlie was looking at it too.
CharlieA king can only eat one dinner.
Siri opened her notebook. New page.
Siri opened her notebook. New page. "What is a mountain of grain FOR?"
Siri’s notebook
My list. Goal: five real answers before Friday's barge.
Chapter 2

What a King Cannot Eat

🔍 Who eats all the king's grain?
An old Egyptian granary. A dozen giant silos in one yard.
An old Egyptian granary. A dozen giant silos in one yard.
Siri wrote her first answer.
Siri wrote her first answer.
SiriGreed. He was just keeping it.
But the palace kitchen was small. Two ovens and one cook.
But the palace kitchen was small. Two ovens and one cook.
So Siri watched the way OUT. Every month, grain left the door. Measured.
So Siri watched the way OUT. Every month, grain left the door. Measured.
It went to a village in the desert. Nobody there grew anything.
It went to a village in the desert. Nobody there grew anything.
They were skilled workers. They cut the royal tombs.
They were skilled workers. They cut the royal tombs.
Every month, donkeys brought their pay. Wheat and barley.
Every month, donkeys brought their pay. Wheat and barley.
One month the grain was late. The workers stopped and sat down!
One month the grain was late. The workers stopped and sat down!
Siri crossed out
Siri crossed out "greed."
SiriIt's not food. It's PAY DAY!
🔎 Clue found!
A granary is a pay day. Grain pays for people's work.
Chapter 3

The Crop You Can Count

🔍 Why grain — and not yams?
Down on the flat plain, rice and wheat everywhere. A road. A town.
Down on the flat plain, rice and wheat everywhere. A road. A town.
Twice a year, the collectors came with a cart and a measure.
Twice a year, the collectors came with a cart and a measure.
Up in the misty hills, nobody came to collect anything.
Up in the misty hills, nobody came to collect anything.
Hill families ate yams, dug up on the day they wanted them.
Hill families ate yams, dug up on the day they wanted them.
On the plain, all the grain sat in one big heap. Easy to see.
On the plain, all the grain sat in one big heap. Easy to see.
Yams hide underground. And they rot soon after digging.
Yams hide underground. And they rot soon after digging.
Siri worked it out before anyone said a word.
Siri worked it out before anyone said a word.
SiriYou can only tax what you can COUNT!
Grain splits into equal scoops. It keeps for years. A donkey can carry it.
Grain splits into equal scoops. It keeps for years. A donkey can carry it.
🔎 Clue found!
Grain is easy to count, keep and carry. That's why kings wanted grain.
Chapter 4

The Little Workers

🔍 Why are these tiny statues holding hoes?
Next, a case packed with little blue-green figures.
Next, a case packed with little blue-green figures.
Each one held two tiny hoes and a basket.
Each one held two tiny hoes and a basket.
Siri guessed.
Siri guessed.
SiriToys? Or helpers?
A rich family packed 365 of them. One for every day of the year!
A rich family packed 365 of them. One for every day of the year!
In real life, a writer came to the village with a list. He picked men to work.
In real life, a writer came to the village with a list. He picked men to work.
When the river covered the fields, the king called people to work on banks and canals.
When the river covered the fields, the king called people to work on banks and canals.
So rich people sent little statues to
So rich people sent little statues to "work" for them after they died.
Siri laughed.
Siri laughed.
SiriThey thought the tax followed them to heaven!
🔎 Clue found!
A tax could be DAYS of your work — not just grain.
Chapter 5

Five Days a Year

🔍 Was it fair to make people work?
A long line of men cleared a canal by hand, basket by basket.
A long line of men cleared a canal by hand, basket by basket.
Every man owed about five days of work each year.
Every man owed about five days of work each year.
When you finished, you got a piece of pottery. A receipt!
When you finished, you got a piece of pottery. A receipt!
But you could pay someone else to go instead.
But you could pay someone else to go instead.
So rich families stayed home.
So rich families stayed home.
And poor families went. Their own fields waited.
And poor families went. Their own fields waited.
Siri frowned.
Siri frowned.
SiriThat's not the same for everyone.
Siri’s notebook
Days, then coins. Who pays MORE, rich or poor? Keep watching.
Chapter 6

The Free Bread

🔍 Why did a city get grain for free?
Rome built a harbour shaped like a hexagon, ringed with warehouses.
Rome built a harbour shaped like a hexagon, ringed with warehouses.
Ships arrived full of wheat. They left empty. Every summer.
Ships arrived full of wheat. They left empty. Every summer.
In Rome, people queued. Each man got grain. Nobody paid!
In Rome, people queued. Each man got grain. Nobody paid!
Siri wanted the answer.
Siri wanted the answer.
SiriWas it kindness, or fear?
CharlieCount the ships first.
So she followed one sack back. It started in Egypt, as a farmer's tax.
So she followed one sack back. It started in Egypt, as a farmer's tax.
Down the river, across the sea, into Rome's warehouses.
Down the river, across the sea, into Rome's warehouses.
A million people in one city, eating from fields they never saw.
A million people in one city, eating from fields they never saw.
Siri wrote it down.
Siri wrote it down.
SiriCollected where wheat grows. Eaten where trouble is!
🔎 Clue found!
Grain tax could move a whole country's food to one big city.
Chapter 7

The Map of Water

🔍 Why not just use the roads?
A wagon of wheat on a Roman road. Four oxen. A long way to go.
A wagon of wheat on a Roman road. Four oxen. A long way to go.
Every evening, the oxen ate some of the wheat!
Every evening, the oxen ate some of the wheat!
Siri made a prediction.
Siri made a prediction.
SiriI bet boats beat wagons. Easily.
She was right. One ship carried as much as hundreds of wagons.
She was right. One ship carried as much as hundreds of wagons.
And a river barge was nearly as good.
And a river barge was nearly as good.
So Siri drew the seas, rivers and canals.
So Siri drew the seas, rivers and canals.
She held it up.
She held it up.
SiriThe tax map is really a map of WATER!
In China, they dug a canal a thousand miles long. Just to move tax grain north!
In China, they dug a canal a thousand miles long. Just to move tax grain north!
🔎 Clue found!
Water is the cheapest road. Grain tax followed the water.
Chapter 8

The Empire With No Coins

🔍 Can you have tax with no money at all?
Last stop: a stone road high in the mountains of South America.
Last stop: a stone road high in the mountains of South America.
Up the hill, five hundred round stone storehouses in neat rows.
Up the hill, five hundred round stone storehouses in neat rows.
Siri was careful this time.
Siri was careful this time.
SiriNo coins here. But I bet there's still tax.
She was right again! They kept accounts with knotted strings.
She was right again! They kept accounts with knotted strings.
Families owed a turn: days of work on the state's fields.
Families owed a turn: days of work on the state's fields.
Or weaving. The state gave wool. Families gave back cloth.
Or weaving. The state gave wool. Families gave back cloth.
On work days, the state fed everyone and threw a feast.
On work days, the state fed everyone and threw a feast.
Siri's list was nearly full.
Siri's list was nearly full.
SiriThe tax was always the DAYS!
Back home, the six towers were still full.
Back home, the six towers were still full.
Warren walked along the towpath. He listened to her whole list.
Warren walked along the towpath. He listened to her whole list.
Then he asked one thing.
Then he asked one thing.
WarrenIn fifty years, what will those towers be for?
Siri wrote her final answer.
Siri wrote her final answer.
SiriGrain buys people's days. Builders, diggers, soldiers.
The big idea
A mountain of grain is not for eating. It pays for thousands of people's work.
Far away, an army marched at dawn. It would want breakfast for a year.
Far away, an army marched at dawn. It would want breakfast for a year.
Siri started a new page.
Siri started a new page.
SiriHow much does an army eat?

All the clues

  1. A granary is a pay day. Grain pays for people's work.
  2. Grain is easy to count, keep and carry. That's why kings wanted grain.
  3. A tax could be DAYS of your work — not just grain.
  4. Grain tax could move a whole country's food to one big city.
  5. Water is the cheapest road. Grain tax followed the water.

So… Why did kings collect a mountain of grain — when a king can only eat one dinner?

The grain was not for the king. It was pay day for diggers, builders, soldiers and weavers. Grain can be counted, kept and carried by water. A mountain of grain buys a mountain of people's days.

OmahaIndia Junior · a simpler version of Book 1 for readers aged 6-8