The phrase “Little Napoleons” are frequently used to describe pompous, pretentious and puff-up public officials, who, after being conferred with some delegated power, proceed to take upon themselves to flex their authority and power when carrying out their public duties.
The Little Napoleon and The Grizzly Old Farmer
An inspector from the Ministry of Agriculture pulled up along the road next to the grizzly old farmer’s farm house. With a look of self-importance and arrogance he flashed his authority card and told the old farmer that he needed to inspect his farm.
The old farmer, pointing towards a field adjacent to his farm house, said, “Ok, but don’t go into that field surrounded by fences painted in red.”
The official, with a disdain stare, replied haughtily, “I have been given the power and the authority by the Government to go and inspect wherever I wish.”
Without saying another word, the old farmer went about his daily chores.
Before long, he heard loud screams and shrieks coming from the direction where he had specifically told the official not to go. He looked up and saw the man was running and panting furiously towards the fence with the old farmer’s prized bull inches away. The snorting bull was madder than a disturbed nest of killer bees. With four legs running at full throttle, the bull is gaining fast on the official for every step taken by him.
Chuckling, the old farmer shouted, “Quick, quick, show him your authority card…”
(A humorous tale that many of us can relate to in our dealings with public officials but in real life endings are seldom happy or humorous.)
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