Once upon a time, back when King Skarl was young and thin (well, as thin as Skarl could be), he woke up from a fitful slumber, threw his silk pillow at a servant and shouted, "I want the biggest omelette in the world!"

After dodging the pillow, the servant went to the Royal Chef, telling of the King's demand.

"I've seen the King like this before," the Royal Chef said, hand on chin, a worried look on his face. "Back when I was just an apprentice chef under the previous Royal Chef." When the servant asked what happened, the Royal Chef said, "My predescessor failed to get the King what he wanted... and the King sent him off to meet the Turmaculus."

The servant shuddered. "You mean...?"

The Royal Chef shook his head. "No time for that now!" he said. "We've got to make the biggest omelette in the world! Quickly! I need three of the fastest runners in the castle!"

The servant gathered up the King's fastest three messengers and the Royal Chef explained his plan to the runners. Each of them would run out to a different cheese shop in Meridell, each getting the largest block of cheese they could find. Then, each would run that block of cheese back as quickly as they could.

"One of you will return the quickest," he said. "The one who does will not only gain my own appreciation, but the King's favour as well." He looked at the three messengers, each of them with their eyes and jaws open.

"What are you waiting for?!?!" the Royal Chef screamed. "RUN!"

Each of the messengers ran out to a different cheese shop and each ordered the largest block of cheese they could get - for the King's Royal Omelette. Then, each ran back as quickly as he could with his block of cheese.

The blocks of cheese were so large, they were bigger than the runners themselves. The sight was one to be remembered: three Royal Messengers racing down the streets of Meridell, rolling a huge round of cheese before him toward the castle.

When the messengers arrived, they all nearly arrived exactly at the same time. "Excellent!" the Royal Chef said. "Now I can make the King a three cheese omelette!"

Many years later, Meridellians unite on that day to play a game in memory of the King's enormous request. The Cheese Rolling Contest held each year brings hundreds of contestants, each eager to try to race a block of cheese down a steep hill as quickly as possible.

Every year, contestants get a little faster, a little bolder. And each year, the King watches from his window in the castle, eating an omelette just a little larger than last year's.