The Autarch's Machine

The Gnomes, it is known, are masters of magical craftsmanship.
One day they agreed to sell a machine to the Primarch to record his voice, so that he could conduct the many prayer and liturgical services in the Pancelestial Cathedral while he remained in bed. This was accomplished, and the Primarch's sermons were, if anything, even more well-attended than before, until it was discovered that among the congregation were any number of Gnomic automatons, who could attend the services and make the motions of the prayers while their owners remained at home in bed.
The Primarch's machine became known to the Autarch, who wished to see it for himself. The machine was taken to the city printer to be “prettied up” before being taken to the Autarch, who also wanted to use it to speak instead of himself in person.
But the Autarch refused to pay the printer for his work.
So the printer recorded a speech on the Gnomic machine revealing the Autarch's stinginess, and warning that the Celestials would strike down the Autarch if he failed to live up to his responsibility, for he was the Empire, and no one would be obligated to pay for anything any more if he refused to pay. He knew this would not only destroy the society, but anger Astionel.
The embarrassed Autarch decided that thereafter the Primarch should get out of bed and perform the service in person, and that the people should attend the services to hear it, and so he decreed it. No substitutes for worship are acceptable to the celestials.
And one is not obligated to buy a Gnomic invention.

[Adapted from a Carpatho-Rusyn Folktale]