The King Is Mad, Long Live the King!
One apres-midi (that's afternoon, in French, learn another language, people), the King and his entourage were relaxing in the gardens at Versailles. The conversation turned to the sad state of the peasantry, their sloth, lack of enterprise and general slovenliness. An exception was made, of course, for the few who were passable enough to serve in the homes and estates of the aristocracy.
Competing for the King's favor as courtiers, lackeys and lickspittles always do, the Marquis de BlancMange bragged he had the finest liverymen in the country. Brittons – strong, steady, stupid, honest and possessed of a stamina not found elsewhere in Europe. Such a boast could not possibly pass unanswered, and the Viceroy de Valmont rose to the occasion, and declared his liverymen the finest by far. He dared compare his personal chairmen to any set of servants in the country.
Determined to settle the matter scientifically, King Louis immediately proposed a sedan chair race. He offered a gold plum as a prize. The resulting simple dash from one garden gate to another caught the King's fancy. He ordered a garden built specifically for such amusements. A passing fancy had become a sudden obsession, and there was now no better way to gain the attention of the King than with success dans la courses de chaises à porteurs!
Each player will need a chair and a deck of cards. Cards are used to change speed and maneuver. A pair of dice throws off an occasional distraction. Works just as well with rickshaws, handcarts and other human-powered vehicles.