Fortune In Their Look
Long ago, there lived a poor man who used to tell his three little sons, "Dear children, try to develop the power of observation. Don't let anything escape from your notice. You'll have keen minds and ready wit, which are more valuable than wealth." The three brothers grew up following the wise advice of their father. Years passed by. The man grew old and weak and one day he died, leaving behind his sons, now three handsome youths. "Let's go out into the world and seek our fortune," they said and set off on a journey. For many weary days, they travelled, over mountains and valleys, across rivers and streams. One morning, the eldest one suddenly stopped and, looking at the ground said, "A horse had just passed this way." They had not gone very far when the second brother said, carefully examining both sides of the road, "The horse was blind in one eye." After a furlong, the youngest one exclaimed, "I think a woman and a child were riding the horse."
"You're right," agreed the other two and they resumed walking. Soon they came across a man. He was frantically looking for something. "Have you lost something valuable? You look so disturbed!" said the brothers. "Yes, I have," replied the stranger. "Is it a horse?" asked the first brother. "Indeed, it is so!" "The animal is surely blind in one eye," put the second one. "That's right." "And blind in the right eye!" "That's right! But how did you know?" asked the man, greatly surprised. "The horse carried a lady and a child, I suppose!" added the youngest one. By now the stranger was full of suspicion. "You're rogues who have stolen my horse!" he shouted angrily. "We haven't even seen your horse!" replied the three very candidly. "But you know everything about the animal and even who rode on it! Come on! Tell me, where have you hidden my wife and son?" demanded the traveler stamping his feet. "Friend," replied the brothers calmly, "We've only learned how to use our eyes and understand what goes on around us." But the stranger did not believe them and on the point of his sword made them march to the king's court. "Lord," he said, "these three young men have stolen my horse, my wife, and my only son. I'm absolutely certain about it. But they deny the charge."
"But, tell me, my good man, how do you prove that they are the culprits?" asked the king. "My wife and son followed me on horseback while I drove the sheep. Somehow they lagged behind and missed the way. Well, when I met these three young men they knew that I had lost a horse, that it was blind in the right eye, and it carried a lady along with a child. If they do not know where they are, who else will know?" said the shepherd. "If what you say is true, then surely these young men have indeed stolen your horse, perhaps to demand of you some ransom," said the king and looking sternly at the brothers, continued, "Now answer! What have you done with the man's horse, his wife, and his only son?" "Your Majesty," they said, bowing gently, "believe us, we're innocent wayfarers, out in search of fortune. In fact, we've never seen the horse nor those who rode on it." "Yet you know everything about them!" said the king sarcastically. "From childhood, we've learned how to observe. That's how we could describe the horse without ever having seen it," replied the brothers with a confident air. The king called his minister and whispered some instructions into his ear. The minister went out but was soon back with two men carrying a large wooden box. They placed it gently on the floor in the center of the hall. "Now, gentlemen, would you please let us know by your power of observation, what is in this box?" asked the king with a soft chuckle as he twitched his mustache.
There was silence and all eyes turned towards the three brothers who stood unperturbed. "Well," said the eldest one, "this large wooden box contains only a small round object and nothing more." "The object is perhaps an apple from your garden, Your Majesty," added the second brother. "And if it is an apple, it is still unripe," concluded the youngest. "Let the box be opened," ordered the king. All held their breath and strained their necks to see what was in it. Indeed, a small unripe apple was all that was inside! The king and his ministers were dumbfounded. "But how did you know that the shepherd had lost his horse?" the king asked them. "The fresh tracks left on the path told us that a horse had passed that way not long ago. When we met the man looking for something with a saddle on his shoulder, we guessed he must be the person to have lost a horse," replied the eldest brother. "That's clever indeed! But what made you deduce that the horse was blind in one eye and that too, in the right eye?" "The grass had been nibbled only on the left side of the pathway, and was untouched on the right." "Wonderful! But how did you so confidently state that a lady and a child were riding the horse?" asked the king, his eyes bright with curiosity. "As we advanced, we came to a place where the horse had knelt down as the lines cut on the damp earth proved. We also found nearby marks left by a woman's sandals and small footprints that belonged to a child," replied the youngest brother.
"Excellent!" exclaimed the king. Then turning to the shepherd, he said, "You may now go and look for what you have lost elsewhere, with the help of my soldiers." The king now offered seats to the young men and asked, "How did you conclude that this wooden box contained an apple and that too, an unripe one?" "The manner in which the box was carried by your servants gave us a hint that it was not at all heavy. And the sound of an object rolling in it from one end to the other evidently made us conclude that it was something roundish," said the eldest brother. "As the box was brought from the door leading to the garden, the round object in it, we guessed, could be an apple. For your garden is full of lush green apple trees!" put in the middle brother. "But how could you so confidently state that the apple was an unripe one?" "Your Majesty, the season for the apples to mature has not yet come!" answered the youngest brother. "Bravo!" said the king. "I appoint you my advisers, here and now!" The young men bowed to the king. They had been out seeking fortune, but they never knew that their desire would be fulfilled that soon! Their eyes moistened with joy and gratefulness for their father who had given them such golden advice!
Moral Of the Story: Observation and Concentration will give excellent results.
For More Bedtime Stories Click Here
Comments
Post a Comment