The Old Garden
This strange and weird story happened in ancient times somewhere in the East. In one country there lived a sultan, and he had a charming daughter. She was famous for her intelligence and perfect manners. When time came for her to marry, three noble princes arrived at the sultan’s palace to ask for the young beauty’s hand. They were all young, attractive, and deserved to become the princess’ husband.
The sultan started to think of how to choose the best fiancé for his beloved daughter, for she was his only child. What is more, he gave half of his kingdom as dowry. And after the sultan’s death, the prince would rule the whole country on his own. So, the father had to decide not only his daughter’s fate, but also the destiny of his kingdom. And he did not want to make a mistake and give it all into unreliable hands.
The sultan thought and thought, but he could not find a solution. Then he had his wisest and oldest counselor called to him; he addressed him very rarely, in the most important cases. Usually, this wise man spoke less than others, so he was listened to more attentively than others. His wise advice was always on time, like a friend’s helping hand.
The old man came, and the sultan told him about his doubts. The counselor listened toВ the ruler attentively and said:
В«You have aВ large, withered garden. Divide it into three parts and instruct the fiancГ©s toВ restore it, so that it would be green and blossoming.В»
The sultan was surprised at this advice but took it. He called the fiancГ©s, gave them aВ hoe and aВ bucket each. He ordered them each toВ cultivate aВ third ofВ the old garden on the outskirts ofВ the palace.
The youths were also astonished at the task. But they all wanted to marry the beautiful young princess. So, they obeyed and set about the sultan’s task from an early morning.
When the princes left, the old wise man came to the ruler again. He sat down on the silky cushions near the bride’s father and looked at him attentively. Then he smiled and advised the sultan to change into plain clothes, so that nobody would recognize him. Then he instructed him to leave the palace, go to the youths and ask them what they were doing.
The sultan dressed as aВ commoner, and nobody would recognize aВ great aВ powerful ruler inВ this man. He left his chamber on the quiet and headed for the abandoned garden.
First ofВ all, the disguised sultan saw aВ fiancГ© from the western kingdom. He was very educated and had good manners, aВ real scholar. He was standing near aВ tree thoughtfully and pottering about dismally.
В«Who are you, oh wonderful youth? And what are you doing here?В» the sultan asked innocently, as if he did not know who he was talkingВ to.
«I am a prince of the neighboring country!» the youth said proudly. «I was taught by the best teachers and tutors of the west. I speak a lot of languages and I have mastered different sciences. My knowledge and good education are known far beyond my kingdom. Here I am obeying the sultan’s will – I am doing silly and useless work. I have to do it because I want to be the one to marry the beautiful princess and get half a kingdom as dowry.»
The youth sighed bitterly, looked around and added:
«What a stupidity! I am trying pointlessly to bring life to these old snags. Otherwise, I could write a good book on philosophy or make a discovery. I would like to surprise the world with new knowledge, but I have to water withered roots and fertilize the soil with dung! As soon as I marry the sultan’s daughter, I will rule this country sensibly. I will develop sciences. Only the most educated people will rule in my kingdom. And I will be known as the cleverest and the most educated monarch in all the nearest lands! Meanwhile, I am stupidly carrying water and loosening the soil. It is offensive and humiliating, but such is the price of the princess’ hand and the throne.»
«You said a lot about your scholarly merits, but not a word about love. Or it’s not important to you?» the bride’s disguised father said.
«My intelligence and education will win the love of any girl. I read hundreds of books about love; I know all secrets of sensuous pleasures for the body. So, I am sure that I will get the princess’ love easily.»
Upon hearing this answer, the sultan went on, thinking on his way: «It’s good to have a clever son-in-law. It would be reasonable to let such an intelligent and educated youth rule the country!»
The sultan imagined that sciences and education were prospering in his country. He imagined people discussing different problems, having endless arguments on the porches of their houses. Everybody, young and old, know the position of stars in the sky and basics of geometry. They draw circles and squares on the ground. They prove each other the reason for thunder and lightning. But one thought preyed upon the ruler’s mind: who will grow wheat and graze sheep in this wonderful world of scholars and philosophers? Who will forge metal and mould plates out of clay? The ruler had no answer to these questions, and it puzzled him very much. Moreover, a really wise man is not the one who knows more than others, but the one who does not boast about his knowledge everywhere.
Thinking about it, the sultan came toВ the second fiancГ©. It was aВ prince from southern lands. He was swarthy, strong, and hot, like all natives ofВ those countries. The disguised ruler bowed toВ him politely and asked the same question as toВ the first fiancГ©:
В«Who are you, oh manly fellow? And what are you doing inВ these hours ofВ heat?В»
The prince waved his hoe harshly, like aВ sword, and replied discontentedly:
«I am your princess’ fiancé, a prince of the southern land! I studied martial arts with the best teachers. I know how to use the bow perfectly and I can hit a grain of barley from one hundred steps. I have mastered sword fighting perfectly. There is no one in the world who can throw a javelin as well as I do! I am a real warrior, and I was made to potter about the garden and dig the dung! What a disgrace! I have to spend my time and efforts pointlessly to get the princess and half a kingdom as dowry!»
The youth was very disappointed and got too excited. He kicked the bole ofВ the withered apple tree and continued:
«It would have been better if the ruler ordered me to perform some great exploit or beat a monster. But he told me to mess around with trees. When I marry the princess and become a sultan myself, I will surely gather the most powerful army and expand the country’s borders to reach the sea. I will be famous for my warrior’s strength and victories over weaker countries. And now I have to fight against old snags and stumps. It is offensive and humiliating!»
«Oh, noble knight, I would like to ask you one more thing. If you marry the sultan’s daughter, will you have time for love and family besides victories in battles?» the bride’s father wondered carefully.
«Sure! The princess must give birth to sons, and I will bring them up to be just as manly warriors as me. And I don’t worry at all about feelings and love. The girls love strong and brave ones. I will surely win the love of the sultan’s daughter for my bravery and heroism. There is no other way!»
Having heard this fiancé’s answer, the sultan turned and went on. He liked this prince’s bravery and decisiveness. The monarch imagined what would happen to the country if he let this fiancé rule. The prince will make all the men in the kingdom put on battle armor. He will teach them to be soldiers and immediately start war with the neighboring countries. He is a strong and able knight, so he will surely win many battles. He will conquer new lands and new kingdoms. He may create a new empire and become an emperor. But there are so many of those whose great strength is of little use! The sultan was in big doubts. «Many people will be killed in these battles,» the monarch thought. «He will have to take all men to war. Children will be left without fathers; women will be left without husbands. Who will be a father to their new children? Who will work on the fields and in workshops if best craftsmen and grain farmers go to war? And how much sorrow will be brought to the houses of country dwellers when many of those who went to war perish or become crippled? It is easy to start a war, but it is difficult to finish it. Moreover, war is an expensive thing that only wealthy countries may afford.» The absence of answer to new questions confused the sultan again.
At this moment he came up toВ the third fiancГ©, the prince ofВ eastern lands. He was ecstatically digging the soil around withered trees. It seemed that hard work gave him real pleasure andВ joy.
В«Who are you? And what are you doing with this land?В» the disguised ruler asked.
«I am the youth who wants to marry the most beautiful and wonderful girl of your country – the young princess!» the young man answered with a kind and modest smile. «I am trying to restore this wonderful garden. I am very lucky, because I am making new life, creating, and reproducing it. I am not very good at sciences, and I am bad at weapons. But I am good at writing songs and poems. It’s probably for this reason that I like to create. There is nothing better in the world than to work on restoring something destroyed or create something new. The sultan will hardly choose me as a fiancé for his daughter. I have no education or military valor, like the other princes have. They are stronger and more intelligent than me. But even if I fail to get the princess’ hand, I will be glad to accomplish this task anyway. For I will be able to leave a memory about myself. When I restore this garden, it will be my gift for her. Later, when she comes here, the rustling leaves will remind her about me and my feelings. When she gives birth to children, they will also run here, play, and have fun in this garden. They will hide in the shade of branches from sun or rain. And the fruit that will ripen here every year will bring joy to everybody with their taste and aroma. The sultan gave me a wonderful task, and I am very glad and thankful to him.»
«Does it mean that you don’t think you will be able to get princess’ love before you even try to do it?» the disguised bride’s father asked in surprise.
«I think that you cannot get true love, you can only give it to another one. I can give my love to the charming princess and have no right to demand and expect something back. I don’t know who she will give her love to. My love for the princess is my gift to her, not a deal or an exchange. True feeling is always disinterested…»
The youth caressed the withered boles ofВ trees gently and diligently continued digging the soil, carrying water, and fertilizing the soil.
«That’s a worthless fiancé!» the sultan thought sadly. «He has no education, like the first one. No strength, like the second one. What is the point in such a useless husband? If I leave the country to him, he will turn it into gardens and parterres. Can it be right?!»
The monarch turned around and staggered toВ the palace thoughtfully. Then he called the old wise man again. The sultan complained the counselor that he had met the princes and talked toВ them, but he could not decide who was the worthiest husband ofВ them. Whom should he choose as aВ husband for his beloved daughter, so that she would be happy all her life and so that the country would get aВ reliable ruler? InВ the end ofВ the story, he exclaimed helplessly:
В«Why is it that the good is always doubtful and relative, while the evil is apparent and definite?В»
The old man sneered. He knew quite enough toВ learn toВ doubt his infallibility, so he said evasively:
«Try to ask the bride’s opinion. Tell her everything you heard from the three fiancés when you talked in the garden. But don’t call their names. And let her appreciate their answers.»
The sultan called the daughter and told her about his conversations with fiancés in the garden. The princess thought just a little bit; she looked into her father’s eyes honestly and confessed:
В«If the decision depended on me, IВ would choose the third one. The most worthless one, inВ your opinion. The one who does not believe that IВ will be his wife but continues toВ work and restore the garden. Because he did not seek joy inВ sciences or war, but inВ creation. Because he did not feel happy with discoveries and winning battles, but with his ability toВ give his work and love toВ other people. Because when he is working, he is not thinking about himself or his glory, but about his love, his bride, her future, and the future ofВ her children! You can rely on such aВ person inВ family life. And it means that you can also rely on him inВ ruling the country.В»
The wise man smiled and said toВ the sultan:
«I think you don’t need my advice anymore. I could not have said better.»
GreediBerry
Once there lived aВ man inВ aВ village. His name was Frol. Everything was fine with him: he had aВ nice house, aВ milk-cow, laying hens, aВ fertile field. But once he decided toВ go toВ the forest and pick sweet berries. He was about toВ leave when his neighbor, an old woman, toldВ him:
В«Frolushka, pick some berries inВ the forest and bring aВ handful toВ me. IВ am too old toВ go toВ the forest alone.В»
«All right,» the kind Frol agreed. «Don’t worry, I’ll bring a whole basket of berries for you, so that you could eat as much as you like.»
«Thank you, dear! But I’ll give you one important piece of advice. Don’t go to the huge cliff above the river,» the old woman warned.
В«Why not?В» the curious man asked.
В«There is aВ bad berry there. GreediBerry! If you eat it, you will become greedy. And great trouble may happen toВ you then.В»
Frol laughed at the old woman’s words and went to the forest. He was walking along the road and thinking: «That’s stupid. There is no GreediBerry. And even if it existed, what is the trouble with greediness? Nobody has ever died of it. Greedy people just become richer than others.» thought Frol and headed for the huge cliff.
Near the edge ofВ the cliff there was aВ wonderful meadow. He saw aВ marvelous bush there with unusual red berries that grew inВ clusters. Frol could not help picking one berry and trying it. He liked it very much! The berry tasted so delicious that the man threw at it and ate almost everything at once.
He was picking it and putting handfuls into his mouth so violently that he was covered inВ berries all over. He ate his full ofВ juicy berries, felt heavy and flopped toВ the ground. He sat down and felt that he was too weak toВ go home.
Frol had a little rest and thought: «The nasty old woman! She knew that the berry here was very tasty. That’s why she forbade going here. It’s good that I disobeyed. I have never tried such juicy berries in my life! And I won’t bring this disgusting old woman anything, I won’t appease her. I will keep for myself everything I will pick in the forest. I don’t have enough for myself!»
The man picked the rest ofВ berries from this wonderful bush and went home. But he did not notice and did not understand that he had become greedy. And now he was not his own master but gain and greediness were his masters.
The man came toВ the village, and the neighbor was waiting forВ him:
В«So, Frolushka? Have you brought me some berries as you promised?В»
В«IВ have not, and IВ will not bring anything toВ you!В» the man answered angrily. В«The berries IВ have picked are not enough for me. If you need berries, go toВ the forest and look for them yourself.В»
The old woman got angry with his rudeness, but decided toВ ask:
В«Tell me the truth, my dear neighbor: have you been toВ the huge cliff? Have you tasted the GreediBerry?В»
«Yes, I have!» Frol laughed. «And I understood why you forbade me to pick the berries there. I have never seen or tasted anything better than those berries. If I had obeyed you, I would have never known their wonderful taste. That’s why I am offended, and I don’t want to see you anymore! Off you go from my yard!»
Frol drove the kind old woman away. She shook her head with regret, sighed heavily, turned around and went to her hut. And the man’s life was going its way, he did his usual duties. But his life started to change from day to day somehow. His interest in other people’s wealth was greater than the interest in his own fortune.
It happened so that Frol’s cow ate several Greediberries. In some time, it stopped giving milk. The cow became too greedy to give its milk to the owner. Like Frol, it became greedy.
The man spilt several berries inВ the yard byВ chance. The hens picked them and stopped laying eggs. They did not want toВ give Frol their eggs. They became greedy,В too.
Time came toВ gather harvest. Frol came toВ his field, looked at it and felt glad. The wheat was very good: ripe and magnificent heads with large grains. At this moment he had aВ worrying thought:
В«IВ have aВ good harvest, but if IВ reap it now, my neighbors will see it and come toВ borrow some. And if IВ refuse, they will be angry with me and complain toВ tax collectors about me. They will come, see my good harvest and ask toВ pay bigger toll than last year.В»
Frol felt greedy. He did not want toВ share his harvest with anybody and decided not toВ reap it at all. He did not want anybody toВ get anything. So, his wheat rotted on the field.
Winter was approaching. He needed to chop some wood to heat the house when frost comes. Frol was about to go to the forest, but then he stopped and thought: «Now I will chop some wood for myself, and what if somebody comes at night and steals it?! I may die of offence then. I can’t share my wood with anybody.»
He threw his axe toВ the fence and decided not toВ go toВ the forest.
Frol’s house was old – he got it from his parents. It required a lot of repairs. He wanted to set about repairing his house a long time ago. One of the walls nodded and was about to fall and crumble. But now the owner looked at it with different eyes. He gave it a little thinking and got scared: «If I renovate the house and rebuild it, somebody may want to visit me. Or relatives will come to see me. I will have to give them something to eat and drink. No, I don’t need it. I don’t want to waste my food on guests. I’d better leave the house in ruins. Then nobody will visit me or stay in it.»
That’s the way Frol was living. With one thought in his head – he did not want to do anything that might be good or beneficial for other people. And when it came to sharing anything with anybody, it was death-like for Frol.
