Three Fables

By V. A. Jeffrey Copyright 2011 Table of Contents 1. The Cowboy and the Pebbles 2. The Face in the irror

!. The "age and the Three Brothers

The Cowboy And The Pebbles A cowboy was riding thro#gh the $o#ntains on his horse. %ne day while riding he happened to co$e by a s$all strea$. There was an old $an sitting by the strea$. As the cowboy was passing& he greeted the old $an& intending to contin#e on his way. The old $an called to hi$. '(et down off yo#r horse and co$e by the strea$. Pic) #p so$e pebbles. They will bring yo# good fort#ne.* +e said. ',hat wo#ld - want with pebbles& old $an.* The cowboy as)ed. 'By ha/ing these pebbles yo# will beco$e happy and sad.* The old $an answered. The cowboy la#ghed& thin)ing the old $an foolish b#t he obliged hi$ and got down fro$ his horse and pic)ed #p a few pebbles fro$ the strea$. The old $an s$iled and wa/ed goodbye to hi$ as he $o#nted his horse and rode away. 0ow& it was a few days later when the cowboy was ta)ing his cattle o#t to gra1e when he pondered on the old $an2s words. +e re$e$bered the pebbles he pic)ed fro$ the strea$ and fished the$ o#t of his poc)et. To his s#rprise& the pebbles were gone b#t what re$ained in place were glittering dia$onds. This $ade the cowboy /ery happy. ,hile the cattle were gra1ing& he 3#ic)ly rode #p to the strea$ b#t to his great disappoint$ent it was not there. The strea$& the bed of pebbles and the old $an were all gone. This $ade the cowboy sad. +e was sad beca#se he had only pic)ed #p two pebbles. The Face In The Mirror 4ong ago in a /alley there was an idyllic town and in that town there li/ed a little girl. "he ca$e fro$ a /ery wealthy $erchant fa$ily. The little girl was spoiled rotten for her $other and father spared no e5pense for her e/ery whi$ and co$fort. 0ow& there were $any towns o/er the $o#ntains in other /alleys b#t she was the prettiest girl to be fo#nd anywhere and whene/er people saw her they always re$ar)ed on her great bea#ty. %ne day while riding along in her father2s carriage in the woods they ca$e #pon an old wo$an sitting on a roc). "he called o#t to the carriage for al$s& for she was destit#te and in sore straits. The father ignored the old wo$an and the little girl& #pon seeing how #gly the wo$an was& spat on her and threw a stone at her head& )illing the old wo$an. +er father& #pon seeing

what his child had done beca$e afraid and threw the wo$an2s body o/er a cliff and bade his coach$an to )eep silent on pain of death. The little girl terrori1ed her parents and beat and terrori1ed her $aidser/ants e/ery day. "he grew into a $ost bea#tif#l yo#ng wo$an and as her bea#ty increased& so did her /anity. %ne of her fa/orite pasti$es was staring at herself in a great sil/er $irror with gold car/ings that her $other had gi/en her. "he was /ain& pro#d and cr#el& yet she had $any s#itors in the town and also fro$ far away. 6o#ng $en and old $en were capti/ated by her and co#rted her day and night. %ne day& a yo#ng wo$an $o/ed into the town who had been orphaned when she was a girl. "he was the sa$e age as the town bea#ty and as people saw her they noted that she was 7#st as bea#tif#l. "oon the renowned bea#ty of the new girl was on e/eryone2s lips. This enraged the town bea#ty b#t she 7#st had to see for herself whether the new girl was tr#ly $ore bea#tif#l than she was. "o she de$anded that her $other and father in/ite the new girl to the ne5t har/est dance as her honored g#est. The har/est gathering was a c#sto$ the town had held for $any years each fall. The wealthiest fa$ilies in the town always hosted the dance afterward at their ho$e. "o it was this year as well. ,hile her $other and father $ade la/ish preparations for the $eals that wo#ld be ser/ed& she had dress$a)ers fro$ near and far gathered to herself and spared no e5pense on the new dress she wo#ld wear to the dance. %n the night of the dance& the great hall of the fa$ily ho$e b#stled with townspeople& great and s$all& fro$ all o/er the $o#ntains and once again& the town bea#ty wore the finest dress and 7ewels. "he was a sight of glittering lo/eliness& capti/ating e/eryone at the dance& #ntil the new girl arri/ed. ,hile her dress was $odest and she only wore a sil) ribbon tied aro#nd her nec)& she was a /ision of lo/eliness that ri/aled the other. any of the yo#ng $en that had co#rted the town bea#ty now loo)ed #pon the other girl and wanted to dance with her instead. ,hen the wic)ed girl had seen for herself how lo/ely the other girl was& her heart beca$e blac) with rage b#t she concealed her hatred and befriended her. -t was then that she decided she wo#ld )ill the other girl. "he bided her ti$e& see)ing a good opport#nity to )ill her. The opport#nity ca$e $any days later when she had in/ited the girl on an o#ting in her horse and b#ggy. "he lied and told her that they were going to see and en7oy the bea#tif#l colors of fall in the woods& to pic) $#shroo$s and that they wo#ld also secretly $eet two handso$e yo#ng $en who wished to see the$. The forest was f#ll of $ists and the cli$b was high& b#t she finally bro#ght the girl to a lonely place within a large ring of $#shroo$s in the woods. 'Co$e&* she bec)oned the girl o/er to a cliff o/erloo)ing the forest beneath. '4oo) at the clo#ds below8 4oo) how high we ha/e cli$bed8* "he said. The other girl got o#t of the b#ggy to ta)e a loo) and as soon as she neared the edge of the cliff the wic)ed girl p#shed her off. 9nowing that she had no fa$ily or $oney she was of no acco#nt and the wic)ed girl tho#ght that no one wo#ld $iss her. "atisfied with what she had done& she went ho$e. %ne year later& she was betrothed to a lord and was delighted that she wo#ld soon beco$e a lady. As she and her $other $ade wedding preparations one day she heard a crow o#tside $a)ing a terrible rac)et. :ay after day the crow2s rac)et wo#ld grow lo#der and lo#der. 'Al$s& al$s8* -t sho#ted. -t dist#rbed her to no end. *:o not let the thing dist#rb yo#& child. -t is only a silly bird.* +er $other said. B#t it was an o$en and she wo#ld not rest #ntil the crow was silent. "he threw roc)s at the crow b#t it contin#ed it2s rac)et. "he tried to shoot it down with a bow and arrow b#t she co#ld not catch it. "he de$anded the hired $#sicians to play $#sic to drown the crow o#t. ,hen they had failed to drown o#t its noise she beat the$ sa/agely and bro)e their instr#$ents. The crow contin#ed it2s cac)ling #ntil she tho#ght she wo#ld go $ad. %n the day before her wedding& it stopped and finally she tho#ght she co#ld rest. "he ga1ed at her bea#tif#l face in the great sil/er $irror as one of her ser/ants br#shed her long& l#stro#s hair. B#t that night when she was sleeping in her bed the crow flew into her bedroo$ window& cac)ling lo#dly and wa)ing her. "he tried to wa)e her $aidser/ant to $a)e her catch it and )ill it b#t her $aidser/ant was in a deep sleep and did not wa)e. "o& the crow spo)e. * y lady& e/en now yo# can t#rn bac) fro$ yo#r e/il way.* '(et o#t or - will brea) yo#r nec) and ha/e yo# ba)ed in a pie8*

'- ha/e seen a /ision. -t will go ill with yo# if yo# contin#e in yo#r wic)edness.* The crow said. The wo$an reached for a fire po)er to stri)e the bird. The bird flew #p and perched itself on top of the sil/er $irror. ',ell then& here is $y wedding gift to yo#& $y lady. 6o# threw a stone at $e once and tho#ght to )ill $e. - then ga/e yo# another chance to redee$ yo#rself b#t then yo# p#shed $e off a cliff. 6o# are f#ll of /anity and cr#elty. ,hen e/eryone loo)s #pon yo#r bea#ty they see a /ision of lo/eliness b#t see the #gly beast inside. ,hen yo# $arry to$orrow& yo#r h#sband will see nothing b#t yo#r #ns#rpassed bea#ty b#t - tell yo# now that whene/er yo# loo) into a $irror or any reflection of yo#rs& yo# will see nothing b#t the hideo#s beast yo# tr#ly are& staring bac) at yo#8 ;ntil yo# change yo#r heart yo# will ne/er loo) #pon yo#r own lo/eliness again& $y lady.* ,ith that& the crow flew off into the night. The Sage And The Three Brothers %nce there was an old sage who li/ed on a hill o/erloo)ing three cities. 0ow the cities were f#ll of corr#ption and cri$e& fro$ the rich $an to the poor $an. The sage had his /isions and warned the people for $any years of the co$ing destr#ction. The people wo#ld la#gh and $oc) hi$. "o$e ignored hi$. %ne day three brothers fro$ a noble ho#se of one of the cities were tra/eling ho$e fro$ a far away land and were co$ing down the road on the hill. The sage saw the$ and called to the$. '(reetings& $y sons.* he said '- ha/e been gi/en a new /ision. -f yo# pro$ise to tell the city fathers of $y /ision - will grant yo# each one wish.* The brothers agreed. "o he told the$ his /ision. Then he as)ed the eldest brother what was his desire. '- want power8* +e said. "o power was granted to hi$. +e as)ed the second brother what he desired. '- want gold and sil/er8* "o gold and sil/er were granted to hi$. Then he as)ed the yo#ngest brother what was his desire. The yo#ngest brother as)ed the sage a 3#estion. ',hat wo#ld yo# as) for.* 'Peace and content$ent.* The sage answered. 'Then& that is what - want.* "aid the yo#ngest brother. "o& it was granted to hi$. 0ow when the brothers arri/ed into the city the older brothers went ho$e& dis$issing the old sage2s re3#est to warn the city fathers that the cities wo#ld soon fall. The yo#ngest brother& howe/er& warned the city fathers that the cities wo#ld fall by fa$ine and fire and that $ost of the people wo#ld be p#t to the sword. They scoffed at hi$ and had hi$ whipped& for they )new that the /ision was fro$ the sage& who$ they hated. The news of the fort#nes of the brothers had reached the city by herald and when they had arri/ed ho$e their fa$ily went o#t in a h#rry to welco$e the$ ho$e. ' y son& welco$e ho$e8 (lory and honor yo# ha/e bro#ght to o#r na$e and o#r ho#se8* The father said and )issed and e$braced his eldest son. %n seeing the second son he welco$ed hi$ also. ' y son& welco$e ho$e8 (lory and honor yo# ha/e bro#ght to o#r na$e and o#r ho#se8* +e )issed and e$braced hi$. B#t on seeing the yo#ngest son& he spat on the gro#nd and the other two brothers $oc)ed hi$. 'Fool8 ,e ha/e recei/ed nothing of benefit fro$ yo#& b#t yo# ha/e $ade #s a la#ghingstoc)8* +is father said. The father c#rsed hi$& had hi$ stripped and beaten and threw hi$ o#t of the ho#se. 6ears passed and the eldest son began $a)ing a na$e for hi$self in the land as a great warrior. -n short ti$e he beca$e a general. </ery ca$paign he fo#ght he ca$e o#t the /ictor. (reat spoil he bro#ght the cities of the land. "oon after& he was $ade r#ler of the three cities. The second brother $ade his na$e in gold and sil/er and all precio#s things. +is fort#nes increased year after year and his wealth was great. "oon& e/erything he owned glittered with gold or sil/er. The yo#ngest brother

wor)ed as a hired hand a$ong pigs or as a shepherd fro$ ti$e to ti$e. +e had no wealth& no fa$ily& no power& only a staff& his clothes& his coo)ing pot and a little h#t he slept in. +e wor)ed fro$ s#n #p to s#ndown b#t he did not co$plain abo#t his lot in life. +e had plenty of food to eat and water to drin) and he $ade a na$e for hi$self a$ong the wor)ers and his e$ployer as a good $an who wor)ed hard and had a good heart. +e did not beco$e bitter whene/er he saw his eldest brother riding thro#gh the city in a grand procession after a /ictorio#s battle or his other brother riding in his sil) and i/ory palan3#in thro#gh the city streets. +e was content beca#se he had what he needed for each day. Then& one day the sage2s /isions of the destr#ction ca$e tr#e. -t started with a great fa$ine thro#gh the land. Fire and bloodshed spread thro#gh the cities. en recogni1ed no law. The first brother feared the /ery $en who had fo#ght #nder hi$. :isg#ising hi$self he fled to the sage2s hill. '%h sage8 Please help $e8 </ery $an in the city is against $e8 :eli/er $y so#l fro$ death8* The r#ler pleaded. ',ic)ed $an8* Cried the sage. '=e$e$ber all the innocents yo# p#t to the sword when yo# r#led li)e a )ing8 6o# showed no $ercy to s#b7ects& ri/als or ene$ies8 0either will $ercy be shown to yo#8 (o and pray to yo#r spear and yo#r sword& for those are yo#r gods8 (et away fro$ $e& for yo# will die before s#nrise to$orrow8* The r#ler fled in terror bac) to his palace to hide. ;pon seeing hi$ in the distance his ser/ants conspired against hi$ and when he entered the palace they rose #p and p#t hi$ to death. The second brother fled to the sage2s hill. '%h sage8 Please help $e8 There is nothing to eat or drin) in the land& no b#ying or selling8 y gold and sil/er has beco$e worthless& li)e so $#ch d#st8 :eli/er $y so#l fro$ death8* The rich $an pleaded. ',ic)ed $an8* Cried the sage. ' ay yo#r gold and sil/er t#rn to ashes and d#st in yo#r $o#th8 6o# ha/e grown fat fro$ constantly sitting on yo#r golden co#ch8 ,hen did yo# feed and care for those h#ngry or destit#te. 6o# ate and spent gold while others s#ffered8 6o# robbed and cheated and e5torted the poor one and sold the$ into sla/ery when they co#ld not pay the debt8 (o and pray to yo#r gold and sil/er& for those are yo#r gods8 (et away fro$ $e& for yo# will s#rely die before the fa$ine lea/es the land8* "o& in despair& he went to his ho$e and as there was a fa$ine in the land he had nothing b#t his gold and sil/er to eat. "o he died. B#t the third brother saw the co$ing destr#ction and left the city before it ca$e& tra/eling and wor)ing and $a)ing a na$e for hi$self all aro#nd the world. For years he did this and had beco$e wealthy and )nown as good and genero#s and ind#strio#s. ,hen he had co$e ho$e the destr#ction had ended. +e lead those few that were left to help reb#ild the cities and those in need he fed and clothed. +is na$e went far and wide as a wise $an and soon he was $ade /assal r#ler of the cities. ;nder hi$ people prospered and the cities flo#rished once again #nder good $en and good r#lership. ,hen he had beco$e /ery old he saw that glory and honor he had bro#ght to his na$e and to his ho#se. +e had ta#ght his sons and grandsons to carry on in goodness& )indness and wisdo$. And he died& /ery old& in peace and content$ent.

The End
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