ONCE UPON A TIME…
Could easily be NOW as THEN or WHEN.
The story goes that a thief was sentenced to death in this ONCE UPON A TIME mode for stealing some bread. Before he he was taken to the gallows he was allowed to make a statement to the King.
“Your Majesty,” the thief summoned humbly, “I am the only man living who knows how to plant apple seeds that will grow and bear fruit over night. To atone for my crime, I would merely like to teach you and your court the secret. I’ll just need a shovel, these hand full of seeds I carry around, and a young maiden who has not tasted love’s first kiss.”
Well, the King was a little intrigued and so he took the thief to a nearby field to learn this most awesome secret.
The thief knelt down and quickly dug a small hole.
“Now,” the thief said, “the water must be poured in the hole by a young maiden.”
The King’s own daughter stepped forward and poured the water in the freshly dug hole.
“We are now ready for the actual planting of the magical seeds,” the thief said addressing the King and his honored Court.
“The seed can only be placed in the earth by someone who has never taken a single item that didn’t belong to them, no matter how small or how long ago.”
“I would like to have my most trusted advisor, the Prime Minister, be the one who plants these magical seeds,” the King announced.
Hesitating, the Prime Minister said embarrassingly, “I am afraid that I am not eligible, your Majesty. When I was young I took a jacket that wasn’t mine.”
“Perhaps it is best that our loyal Treasurer be the one to plant the magical seeds,” the King said quickly.
“Majesty,” The Treasurer with some hesitation, “You forget that in a previous position I foolishly kept a small amount of money that did not rightfully belong to me.”
One by one the King’s Advisors coughed, sputtered, and explained that they were not able to plant the seeds. Finally, even the King admitted that he once took a small item that belong to his father.
When each had spoken, the thief addressed the King, “The members of your own Court are men and women of the highest ethical standards. They are recognized as devoted public servants, yet not one of them can actually say they have never taken something that did not belong to them. How is it that I am to be hanged for taking a bit of food?”
The King, with a smile on his face, admitted what a crafty and wise man the thief was and he gave him a full pardon.
We don’t live in ONCE UPON A TIME or in the charming Land of WHEN or WHAT IF but we have a way of Ditching some magical seeds because of what can’t fully find root in us.
Maybe it’s the Soil?
Maybe it’s a poor quality of Water?
Maybe it’s the Sun or the Clouds?
Maybe it’s the Seeds?
Maybe it’s just…maybe it’s just the Keeper of the Seeds?
Maybe it’s just. . . .
Leave a Reply