Long ago there live a Kind, who one day decided to visit another land with his people. But the road to that land was long and hard. The day before they started, the Kind announced that all old men be left out. “They will burden us in our travel”, he said. People were greatly grieved but could not go against the King’s order. They feared and obeyed the King. Only one of the King’s men, the young John, did not leave his old father. He and his father agreed that he would hide himself in a large bag and his son would carry him secretly to the land.
The next day the King and all his people moved on. They travelled for a long time through the desert. Men and cattle began to suffer from lack of water. The King sent his men to find water but they came back without finding any. Fear gripped the people. They did not know what to do.
Then John made his way secretly to the horse on which his old father was hidden in a large bag.
“Tell me, father, what are we to do! The people and cattle are dying of thirst.”
And the old man said:
“Set loose a cow and see where she goes. Dig where she stops and starts smelling the ground.”
John did exactly as he was told. The cow put her head low to the ground and roamed and finally she stopped and began smelling the ground.
“Dig here” John said.
The men started digging and in a short time struck a large fountain of water. They all had as much water to drink as they wanted and rejoiced and looked brighter.
“How did you manage to find a fountain head in this arid place?” the Kind asked the young man.
“I followed special signs…” John said.
The people drank, rested and moved on.
One night there was a strong downpour which put out their fire. Hard as the people tried they could not start it again. Suddenly one of them noticed a spark from a bonfire on top of a distant hill.
The Kind immediately ordered that they go to the hill and fetch the fire. The people hastened to fulfil the King’s order. Sitting on top of the hill by the fire was a hunter. The king’s men took burning sticks from the fire and tried to bring them back still aglow. They could not do so for the rain kept putting them out.
It was John’s turn to fetch the fire. He went to his old father and asked:
“Father, how am I to bring the fire back to camp!”
“Don’t take the burning sticks but collect some embers in a pot and thus you will bring the fire back to camp”.
John did as he was told. The people started fires, got warm, cooked their meals. The King ordered John to come before him. John came and the King began to shout at him”
“Why did you keep this a secret so long? Why did not you tell us at once how to go about it?”
“I did not know myself”, John answered.
“So, how did you find out?”
John had to tell the King that he had carried out the King’s orders, thanks to the advice of his old father.
“Where is your father?” the King asked.
“I have been carrying him all the while in a large bag” John said.
The King at once ordered the old man to be brought before him and said.
The next day the King and all his people moved on. They travelled for a long time through the desert. Men and cattle began to suffer from lack of water. The King sent his men to find water but they came back without finding any. Fear gripped the people. They did not know what to do.
Then John made his way secretly to the horse on which his old father was hidden in a large bag.
“Tell me, father, what are we to do! The people and cattle are dying of thirst.”
And the old man said:
“Set loose a cow and see where she goes. Dig where she stops and starts smelling the ground.”
John did exactly as he was told. The cow put her head low to the ground and roamed and finally she stopped and began smelling the ground.
“Dig here” John said.
The men started digging and in a short time struck a large fountain of water. They all had as much water to drink as they wanted and rejoiced and looked brighter.
“How did you manage to find a fountain head in this arid place?” the Kind asked the young man.
“I followed special signs…” John said.
The people drank, rested and moved on.
One night there was a strong downpour which put out their fire. Hard as the people tried they could not start it again. Suddenly one of them noticed a spark from a bonfire on top of a distant hill.
The Kind immediately ordered that they go to the hill and fetch the fire. The people hastened to fulfil the King’s order. Sitting on top of the hill by the fire was a hunter. The king’s men took burning sticks from the fire and tried to bring them back still aglow. They could not do so for the rain kept putting them out.
It was John’s turn to fetch the fire. He went to his old father and asked:
“Father, how am I to bring the fire back to camp!”
“Don’t take the burning sticks but collect some embers in a pot and thus you will bring the fire back to camp”.
John did as he was told. The people started fires, got warm, cooked their meals. The King ordered John to come before him. John came and the King began to shout at him”
“Why did you keep this a secret so long? Why did not you tell us at once how to go about it?”
“I did not know myself”, John answered.
“So, how did you find out?”
John had to tell the King that he had carried out the King’s orders, thanks to the advice of his old father.
“Where is your father?” the King asked.
“I have been carrying him all the while in a large bag” John said.
The King at once ordered the old man to be brought before him and said.
“Pardon me brother. I revoked my order. Old men are not a burden to the young. The old are wise. Don’t hide any longer! Travel with us openly and happily”.
***
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