Ishmael
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2001
- Posts
- 84,005
There was, there was, but there was not.
A ruler of a distant land that thought himself wise beyond his years. He came by this honestly because all the people of the court told him so.
He was wise enough not to take their accolades at face value and ordered his ministers to travel far and wide. To bring to him the wisest men that they could find. Many were brought before him, and all were dismissed. His search became an obsession.
One court minister mentioned that there was a one-eyed beggar in the very city of the court that was reputed to be wise and the king ordered the beggar brought before him.
The beggar was dragged before the king by two of the city guards, terrified and cowering the beggar looked up at the king after the guards had thrown him to the floor.
The king held up one finger, the beggar responded by holding up two. The king then held up three fingers and the beggar made a fist.
The king sat back and studied the beggar for a few minutes and then offered the beggar an orange. The beggar took the orange and then dug into his many pockets until he found a crust of bread, which he handed to the king.
The king then proclaimed that this was the wise man that he had been searching for and bestoiwed upon the beggar gold and jewels beyond the beggars reckoning.
After the beggar had left the members of the court, befuddled as most followers are, asked what had transpired. The king replied, well when he first arrived I challenged him by holding up one finger. Did you not see? Yes, they replied. I was signifying that there was but one God. But he responded by holding up two fingers signifying that there was the Father and the Son. I held up three fingers to show him that he was wrong, there is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But he replied with his fist signifying that they are joined as one in the trinity. Seeing that he had bested me there, I changed the subject by offering him an orange. Signifying that the world is round. He then gave me a crust of bread to signify that no man can live upon it without bread. He turned all my arguments and challenges against me. Truly I have found my wiseman.
The beggar returned to his quarters and invited all of his friends over to share in his new found wealth. His friends being curious, asked how he came by this.
"Well, the king is a fool." I was dragged before the throne without so much as a 'by your leave'. Thrown to the floor and immediately insulted. He raised one finger to me signifying that I had but one eye. Well, I responded by holding up two fingers. I may be blind in one eye, but I still have two. He furthered the insult by holding up three fingers, signifying that there is but three eyes between us. Well, that made me mad. I threatened him by making a fist.
I must have frightened him, because he gave me an orange to make peace. I can't take a gift from a man without giving a gift in return and all I had was a crust of bread.
And all you see before you is the result of the king being such a foolish man.
--Ishmael--
A ruler of a distant land that thought himself wise beyond his years. He came by this honestly because all the people of the court told him so.
He was wise enough not to take their accolades at face value and ordered his ministers to travel far and wide. To bring to him the wisest men that they could find. Many were brought before him, and all were dismissed. His search became an obsession.
One court minister mentioned that there was a one-eyed beggar in the very city of the court that was reputed to be wise and the king ordered the beggar brought before him.
The beggar was dragged before the king by two of the city guards, terrified and cowering the beggar looked up at the king after the guards had thrown him to the floor.
The king held up one finger, the beggar responded by holding up two. The king then held up three fingers and the beggar made a fist.
The king sat back and studied the beggar for a few minutes and then offered the beggar an orange. The beggar took the orange and then dug into his many pockets until he found a crust of bread, which he handed to the king.
The king then proclaimed that this was the wise man that he had been searching for and bestoiwed upon the beggar gold and jewels beyond the beggars reckoning.
After the beggar had left the members of the court, befuddled as most followers are, asked what had transpired. The king replied, well when he first arrived I challenged him by holding up one finger. Did you not see? Yes, they replied. I was signifying that there was but one God. But he responded by holding up two fingers signifying that there was the Father and the Son. I held up three fingers to show him that he was wrong, there is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But he replied with his fist signifying that they are joined as one in the trinity. Seeing that he had bested me there, I changed the subject by offering him an orange. Signifying that the world is round. He then gave me a crust of bread to signify that no man can live upon it without bread. He turned all my arguments and challenges against me. Truly I have found my wiseman.
The beggar returned to his quarters and invited all of his friends over to share in his new found wealth. His friends being curious, asked how he came by this.
"Well, the king is a fool." I was dragged before the throne without so much as a 'by your leave'. Thrown to the floor and immediately insulted. He raised one finger to me signifying that I had but one eye. Well, I responded by holding up two fingers. I may be blind in one eye, but I still have two. He furthered the insult by holding up three fingers, signifying that there is but three eyes between us. Well, that made me mad. I threatened him by making a fist.
I must have frightened him, because he gave me an orange to make peace. I can't take a gift from a man without giving a gift in return and all I had was a crust of bread.
And all you see before you is the result of the king being such a foolish man.
--Ishmael--
