Who Was Most Worthy?
A Chance Encounter
Three individuals unexpectedly met each other on their way to the town. One was a peasant, another a trader, and the third was a teacher.
The Journey
It was a long journey, and they soon forgot the discomfort of walking as they engaged in various conversations.
The Hunger Strikes
Eventually, hunger set in, reminding them that conversation could not alleviate their appetite. To their dismay, there were no shops or inns along the road to provide food. However, they soon discovered an orchard abundant with ripe fruits. They approached the owner of the orchard and requested a jackfruit, which he graciously granted.
A Proposal to Divide
The peasant was entrusted with cutting the jackfruit into three portions. As he prepared to do so, he thought, “Can I not enjoy a larger share than the others? In my village, I am known as a clever man; I should be clever now.”
He then proposed, “My friends, I believe we should divide the fruit into four parts. The individual employed in the noblest profession among us should enjoy an additional fourth part!”
The peasant was confident that his profession would be deemed the noblest by his companions since he produced food, asserting that trade or teaching could only exist if people had food to eat.
The Teacher’s Response
The teacher, however, replied, “Your proposal reminds me of an old story. Once, there was a nobleman who had three sons. They spent their time in frivolity, neglecting the family estate, which made their father very unhappy.
One day, he called his sons to him and showed them a ring, stating that after his death, his estate would be divided into four parts. The fourth part would go to the son who could prove himself to be the most worthy heir.”
A Lesson in Worthiness
“But how would they determine who was worthy? The nobleman showed them a beautiful ring and promised it to the son he deemed most deserving.”
Upon the nobleman’s death, the estate was divided. However, a strange dilemma arose when each son produced a ring, claiming it had been given to him by their late father. All the rings were identical.
The mystery was revealed: the nobleman had given each son a ring in private, instructing them to be worthy of possessing it. Consequently, all three sons had proven themselves worthy of their father’s legacy.
Unity in Generosity
Once they understood their father’s clever ruse, the sons laughed and praised him. Rather than quarrel over their inheritance, they collectively decided to use the fourth portion of the estate to establish a school and a charitable dispensary in their father’s memory.
“Regardless of our professions, our hunger is the same,” the teacher concluded. “Let us enjoy the fruit equally. However, since it is such a large fruit, let us share the fourth portion with someone else in need.”
They soon discovered a poor traveler resting under a tree and generously shared the fruit with him.
