Chapter Three: The Faithful Minister.

Hark, listen to me, for I have a story to tell.

Once upon a time, in a Kingdom not far away, there lived a faithful Minister.

Now this Minister was very hard working; day and night she toiled for the sake of the people of the country and beyond, teaching them to hoe the soil of their fields. Now then, this Minister kept some wonderful seeds in a golden bag; these she gave away generously. With tender care and love, she nurtured the seeds till they grew into big strong trees that sheltered the people against the harsh rays of the yellow sun. Wonderful was her work, for although she planted the same seeds in the same soil, often beautiful flowers would spring forth from her seeds to please the eyes of the people, or yield forth sweet thick grasses that for the people to stuff their pillows to rest their weary heads. And the people loved her in return for the love she gave to them. Ah, but then, even as she tried to teach all the people to love the wonderful trees and flowers and grasses that she grew, there were many lazy people who did not like her because she made them work with her to hoe the soil in which she grew the wonderful trees, flowers and grasses.

Now then, one day these lazy people went to the King of the land, and spoke against the faithful Minister, for they were powerful with their words, and sought to twist the King's goodwill against the faithful Minister. So strong were their words that the King got angry, and called to the faithful Minister and sternly told her not to work for the people, and not give them harvest from the lands, for they paid very little tithes, and so he thought that they should not have so much given to them.The poor Minister was very sad, for she could not understand why the King could not see how beautiful were her wonderful trees and flowers and grasses, and how happy they made the faces of the people who enjoyed them. She wept bitterly at the rebuke she had received, and the people who loved her cried along with her.

Yet, still again she took up her hoe to till the soil.

Ah, but then, no longer was she happy, for her heart was heavy. The King had again listened to the lazy people, and had taken her fields from her, and she could no longer plant as many wonderful trees and flowers and grasses as before. She watched in great sadness as the King's men built a wall around the fields, and she could no longer plant in them, for she could not climb the wall. And so, she went back to the fields she had left with a broken heart.

The people who loved her tried to make her happy again by bringing her water for her trees and flowers and grasses to drink, but she no longer had the heart to plant the fields. Ah, but then, the seeds in the soil of her mind began to grow, and she thought and thought hard of how she should make the best of things. One fine day, she decided to pack her things and leave the Kingdom to wander the great wide world, in search for a new patch to grow. But she did not forget the people who loved her, and sought to teach them one last thing before she left. The people who loved her were very grateful, and tried not to weep as they sent her on her way. Ah, even then, they watched sadly as she walked towards her new life with a spring in her step and a smile on her face, and silently promised to themselves that they would follow in her footsteps someday.

As for the old King, whose unjust anger had driven the faithful Minister away, he saw now that there was nobody left to tend the fields, for the other people had all run away. The last I saw him, he was forced to till the soil himself, and so, here to myself I say, 'Alack, good man, had he not sent the faithful Minister away, here he would not be toiling by himself today'.

And that is the end of my story.