My parents have been accommodating in my life, both financially but also with sage advice. With that in mind, I’d like to share with you a story my father told me (kind of a parable):
Once, there was a court jester who loved to tell jokes, especially those that made fun of the King. However, one day, the Jester goes too far and insults the Queen in front of everyone. The King was enraged by this and ordered the Jester's execution for his audacity. The guards then took the Jester away to the dungeons.
Hours passed, and the Jester (who was a quick-thinking man) thought, how can I get myself out of this mess? Finally, the door to his dungeon opened, and the guards dragged him back to the King. The King said, "I have enjoyed your buffooneries over the years, so I will give you one wish before I put you to death for your crimes.".
The Jester thought, what could he wish? Then he came up with a plan. He knew that the King adored his horses, so he came up with the following, "Sire, all I ask is that you give me a year's reprieve, and during that time, I will teach your horses to Sing! This will make you the envy of all other monarchs. If I cannot get your horses to Sing at the end of this year, you can execute me in any gruesome fashion you wish.". The King looked confused but thought he had nothing to lose. He would either be the envy of Europe or the Jester would be executed. Either way was acceptable to him.
The guards then took the Jester towards the Royal stable when one of the Guards asked the Jester, "Why would you make such an impossible deal? Surely you know no one can get a horse to sing?"
The Jester smiled and whispered to the guard, "Many things can happen in a year, my friend, I could die, and thus I have cheated the executioner the King could die, and I might get a reprieve or the horses could sing!"
After discussing payment schemes for money he loaned me to buy my first house, my Dad told me this story. What was he telling me? As usual, I'll leave that to you, gentle reader, with a story from my Dad. You get from it, what you think, not necessarily what he says you should. Best financial advice ever? Maybe.
Its always good to get a message across using humour, riddle or rhyme. Especially when the subject can be dry like finance and such.
… and if you read the follow on posting on my site, you have my interpretation of it, but as a parable or a riddle it is a useful tool as well.
–C8j
Great story. As a teacher, I think riddles and/or parables are often much better than statements, since they prompt more thought.
I can’t believe you submitted an obscure riddle with no explanation or reader comments to the COTC and it got accepted.