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| Photo taken from the WEB. |
A king had an only son that he
thought the world of. But this prince
was always unhappy. He would spend days
on end at his window staring into space.
“What on earth do you lack?” asked the
king. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I don’t
even know myself, Father.”
“Are you in
love? If there’s a particular girl you
fancy, tell me, and I’ll arrange for you to marry her, no matter whether she’s
the daughter of the most powerful king on earth of the poorest peasant girl
alive!”
“No,
Father, I’m not in love.”
The king
issued a decree, and from every corner of the earth came the most learned
philosophers, doctors, and professors.
The king showed them the prince and asked for their advice. The wise men withdrew to think, then returned
to the king. “Majesty, we have given the
matter close thought and we have studied the stars. Here’s what you must do. Look for a happy man who’s happy through and
through, and exchange your son’s shirt for his.”
That same day the king sent
ambassadors to all part s of the world in search of the happy man.
A priest was taken to the king. “Are you happy? asked the king.
“Find. How would you like to be my bishop?”
“Oh, Majesty, if only it were so!”
“Away with you! Get out of my sight! I’m seeking a man who’s happy just as he is,
not one who’s trying to better his lot.”
This the search resumed, and before
long the king was told about a neighboring king, who everybody said was a truly
happy man. He had a wife as good as she
was beautiful and a whole slew of children.
He had conquered all his enemies, and his country was at peace. Again hopeful, the king immediately sent ambassadors
to him to ask for his shirt.
The neighboring king received the
ambassadors and said, “Yes, indeed, I have everything anybody could possibly
want. But at the same time I worry
because I’ll have to die one day and leave it all. I can’t sleep at night for worrying about
that!” The ambassadors thought it wiser
to go home without this man’s shirt.
At his wit’s end, the king went
hunting. He fired at a hare but only
wounded it, and the hare scampered away on three legs. The king pursued it, leaving the hunting
party far behind him. Out in the open
field he heard a man singing a refrain.
The king stopped in his tracks.
“Whoever sings like that is bound to be happy!” The song led him into the vineyard, where he
found a young man singing and pruning the vines.
“Good day, Majesty,” said the
youth. “So early and already out in the
country?”
“Bless you! Would you like me to take you to the
capital? You will be my friend.”
“Much obliged, Majesty, but I
wouldn’t even consider it. I wouldn’t
even change places with the Pope.”
“Why not? Such a fine young man like you . . .”
“No, no, I tell you. I’m content with just what I have and want
nothing more.”
“A happy man at last!” thought the
king. “Listen, young man. Do me a
favor.”
“With
all my heart, Majesty, if I can.”
“Wait just a minute,” said the king,
who, unable to contain his joy any longer, ran to get his retinue. “Come with me! My son is saved! My son is saved! And he took them to the young man. “My dear lad,” he began, “I’ll give you
whatever you want! But give me . . .
give me . . .”
“What, Majesty?”
“My son is dying! Only you can save him. Come here!”
The king grabbed him and started
unbuttoning the youth’s jacket. All of a
sudden he stopped, and his arms fell to his sides.
The happy man wore no shirt.
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