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Once upon a time, there lived a young king who had just
ascended the throne after his father, the old king died.
One day he dreamed that God would grant him one single
wish. He could have anything he asked God for. "What
could he possibly ask God for?" he thought. As the new
King, he had the whole kingdom under him. The kingdom
was already wealthy and well-established. He had no lack
of any material things. Finally, he decided to ask for
wisdom. He figured that he needed it to run his country.
He was young and he felt inferior to all the court
officials and ministers. When he awoke from his dream,
he felt a new sense of confidence which he did not have
before. A simple dream can work wonders, he thought to
himself, or was it a dream he wondered. Soon, the court
officials brought before him a rather difficult case.
They thought that it was time for the young king to
learn how to administer justice and to pass judgment.
The advisors were standing by ready to offer their
advice.
"O King, the child is mine, she took it from me," the
first woman cried. "Your Highness, it is not true. The
child is mine!" cried the second woman in like-manner.
Both women had given birth to a baby boy within a few
days of each other. They stayed together in an old house
because they were friends and were in the same
profession. They had no family and were both hostesses
in a inn.
"O King, I woke up one morning and was shocked to
find my child dead but on closer examination discovered
that it was not my baby. How can I not know my own
child? I believe this woman must have rolled over in her
sleep and accidentally suffocated her son to death. Then
she took my child and replaced it with hers while I was
still sleeping," cried the first woman.
"It's a pack of lies, your Highness. Don't be fooled
by her. She cannot accept the fact that her child is
dead and mine is living. Now she wants to claim my son
for her own. This child is my flesh and blood. How can I
not know my own son? The dead one is indeed her son,"
cried the second woman.
The young King shook his head. It was difficult to
decide which one of them was telling the truth. Both the
women seemed convincing enough. To the astonishment of
all those around, the King commanded, "Bring me a
sword."
"I give up. I cannot decide which of you is telling
the truth. Since both of you claim that the child is
yours, you shall both have him," the king told them.
"Guards, cut the baby into two and give each one, one
half." The king saw the face of the first woman turn
into anguish. The other woman's face hardened after the
initial shock.
"Give her the child, O Lord. Please do not kill him,"
the first woman pleaded. "Have I made a wrong judgment?"
the king pretended to look angrily at the second woman.
"No, my lord, it is a fair judgment. Let both of us not
have him," she replied.
The king smiled and said to her, "You are not the
real mother." He commanded that the baby be given to the
first woman who thanked the young king profusely. The
officials marveled at the king's wisdom and was glad for
the kingdom. |
