The Ram, the Basket, and the Stick

There was a poor man who had many children and couldn’t give them anything to eat. One day he was walking along looking for food when he came to a magic forest. He rested there and then went on his way. Before long he met four forest people. When they saw him, one of them said, “Let’s kill him,” but the others said, “No, he deserves to be helped in any way we can.”

They gave him a ram and told him, “If you say to the ram, ‘Serve me,’ it will give you whatever you want.”

The man took the ram home and said to his children, “Take your places at the table.” The children sat down and the man told the ram, “Serve us a meal.” And at once they all had whatever they liked and as much as they wanted.

Now, the poor man had a rich brother. When the rich man learned that his poor brother had such a wonderful ram, he came to him and said, “Here, I’ll give you a pair of oxen and wheat. Plow your land with the oxen, then sow the wheat, and you’ll have food for your children and money left over to heat your house.” The poor man gave his brother the ram for the oxen. But when he got home, he realized that there was nothing for his children to eat, so he killed the oxen and fed the meat to them. When the meat was gone, he and the children were left with nothing.

He started off once more to look for food. Again he came to the magic forest where he had rested, and this time he met five forest people. Seeing him, one said, “Let’s kill him,” but the other four said, “No, let’s help him in any way we can.”

And so they gave the poor man a basket and told him, “Whenever you need food, say ‘Basket, fill up,’ and the basket will provide what you need.”

The poor man took the basket home, and when he got there he said, “Basket, fill up.” And the basket filled up with all sorts of good things, so once again there was plenty to eat.

When his rich brother heard about the wonderful basket, he crept into the poor man’s house and stole it from him. Again the poor brother and his children were left with nothing to eat.

And so the poor brother went to the magic forest where he had rested twice before. This time he met three forest people, one of whom said, “Let’s kill him.” But the other two said, “No, let’s help him all we can.”

Then they gave the poor brother a stick and told him, “If anyone harms you, say ‘Stick, strike!’ and the stick will obey your command.”

He thanked them and went home, taking the stick. Not long afterward he invited the whole town to a big celebration. His rich brother was there, showing off the ram and the basket. Seeing this, the poor man went up to the balcony of the banquet hall, took out the stick the three men had given him, and called, “Stick, strike my brother!” And the stick flew down and beat the rich brother until he cried out, “Take the ram; take the basket. They belong to you.”

Then the poor man said, “Stick, stop beating.” And the stick stopped.

So the poor man took back his ram and basket and became the richest man in town.

* * *

* * *

I want to hear more about the one forest person who hungers for Violence