An Old Story

Song: E vui durmiti ancora (And you are still sleeping) 

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   When I was a little boy, at times I would do things not in tune with reasoning, and it was at those times that my mother will tell me a story to teach me right from wrong. One of those stories hit me deeply, and I never forgot it: here, I'll tell you: Once upon a time there was a man, who after he got married lost his job. Not knowing what to do to provide for his family, even if it was only his wife, made a decision and told his wife: "I go to find work abroad, you ask your family for help, while I am gone." At those time there weren't means of communications as we have them now, and neither one of them had any news from the other anymore. Our man found a job abroad by a very rich land owner.

   After twenty-five years, this man had put aside a good nest egg. He went to his boss and said to him: "Boss, it is twenty-five years that I am missing from home; it is time for me to go back and take care of my wife, who I haven't seen for a long time." The boss called his aide and told him to get ready a young and strong mule and to load it with every good thing. When the mule was ready, the Boss called our man and said to him: "This mule is loaded with all kind of good things and I am giving it you for your faithfulness. I am also giving you this purse full of money, so that you and your family have no want for life. The best thing I can give you though is my advise, and these are:

-Take the right way and you'll never fail.
-Have you seen anything on the way? Neither yesterday or today.
-Reflect well before you act, for thinking before acting is like drinking after eating.
-Our man left. After a couple days of traveling he was approached by a traveler, who asked if it was all right to keep him company. He said yes and they traveled together. After three more days they arrived at a cross road and the traveler asked our man to turn to the other road, which was a short cut. Our man almost said OK, when he suddenly remembered the Boss's advice: -Take the right way and you'll never fail.- and told his companion that no, he will continue on the route that he knew. So they parted.

   After about half an hour there was the sound of two rounds of fire arm, and about fifteen minutes later two armed men jumped a wall and stopped our man, asking him if had heard sound of fire arms being discharged. Our man thought at the advice that his Boss had given him: - Have you seen anything on the way? Neither yesterday or today, and told them no, that he had not heard anything, and the twosome said goodbye and left. After twenty-five days of traveling, toward dusk, he arrived near his house and stopped looking at the lighted window full of emotions, thinking of his wife. From where he was he could see inside his house through the lighted window, when he saw his wife and after her a priest following her; suddenly his wife turns and hugs the priest...

   Our good man lost his head: he grabs his shot gun from his knapsack and points straight at his wife. "He had sacrificed his life to provide for his family, and his wife in his absence, found how to pass the time of day." He had both of them under his shotgun sight and... He remembered his Boss: - Reflect over what you are about to do, for thinking before acting is like drinking after eating.- He lowered his gun, put it back in his knapsack and arming himself with lots of courage went and knocked at the door. His wife opened the door and, as if she had expected him, screamed and hugged him. They went inside and he asked his wife who was the priest, his wife answered him: "When you left I was pregnant, and this is your son who felt the vocation of becoming a priest.".