The Three Wise Councils: A Story of Love, Loyalty, and Fate
The Three Wise Councils
A Story of Love, Loyalty, and Fate
A newly married couple, very poor, lived on favors in a small town. One day, the husband proposed to his wife:
“Darling, I will leave and travel far to find work and build a better life for us. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but I ask only one thing: wait for me and remain faithful, as I will be faithful to you.”
Young and determined, he journeyed for many days until he found a farmer who needed help. The young man offered his services and was hired. He made a deal with his boss:
“Let me work as long as I need, and when I’m ready to leave, release me from my duties. I don’t want a salary; instead, deposit it in a savings account until I leave. On that day, give me the money I’ve earned.”
They agreed, and the young man worked tirelessly for twenty years, without vacation or rest. Finally, he approached his boss:
“Master, I want my money; I want to go home.”
The master replied, “We made a pact, and I will honor it. But first, I have a counter-offer. I can give you your money, or I can give you three pieces of advice. If I give you the money, I won’t give you the advice, and vice versa. Go to your room, think it over, and then give me your answer.”
He thought for two days and then told his master, “I want the three pieces of advice.”
The master reminded him, “If I give you the advice, I won’t give you the money.”
The man insisted, “I want the advice.”
The master then advised:
- Never take shortcuts in life. The shortest route is often unknown and can be dangerous.
- Never be curious about evil. Curiosity can be fatal.
- Never make decisions in times of hatred or pain. You may regret them later.
After giving the advice, the master gave the man, no longer so young, three coins:
“Here are three coins. Two for food during your journey, and the third to share with your wife when you get home.”
The man began his journey home, twenty years away from his wife and the life he loved.
After the first day of travel, he met someone who greeted him and asked, “Where are you going?”
He replied, “I’m going to a distant place, more than twenty days’ walk along this road.”
The person said, “Young man, this road is very long. I know a shortcut that will get you there in days.”
The man started down the shortcut, but then he remembered the first piece of advice: “Never take shortcuts in life. The shortest route is often unknown and can be dangerous.” He turned back and returned to the main road.
Two days later, he heard that another traveler who had taken the shortcut was assaulted, beaten, and robbed. The shortcut led to an ambush!
After several more days of tiring travel, he found an inn. It was late, and everyone seemed asleep, but a grumpy-looking woman opened the door and let him in. Exhausted, he paid for the night without question and went to sleep. At dawn, he was startled by a terrifying scream.
He got up and walked towards the sound, but then he remembered the second piece of advice: “Never be curious about evil. Curiosity can be fatal.” He went back to sleep.
In the morning, the innkeeper asked if he had heard the scream. He said he had. The innkeeper asked, “Weren’t you curious?” The man replied, “No.” The innkeeper said, “You’re lucky to be alive. At night, a woman with acute insanity lurks here. She screams horribly, and when a guest comes to see what’s happening, she kills them, buries them in the backyard, and disappears.”
He continued his journey, anxious to get home. After many days and nights, he saw smoke from the chimney of his small house. He saw the silhouette of his wife, but she wasn’t alone. He saw a man with her, stroking her hair.
His heart filled with hate and bitterness. He wanted to run and kill them both. But then he remembered the third piece of advice: “Never make decisions in times of hatred or pain. You may regret them later.”
He stopped and decided to sleep there and make a decision in the morning. At dawn, with a clear head, he said, “I won’t kill my wife. I’ll go back to my employer and ask for my job back. I’ll tell my wife that I was always faithful to her.”
He knocked on the door. His wife opened it, recognized him, and embraced him warmly.
He tried to push her away, but couldn’t.
With tears in his eyes, he said, “I was faithful to you, but you betrayed me!”
She replied, “How? I never betrayed you! I waited for you for twenty years!”
He asked, “Who was that man with you yesterday afternoon?”
She replied, “That’s our son. When you left, I discovered I was pregnant. He’s twenty years old today.”
The husband entered, met his son, and told them his story. His wife prepared dinner. They sat down to eat together. After a prayer of thanks, with tears of emotion, he broke the bread. Inside, he found all his money, the payment for his twenty years of dedication.