The Three Chests

Come sit, come gather my listeners, for this is the Tale of the three chests.

Few moons ago, there lived a wise man, and his son.

His son coming of age desired as was (and is) custom to take a wife of loyalty and honour, for as is father was in wisdom so was he.

But how should he know of a woman that was pure to him, and pure not of the material things?

So the son went to his father, and asked 'Father, how shall I know if a woman is pure?'

The wise father paused, and spoke slowly.. 'Son, bring forth your chosen' and I shall prepare three chests.'

'3 chests?, but how will that determine the purity of a lady?'

'Son, I am wise, merely bring forth your first, when the sun rises in the morning.'

So the son having found his choices, brought them to the home of his father, an older girl, a younger girl and a girl of age between the other two.

When the sun rose the following morning, he came to his father.

'O, Father I bring forth my choices!'

'Send forth one, and one alone' said the father to his son

And the son sent forth the older 'girl'

'Go into the next room.' said the father, 'and bring to my son, one object from the three chests you shall find there. One object and one alone.'

So the older girl, proceeded into the next room and found three chests.

In the first chest opened, was a jeweled dagger, it's red glint flashed in the older girls eye, 'With this dagger, my future husband shall have power' thought the girl, and brought back the dagger glancing not once into the other chests.

'I bring back this dagger!' said the older girl returning. 'with this shall I be protected by my husband to be.'

'Ah, the mark of ambition.' said the wise father. 'And how is my son to know that you will not tire of him and plant such same in his throat, when another takes thy gaze? Depart for you are pure not for MY son.'. Although disapointed, the older girl departed.

Send forth one and one alone' said the father again to his son 'and I shall place again the dagger in one of the chests'

And the son sent forth the youngest.

'Go into the next room.' said the father, 'and bring to my son, one object from the three chests you shall find there. One object and one alone.'

As listeners, you know the dagger was in one of the chests, and the youngest girl thought 'How am I to know this dagger will not be sheathed in me if I should wander?', so she searched again, and found in the chest a purse of coins. 'With these coins shall my husband purchase that which I desire to make happiness.

'I bring this purse of coins!' said the youngest girl returning. 'with this shall my husband keep us both happy.' 'Ah, the mark of promise' said the wise father 'And how is my son to know that you will not tire of him, and such purse be used against him when another takes your gaze?. Depart for you are pure not for MY son.'. Although sad, the youngest girl departed.

'Send forth the last' said the father, 'and I shall place the purse again in one of the chests.'

And so the son sent forth, last the girl-between.

'Go into the next room.' said the father, 'and bring to my son, one object from the three chests you shall find there. One object and one alone.'

Ah listsners, you know of the dagger, and the purse, but what of the third. The girl between looked upon ALL the chests, and on finding the dagger thought, and upon finding the purse, thought also, and then brought forth her choice, havign examined at last the final chest.

'I return', said the girl between.

'but you bring no object' mocked the father.

'I bring no object, repeated the girl-between 'other than love for my husband to be.'

'What need have I for a dagger, that could be used sgainst us both? when I have my loyal husband to protect our love.

'What need have I for a purse? Should not love and loyalty overcome the budgets poor of those without riches that can be against them used?'

'I bring no object!'

'But the third chest.' asked the father. 'There was a salve.'

'A slave of decay, and what wife should I be if in my husband thoughts of decay I placed so soon?'

'Stay, Stay' said the father 'for you are pure for MY son.'

'O come, my wife to be' said at last the son. 'Let us be happy.'

And so when next had the moon passed, the son and girl-between, became as was (and is custom) man and loyal wife.

And as for the chests, you my listeners ask? The dagger, this the son gave to his wife, so that over her own reservations, she would be protected from the shadows of the night. The purse of coins was from the father, to his son's wife given, though dowery not, that she may be secure. The myrrh the son retained for the day that many moons hence, loyal wife should at his side pass (as is written) to paradise.

And such as was when son their own, as was (and is) was custom was seeking wife his own, was the tale of the Three chests told again, and from wise father to questioning son, down the years, until now you hear the tale yourselves.