The Lesson

By the unvoiced whisper

Author’s foreword:

Hey readers and budding writers. Please forgive this amateurish work for any incorrect usage of English or illogical parts in the story. I recreated this from folklore I heard. I just started writing stories not long ago, so this would not be very professional. Still, I hope it can satisfy your reading desire. Enjoy.

The boy looked out from his window. The fluffy white magnolia clouds overwhelmed the expanse of the sky, leaving only patches of blue hue. He closed his eyes, silently feeling the western winds blowing on his face. He took a deep breath and sighed. This was the last time he could be at complete peace.

The boy is Nathan Andrew Rhodes, the crowned prince. His father had died a week ago due to an unexpected heart attack. At his funeral, the palace elders pronounced Nathan the next heir to the throne. They did not have much of a choice. The king had no siblings, therefore making Nathan, the eldest child of the king, the only one eligible for kingship. Nathan looked up into the heavens. In just a few hours, he was going to be lord over a country. Nathan stared at his hands, trembling with fear with the responsibilities he was about to hold. Everyone had pinned their hopes, their future and their dreams on him, a young 13-year-old boy, who had no idea how to reign over this country.

The fray old man with long grayish white hair stroked his beard. He paced up and down his dingy old room slowly. By this time, his poor student is probably trembling all over, by the thought of having to rule this country with zero experience. He sat down for a while, a frown clearly shown on his face. Then, he smiled.

“Your majesty, Sir Adolston wants to see you”, shouted an attendant. Nathan was elated. He immediately invited his teacher into posh study. Sir Adolston just grinned and shook his head. He meekly waved to his student and led him out of the white marble castle.

The teacher brought the young prince to one of the nearby hills, where there were thousands of acorn trees. Nathan bends his knees to observe the prickly fruits. He glanced at his teacher, who never spoke a word during the entire trip here. Then, Sir Adolston said in an emotionless, commanding voice, “Pick a hundred acorns.” Then, he threw an empty cotton money bag at the prince. Nathan froze. He was utterly shocked. His teacher was never so rude to him before. He unfroze and just picked the acorns as told. After all, the prince just wants to get his mind off his kingship for a while.

“Sir, I have picked a hundred acorns…”

 Without looking at Nathan, The old man shouted,

    “Eat!”

Nathan’s eyes widened “What?!?!... Sir..?”

“Eat until I say stop!!”Sir Adolston barked. The prince looked at the old man. His kingship must have got the teacher insane. Nathan reached for the cleanest looking acorn and ate it. And he grimaced. Then he saw his teacher eyeing him, which leave him no choice but to eat the bitter fruit.

  Suddenly, Sir Adolston asked, “Was it good?” The prince just shook his head, still disgusted by the bitter taste. Then the old man went to the edge of the hill and signaled the prince to come over. The prince came over. His eyes widened.

  He saw little children, all dressed in rags, dancing with a basket with a few acorns and eating acorns in delight. Just then, a few more kids that were also in rags came and tried to snatch acorns from them. Without hesitation, the young prince went downhill and gave his acorns to the snatching party of kids. They just gave the prince a cold stare and snatched the acorns from the prince. Nathan just stared in their direction. The old man patted on Nathan’s head and said, “Remember that bitter taste. A good king must listen to the people’s cry and provide for the people.”

Nathan smiled at his teacher, confidence gleaming in his eyes for the first time.