I self-published this fable in Dec. 2021. By self-published I mean I used cardstock paper, a hole- puncher, and some ribbon to gift a copy to a few friends and family. To keep the posts short and sweet, this short story is presented in parts. You can find Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 among other writings, musings, etc., here. Enjoy!
Suddenly, a donkey—that looked very much like the donkey his wife had kept—appeared before him. The donkey wore a saddle on its back and tucked into the saddle were skins of fresh water. The man gave thanks and drank. On the other side of the saddle, he found a small basket of food and he, again, gave thanks and ate.
The taste of the food reminded him of his wedding banquet. It was the first time he had tasted anything like it since then. The water, too, was fresh, and he felt as if a spring was coursing through him. He couldn’t recall water that was so refreshing since the day he had knelt down to drink water on the shore in his wife’s village. His soul felt so nourished and the tastes were so wondrous that he could only laugh with great joy. After the man drank and ate, he heard a voice tell him to get on the donkey. He immediately fell into a deep sleep.
The man dreamed he was surrounded by heavenly beings who washed him with water and sweet-smelling oils, who combed the bugs from his hair, who nursed his wounds and covered him with fresh linens. The linens were the finest he had ever seen and were greater than anything he had ever been able to purchase.
Then the man heard a voice telling him to wake, and he did. He opened his eyes to find his wife and his daughter standing before him. He sprang up from his bed to hug and kiss them and he realized he was completely healed, and, more than that, he felt better than he had in years.
They all laughed and kissed and hugged each other. They all tried to talk at once, and they laughed and kissed and hugged each other some more. They informed him that he was back in the village where he had met his wife. The wife had taken a cottage, and they were standing within the same. The cottage was simple, clean and cozy.
The man never wanted to go back to his old village, and they decided to stay. A few days later, the man found some work. It was humble work, but it made him feel good, and he went home each night feeling satisfied and full of life.
He thought he saw the old traveller once, while he was on his way home from work. Hoping to atone for his poor behavior when they had last met, he moved to invite the old man for dinner, but, when he looked again, the old traveller was gone. So, the man, taking in the brilliant sky, continued on his way home.
In the distance, the traveller watched and smiled and turned to walk again toward the road where he had first met the man all those years ago.
Fin
