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Good day, everyone.
This morning, while going through with my old things, I found an article in an Indonesian newspaper's column printed in 1979. Yes, it was more than 30 years ago; I was just commencing work then. Now, after retirement, reading the article again this morning, it made me astonished with how deeply the writer's understanding had in his writing. The story was written in Indonesian.
I rewrite the story here in two parts. Similar stories regarding the allegories are common elsewhere, so I hope I do not violate the copy-right of the writer.
---
One fine morning ... .
A retired minister was sitting in his house, enjoying his now leasure time. But, somehow, he could not rest. His mind kept wondering.
Suddenly, someone appeared at his door, knocking. Surprised, he stood and greeted his visitor, who happened to be his childhood playmate. He wondered why this old friend now visited him, at the time after his retirement as minister, not while he was still in power.
"Good morning, Minister. Glad to see you."
"What! Minister? Please do not address me this way. I am not a minister any more. My power has all gone. But what a pleasant surprise! How happy I am to see you."
"I was passing near here, on the way home from visiting my newborn grandson. But, is there something disturbing you?"
"Not at all! I am very happy. Now I have all the time to enjoy myself."
After a while, the ex-minister brought his visitor to his garden, enjoying the beautiful scenery.
"Oh! Now that I am retired, I would like to visit our home country town, and perhaps start living there. Yes, I want to be a farmer!"
His friend gave a little cough.
"Yes, that's it! By becoming a farmer, life will be much simpler. That makes me happier! Then, we can be close friends again, just like the old time."
His friend kept coughing.
"What's the matter with you? Why do you keep coughing? Is there a problem with your health, now that you are not young any more?"
"A priest was meditating by the river near his dwelling ..." his friend whispered.
"Are you dreaming?" asked the ex-minister.
" An eagle flew over the sky, and dropped a little mouse from its claws," continued the old friend. "The priest stood abruptly, catched the little mouse, and then nurturing it lovingly at his hands. And, the little mouse became a pretty baby girl"
Now, the ex-minister began to listen attentively to the story.
"The little mouse became a pretty baby girl. The priest then raised her as his child.
To cut the long story short, now it was about time for the girl to get married. Her father wanted her to marry the sun. But the daughter declined, saying that the sun was not her suitable mate.
The priest then asked the sun, "O Sun, perhaps you know someone who is stronger and mightier than you?". "Yes, surely, there is. It's the cloud. He can cover the earth from my hot shine".
But her daughter still declined the cloud as her mate.
"O Cloud, do you happen to know someone who is stronger than you?"
"Yes, the wind surely is able to blow me anywhere."
Still the daughter declined.
"O Wind, who is stronger than you?"
"It's the mountain! However strong I blow to move it, it remains at its place!"
Still. The daughter was not impressed.
"Oh what now? O Mountain, is there someone who is mightier than you?
"Yes! The rats! Although they are small, they can conquer me, the huge mountain, slowly, but surely, they are capable of crumbling me"
"Dear father, thanks! Yes, now the search is over. The rat is suitable for me.
---
The ex-minister's eyes lit up.
"Thank you, my old friend. I know that you always understand me. Now, do you approve of my plan? Will you go with me, and together we become farmers? I've been thinking this for a long time. I've always wanted to be a farmer! Even when I was powerful as a minister, I thought I'd be happier if I were a farmer!"
--- . ----
Dear readers,
What's your impression after reading this story? What does it remind you of? The circle of life? About the past? Enjoying the present?
Please feel free to write what you think. I'll appreciate your thoughts.
I'll write the next part soon.
Joko
This morning, while going through with my old things, I found an article in an Indonesian newspaper's column printed in 1979. Yes, it was more than 30 years ago; I was just commencing work then. Now, after retirement, reading the article again this morning, it made me astonished with how deeply the writer's understanding had in his writing. The story was written in Indonesian.
I rewrite the story here in two parts. Similar stories regarding the allegories are common elsewhere, so I hope I do not violate the copy-right of the writer.
---
One fine morning ... .
A retired minister was sitting in his house, enjoying his now leasure time. But, somehow, he could not rest. His mind kept wondering.
Suddenly, someone appeared at his door, knocking. Surprised, he stood and greeted his visitor, who happened to be his childhood playmate. He wondered why this old friend now visited him, at the time after his retirement as minister, not while he was still in power.
"Good morning, Minister. Glad to see you."
"What! Minister? Please do not address me this way. I am not a minister any more. My power has all gone. But what a pleasant surprise! How happy I am to see you."
"I was passing near here, on the way home from visiting my newborn grandson. But, is there something disturbing you?"
"Not at all! I am very happy. Now I have all the time to enjoy myself."
After a while, the ex-minister brought his visitor to his garden, enjoying the beautiful scenery.
"Oh! Now that I am retired, I would like to visit our home country town, and perhaps start living there. Yes, I want to be a farmer!"
His friend gave a little cough.
"Yes, that's it! By becoming a farmer, life will be much simpler. That makes me happier! Then, we can be close friends again, just like the old time."
His friend kept coughing.
"What's the matter with you? Why do you keep coughing? Is there a problem with your health, now that you are not young any more?"
"A priest was meditating by the river near his dwelling ..." his friend whispered.
"Are you dreaming?" asked the ex-minister.
" An eagle flew over the sky, and dropped a little mouse from its claws," continued the old friend. "The priest stood abruptly, catched the little mouse, and then nurturing it lovingly at his hands. And, the little mouse became a pretty baby girl"
Now, the ex-minister began to listen attentively to the story.
"The little mouse became a pretty baby girl. The priest then raised her as his child.
To cut the long story short, now it was about time for the girl to get married. Her father wanted her to marry the sun. But the daughter declined, saying that the sun was not her suitable mate.
The priest then asked the sun, "O Sun, perhaps you know someone who is stronger and mightier than you?". "Yes, surely, there is. It's the cloud. He can cover the earth from my hot shine".
But her daughter still declined the cloud as her mate.
"O Cloud, do you happen to know someone who is stronger than you?"
"Yes, the wind surely is able to blow me anywhere."
Still the daughter declined.
"O Wind, who is stronger than you?"
"It's the mountain! However strong I blow to move it, it remains at its place!"
Still. The daughter was not impressed.
"Oh what now? O Mountain, is there someone who is mightier than you?
"Yes! The rats! Although they are small, they can conquer me, the huge mountain, slowly, but surely, they are capable of crumbling me"
"Dear father, thanks! Yes, now the search is over. The rat is suitable for me.
---
The ex-minister's eyes lit up.
"Thank you, my old friend. I know that you always understand me. Now, do you approve of my plan? Will you go with me, and together we become farmers? I've been thinking this for a long time. I've always wanted to be a farmer! Even when I was powerful as a minister, I thought I'd be happier if I were a farmer!"
--- . ----
Dear readers,
What's your impression after reading this story? What does it remind you of? The circle of life? About the past? Enjoying the present?
Please feel free to write what you think. I'll appreciate your thoughts.
I'll write the next part soon.
Joko
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