It was a long time ago. A young proud king ruled the country. He wanted to be richer and didn't know how to do it. So he decided to kill all old people, as they were useless because they couldn't work. He gathered all his ministers and ordered them to send soldiers throughout the country to take away old people and to kill them. When the soldiers came into the houses the young people cried and asked not to kill their parents and grandparents. But the soldiers did as their king ordered them to do.

In a very quiet, small village there lived an old man with his son. He loved his son very much and the son loved his father. When they heard terrible news, the son decided to hide his father in a little room behind the house. When the soldiers came to the house, the young man said: "There are no old people here."

In the evening when it was safe, the old man came into the house and they spent hours sitting and talking. He taught his son everything he knew and the young man told his father current news.

One evening the son told his father the story, which happened with the king and his ministers. They were near the river and tried to get a pearl, but they couldn't. Many king's servants dived into the river but couldn't find the pearl. The king was very angry and ordered to kill the servants.

The father thought a little and then asked,

"Is there a tree on the bank?"

"Yes, there is a big old tree on the bank of the river", answered the son.

"Is there a nest in the tree?"

"Yes, there is."

"So look for the pearl in the nest, not in the water."

The next day, the young man went to the king and told him where to find the pearl. So the king sent his servants to the nest and they brought him a pearl. The king was very happy.

THE WISE OLD MAN

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