The Three Feathers
Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a king who had three sons. The king was growing old and knew that soon he would have to choose one of his sons to inherit the throne. But the king didn’t want to choose based on age or strength alone; he wanted to find the wisest and most deserving son.
One day, the king decided to test his sons. He called them to the castle and told them that they would embark on a journey to find a certain object—a golden apple—deep within the enchanted forest. The king gave each of them a task, saying, “Whoever brings back the golden apple will be crowned as the next ruler of this kingdom.”
The eldest son, full of confidence, was eager to begin the journey. “I will go first, Father!” he declared. The second son, though not as sure of himself, decided to follow closely behind. The youngest son, however, was more reserved. He knew he wasn’t as bold or strong as his older brothers, but he was kind-hearted and clever.
Before they left, the king gave each of his sons a feather, each one as bright as a star. He told them, “These feathers are magic. They will help you if you are ever in need.”
The eldest son took the feather and set off with a proud heart. He believed the journey would be easy for him, as he had the strength and skill to face any challenge. The second son, a little more cautious, followed behind. The youngest son, however, held his feather gently and kept it close to his heart. He knew that the journey ahead would not be so simple.
The three brothers traveled through the kingdom and eventually reached the edge of the enchanted forest. The trees were tall and dark, and a strange mist hung in the air. But the eldest son, who was full of pride, boldly marched ahead, ignoring the mysterious forest around him. The second son, more cautious, took a few more steps before hesitating.
“I think we should be careful,” the second son said. “The forest looks strange, and we don’t know what dangers lie ahead.”
But the eldest son, dismissing his brother’s warning, pressed on. “Don’t be a fool! There’s nothing to fear in this forest,” he said. “I’ll go on ahead and find the golden apple, and you can follow me.”
The youngest son, watching them, hesitated but then made up his mind. He took a deep breath and walked into the forest behind his brothers, holding onto his feather with both hands.
As the brothers ventured deeper into the forest, they soon encountered a talking bird who perched upon a tree. The bird spoke in a voice that echoed through the trees: “If you seek the golden apple, you must prove your worth.”
The eldest son, confident as ever, boasted, “I am strong and capable. I don’t need to prove anything.”
The bird shook its head. “You may be strong, but strength alone will not get you what you seek. The road ahead will require more than just force.”
The eldest son was angry and ignored the bird’s words, continuing down the path. The second son, however, listened carefully. “What kind of proof do you seek, wise bird?” he asked.
The bird smiled kindly and replied, “To find the golden apple, you must each prove your worth with a task. You will each be given a challenge, and the one who solves it will be the one to claim the apple.”
The bird turned to the youngest son and said, “You, young one, will be given the most difficult task. Only those with true wisdom can solve it. But fear not, for you have your magic feather to guide you.”
With that, the bird flew away, leaving the brothers standing in the dense forest. The eldest son, eager to be the first to complete the task, stormed ahead, determined to succeed. The second son, more thoughtful, took a deep breath and followed carefully behind.
As they walked, the youngest son remembered the bird’s words. He held his magic feather tightly and thought to himself, What does true wisdom mean? How can I prove my worth when I am not as strong as my brothers?
After some time, the brothers arrived at a clearing where three doors stood. Each door was made of different materials: gold, silver, and bronze. The bird appeared again, perched atop one of the doors.
“You must choose one of these doors,” the bird said. “Each one leads to a different challenge, and only the one who chooses wisely will find the golden apple.”
The eldest son, seeing the golden door, immediately rushed toward it. “This is the door for me! Gold is the most valuable, and it must lead to the golden apple,” he said confidently.
The second son, hesitant, took a moment to consider the choices. “I will follow my brother,” he said, and chose the silver door.
The youngest son, however, did not rush. He looked at each door carefully and then looked at his feather. The feather seemed to shimmer in his hand, and he felt a sudden sense of clarity. He chose the bronze door, knowing that sometimes the simplest path was the right one.
The brothers entered their chosen doors, each one facing a unique challenge.
The eldest son, confident in his strength, found himself in a room filled with heavy stones. He was tasked with moving them all to one side of the room before he could proceed. But no matter how hard he tried, the stones were too heavy to move, and his strength could not help him. He soon grew frustrated and gave up, realizing that strength alone was not enough.
The second son entered his room, where he found a series of complex puzzles. Though he tried his best, his mind was not quick enough to solve them all, and he too became frustrated.
Meanwhile, the youngest son, in the bronze room, found that his challenge was not physical at all. Instead, he was faced with a riddle from a wise old man. The riddle was difficult, but the young man took his time, thinking carefully and using the wisdom from his heart. Eventually, he solved the riddle, and the old man smiled.
“Your wisdom has proven your worth,” the old man said, handing him the golden apple.
The youngest son returned to his brothers, who were still struggling with their challenges. He showed them the golden apple, and the bird appeared once more, congratulating him for his wisdom.
The king, upon hearing of the youngest son’s success, crowned him as the new ruler of the kingdom. Though his brothers were disappointed, they realized that the youngest son’s kindness, patience, and wisdom made him the best choice to lead.
And so, the youngest son ruled the kingdom with fairness and wisdom, and the kingdom flourished under his reign. The eldest and second sons, though they did not become kings, were proud of their brother and lived happy lives, content in knowing that true worth lies not in strength or pride, but in wisdom and kindness.
