A Story of Wisdom, Fortune, and Fate | Votra Inc.
Once upon a time, there was a young man and his mother who lived in extreme poverty. One day, the young man said to his mother:
— “Mother, I am going to seek my fortune in a foreign land.”
— “Go, my son,” she replied with a heavy heart.
The young man set out on his journey, crossing fields and mountains. As night fell, he saw a mill by the roadside and decided to stay there. He gathered firewood, lit a large fire, and warmed himself. As it grew late, he thought to himself:
— “It’s too late to continue. I’d better sleep inside the mill.”
The mill’s door was locked, so he climbed up to the rafters and lay down to rest.
Late at night, a bear arrived. Seeing the fire, he growled in his deep voice:
— “Looks like travelers have stopped here!”
He sat by the fire to warm himself. Soon after, a fox arrived and greeted him:
— “Good evening, Bear! What are you doing here?”
— “Just warming myself,” the bear replied.
— “Why did you light such a big fire?” asked the fox.
— “Not me, travelers must have done it,” said the bear.
As they talked, a wolf joined them.
— “Good evening, Bear! What are you all doing here?”
— “Just warming up,” they replied.
While they were talking, the wolf turned to the bear and asked:
— “Why do you seem deep in thought, Bear?”
The bear replied:
— “There is an old palace owned by the king. Beneath a giant mulberry tree near its foundation, a hidden pot of gold lies buried. I check on it often to see if anyone has found it.”
The fox added:
— “I found a chest full of gold on the road, but it’s so heavy I can’t drag it into my den.”
Then the wolf said:
— “The king has many sheep, but his fierce dog won’t let me steal any. However, the king himself is blind. If someone were to kill the dog and rub its blood on his eyes, he would regain his sight.”
The young man, hidden above, listened carefully to everything.
At dawn, when the animals left, he climbed down and searched for the chest of gold. He found it, lifted it onto his back, and continued his journey. Along the way, he encountered a shepherd with his flock and a large guard dog. The dog barked aggressively, and the young man called out:
— “Hold your dog back before he attacks me!”
— “Don’t worry, he won’t bite,” said the shepherd.
The young man asked:
— “Will you sell me your dog?”
— “No! If I don’t have this dog, the wolf will devour all my sheep.”
— “I will give you as much gold as you want!”
— “No, I won’t sell him!”
— “I will give you this entire chest full of gold!”
The shepherd, mesmerized by the gold, agreed and handed over the dog. The young man took the dog and, once he was far enough away, killed it and collected its blood in a small bottle.
Upon reaching the city, the young man walked through the streets shouting:
— “A new doctor has arrived! I can cure blindness!”
The king’s guards heard him and immediately brought him to the palace. When the young man entered, the king asked:
— “Can you really restore my sight?”
The young man took out his small bottle and carefully rubbed the dog’s blood onto the king’s eyes. First, he treated one eye, and it opened. Then he treated the other, and the king could see again. Overjoyed, the king said:
— “You have saved me! What reward do you desire?”
— “I ask for nothing but the old palace,” replied the young man.
The king granted his request. The young man immediately went to the palace, tore down part of the old wall, and unearthed a large pot full of gold. The king, even more impressed, gave him an entire mule-load of gold. With his newfound wealth, the young man returned home and became one of the richest men in the land.
A poor neighbor and his wife were astonished by the young man’s sudden fortune. The wife went to the young man’s mother and asked:
— “How did your son become so wealthy?”
The mother, unsuspecting, revealed the story about the old mill.
Filled with greed, the neighbor decided to try his luck. He went to the mill, lit a fire, and hid inside. However, unlike the young man, he did not climb up to the rafters but instead hid inside a sack of flour.
That night, the bear, fox, and wolf returned. They were furious.
— “Someone has stolen our gold!” growled the bear.
— “Yes, and my hidden chest is gone too!” the fox complained.
The wolf laughed:
— “Well, at least I am thriving! The king’s fierce dog is gone, so I feast on his sheep every night.”
Suddenly, the bear became suspicious.
— “Wait! What if someone is listening to us?”
The animals searched the mill, sniffing around. The bear walked up to the sack of flour and gave it a powerful slap. Inside, the terrified man lost control and made a sound. The bear struck the sack again, tearing it open. The man was dragged out, and before he could escape, the animals tore him apart.
The Moral of the Story
Days passed, and the neighbor’s wife went to the young man, crying:
— “My husband has not returned! Please help me find him.”
The young man knew what had happened. Gathering a few men, he led them to the mill. When they arrived, they found only the neighbor’s bloodied clothes.
They returned home and broke the terrible news to his wife.
Thus, the young man’s wisdom and patience led him to fortune, while the neighbor’s greed brought him to ruin.
A Legendary Albanian Folktale | Votra Inc.
