Hello readers!
Today I will post a story of my own in language English. Hope yours enjoy!
The Wise and the Apprentice
Aldemir Alves
Aldemir Alves
Preface
The story that I tell them, I created based on my
conversation with a friend who liked my book, when I questioned him about the
quality of the story, it made me a positive comment. He
said ‘It is a very good book, may not serve everyone and therefore many may not
understand or appreciate it, but I liked’, then we talked about values, wisdom
and solidarity. That conversation inspired me to create this tale. It is a
chronicle of a fool boy, and his wise teacher.
In my view, the greatest sage is one who has eyes and
sees everything, who has ears and hears everything, who has mouth and doesn’t
shut up, and most importantly, he preserves what he learns to spend some good
advice in the future.
By: Aldemir Alves
The Wise and the Apprentice
That was a day like all other days. The work was hard,
tiring and exhausting. Master Rubem received orders at the last minute and for
that reason he worked extensively that summer afternoon. The screams muffled
noise of his blows on the edge of the stone, showing that he was exhausted as
he tried to remove a small steel burr that was left on the tip of a sword. He
struck with the iron hammer, and then he froze when he put his hands on his
forehead, throwing cold sweat in the hot forge.
He had white hair, calluses on both hands and he was
very skilled at forging, but he was an old blacksmith... Simple and
overestimated, because he was tall and thin, but he had a good shape. He
dressed like a hiker. He wore a brown and dirty leather doublet that covered
his shoulders and around the body to the waist. A faded baggy pants, and a
higher than necessary buckle, which was rusty. Some people say he was a skilled
man in the legendary art of fencing; however, he was not carrying any sword or
melee weapon, just an old sheath hung on the right hip.
He had blue eyes and a busty belly, appeared an old
man, but he was forty years old, so he wasn’t very old. Some people say that he
was fool; others say that he was a disturbed old man, lost in his own old
metaphors, but I say: that man was a wise man, and I can allege: “wise” isn’t
who knows about everything, but who shares what he knows.
Master Rubem, this was his name, a shy and unsociable
man, who always wanted work by himself. But recently, he was very fond of his
grandson, who worked with him when there was no class. His grandson was a
curious boy, and he didn’t value anything. Everything to him was old and
despicable. Since his first day working with his grandpa, he didn’t like how
the old man worked. At that time,
already there was gas, but Master Rubem preferred to use coal, and he didn’t
rule out the trunks of trees.
He was a complete and professional quality, and he
always had a service to make. Since his youth he mastered the art of forging in
every way. He was cutler and he worked in the production of bladed weapons in
general. He was a great blacksmith with domain in producing various iron utensils
and an expert creator of armor because he forged the best armor that a king
could wish.
Master Rubem valued his creations and he kept many
twisted swords and shields hanging in his establishment; he was an admirer of
the work of others in his home and there was always space for another
acquisition. For the boy, Ezekiel, that was futile and only occupied space;
however, for the creator, that was a relic and that was invaluable.
Master Rubem lowered his body and felt the sword. He
stared at her for a few seconds, then he felt the sheath and slowly he withdrew
the blade. Then he smiled to himself.
'Discard it would be a waste, don’t you think?' Asked
the master to apprentice, who even noticed the blade.
‘No, I don’t. By the way, if I can say, master, I
think you should rule out many other things here, because they only hinder our
work’.
'Oh,' the old man was thoughtful. 'Looking at it, it
doesn’t seem to have any value; perhaps for those ... ah ... We will do one
thing. We'll sell it and try to get some money, because the material is a material
quality'.
The boy nodded and he said that in the afternoon he
would clean the sword and try to sell in the antique market. But the master
warned that he only accepted at least two gold coins, for less than that he
shouldn’t sell the object.
The boy thought no one would buy the sword, and he was
right about that.
'Come and see it, a rarity, a rarity!'
A man approached.
'What are you selling, boy?' He asked, curious. '
Ezekiel looked at the sword, and then he looked at the
man.
'A magnificent sword wielded by a legendary and mighty
warrior!' He raised his sword up to the height of the sheath and forced to
withdraw it, but it caught on rust and wouldn’t leave, even if he tried.
'A rusty crap, that's what it is! This is worth less
than a shot of rum!' Said the man and left.
'Hey, wait' sword was being drawn, but the man had
already left. 'Old sword!' Said the boy and put his sword in its sheath
strongly. Again, he didn’t notice the sword blade.
The boy was whole afternoon offering the sword,
however, the best offer he got were four bronze coins. Nobody wanted to buy
that old thing and the boy passed shame. He was butt of jokes.
When he arrived at work, he complained and he said
that that sword was crap and worthless.
'Master, I was all afternoon on the market, but no one
was interested in this sword. I'm sorry to say it, but this is an old crap!’
'Nobody is interested in it?' He asked.
'No!'
'But have you showed the material?
'No one wanted to see it’.
'Oh’.
Then the master told him to go to the city because
there was a house whose owner bought antique ancient swords and valuable
objects, and that maybe he could get a better price. He also said that the he
could sell it to man at any price, no matter what the value, any brass, silver,
or gold coin, he could sell that.
The boy was discredited, but at the same time he hated
so much that old sword that now would be a matter of honor to get rid of it,
after all, it was a storm for him, and he even had nightmares about it. The boy
has gone to the store informed by the master. When he entered, he saw beautiful
pieces of diamond and all kinds of precious jewels. There was incredible armor,
swords and beautiful that could be wielded by the greatest kings of Naires, but
does the owner of that splendid store
at least give him some attention? His sword was old and
gnarled. He was embarrassed, but even so, he entered the store with the old
sword in its sheath. He would get rid of that crap at any cost, even if it was
necessary to give it to the store owner, free.
When the man saw the boy, he asked what he wanted
there, then the boy said he had something to sell. But before that showed the
piece, he asked the cost of the most beautiful sword in the window, then the
man informed him that it cost six gold coins.
The boy thought ‘if
that cost six coins its not worth a single bronze coin’.
'So what you have in your hands?' The man asked,
curious to see the edge made by brass.
'I have a sword to show you, I want to sell it, and I
would like you to look at it,’ the boy handed the scabbard to the man who, when
he took it from the sheath, marveled and smiled to himself. She was broken, but
it was a unique weapon forged centuries ago by the greatest forger who stepped
that world.
'It's a very good piece, this is splendid!’ The man
kept smiling while contemplating it.
The boy thought the man was kidding him, as in the
market. Then he asked if the seller wanted to stay with the object. The man has
got a liquid and a damp cloth. He wiped his sword, slowly, and even that being
broken, the blade exhibited a bright color, it was amazing. The sword shone
even without being touched by the sun.
The man wiped his sword and put it in the sheath.
'How much you want for it?'
'How much can you pay?'
The man was in doubt. He thought, but he couldn’t
answer, after all, he was afraid to offer a price and the boy could say ‘no way’.
'Well...I cannot tell! You are selling; I cannot give
price to things of another person. '
'Oh ... Tell me how much you pay. If I like, I accept,
if not, we will continue friends anyway.’
The man took the sword again, he smiled at the boy.
'It is an ancient sword; you know ... Well ... I don’t
know what to say.'
'So, say something equivalent how much it costs...I
need to return home, because my parents await me,' said the boy impatiently.
'Where did you get it?' The man asked.
'My Master gave it to me, is a rare, legendary, very
rare piece!'
'Do you know the story of the sword?' Asked the
merchant, curious.
'Not much, but I know the owner was very strong!'
The man was thoughtful and after meditating, he said
he could pay only twenty gold coins because he had sold a short quantity of
objects and his financial situation wasn’t so good. The boy got a fright when
she heard "twenty gold coins," but he pretended not to be dazzled.
'TWENTY GOLD COINS?' He put his hands on his chin and
pretended to be thoughtful. 'Perfect!' Then the boy accepted that treasure.
‘Thank you, my little friend. I hope to do business
soon,' then the dealer took a leather bag sewn. From inside the bag, he took
the coins and put them on the table.
'Thank you!' The boy smiled and took all the coins. He
was happy for the bargain.
When he returned, the teacher asked how he was
caught. The boy handed him twenty gold coins. He said that man was crazy for
giving so much money on that old thing.
'You are wrong, boy...That sword cost much more than
twenty pieces of gold. That was a blade forged in titanium and brass; its
forger was simply the greatest forger who ever lived in this world. That sword was wielded by generations of kings and the
man who bought it, he paid crumbs to you, compared to the actual value of the
object.
The master then told him that the sword was two
centuries ago, and besides, she carried the signature of Maestrus Destrus, the
greatest forger who stepped that world. Those twenty coins were only 10% of
what the sword really worth.
'But why didn’t you tell me before? Why did you let me
sell it, then? '
'I tried to show you its beauty, but you even gave me
a chance'.
'Forgive me, Master...But it was such an old sword
without life, I didn’t see beauty in it.'
'Know this, my son: the beauty in things exists only
in the mind which contemplates them. You hadn’t enough interest’.
The boy dropped his head and looked sad. He wanted to
go back and get the sword, but the master didn’t allowed. That wouldn’t be fair
to take it from the man who had it because the sword wasn’t taking, but
discarded, in an act of advantage and cleverness. But the master didn’t show
nervousness or regret, and it was bothering the boy.
'But Master, why don’t you let me try to get it? I
don’t understand'.
'If you get the sword, son, you won’t learn the lesson
that I'm willing to teach you. For many people, the things they don’t know have
no value, if they have no interest; but for those who know, who really cares,
the value is priceless, there is no applicable price. From now you will care
more about the art of other people, because for some people, their creation
isn’t worth anything, is paltry, as you said, but for those who understand, for
those who value, it is a treasure!’
The boy was sad and disheartened to discover that he
had been deceived, but the master didn’t complain or questioned him after that
event. By the way, he taught the boy that many people do not value things
because they don’t know; do not know their real value. He taught the boy that
no matter the appearance, no matter what others say or think about something
that you value. Each thing has its own value. Every artist deserves recognition
for their work. And then finally the boy understood and learned the lesson.
Thank you readers. I hope you enjoyed!
