There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint
the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all
the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to
choose between them.
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, for
peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky
with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought it was a
perfect picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare.
Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, and in which lightening
played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This
did not look peaceful at all. But when the King looked, he saw behind
the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a
mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry
water, sat the mother bird on her nest.
The King chose the second picture as the winner. ''Because,''
explained the King, ''peace does not mean to be in a place where there
is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of
all those things and still be calm in your heart.'' ''That is the real
meaning of peace.''
Go on to
Reward Offered in Opossum Killing
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