The Two Gifts, a short story

8/14/2019 The Two Gifts, a short story

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This story is copyrighted. Reproduce this at your pleasure but not for resale purposes.

The Two Gifts

By Philip Siddons

by Philip Siddons


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For Brian & Pams 17th Anniversary

May you find this story to be a drawbridge

into the joyous castle of contentment in all

your relationships.


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long time ago, in the early days of England when Arthur and his court

ruled at Camelot, there was a kind young man named Jonathan. He

was an artist in the service of the court. Jonathan had created fanciful

works of art for the court and for his creations he was well respected.

That year, Jonathan had become engaged to

Anne of Avenforth, a fair maiden who was skilled

as an accountant and was also in service for the king

and queen. Anne lived in a castle in the next county

and their impending wedding was announced to the

delight of all.

One week before the wedding, Jonathan was

walking through the west wing of the castle intending to see the king. He had

recently been commissioned to sculpt a

rendering of Queen Gueneveres summer

castle and wanted King Arthur to inspect

his plans. As he passed by a door in the

hallway, he heard a sigh from one of the

kings scribes working at his desk.

Pausing to look in the door, Jonathan saw

Andrew standing by his printing device,

looking for something in the piles of

matter on his desk that might remedy his

problem.

Jonathan rarely saw Andrew because

of the diversity of their responsibilities.

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He did remember seeing the printing devices the courts scribes were using

and often marveled at their mechanisms.

Whats the matter Master Andrew? Jonathan said. You look like you

have scribes block.

Oh hello, Master Jonathan, Andrew responded with some fatigue in his

voice. I have no patience with these machines. It seems that just when I am

about to produce a memorable speech for the king, this contraption seizes up

and I cannot print with it. Drat how I hate machines!

Jonathan came over to the old scribes desk

and peered into the wooden and metal printing

instrument. With the patience of a physician

tending a wound, Jonathan carefully reached

into the machine and suddenly murmured

Ah Ha! Within a moment, Jonathan had

fixed the device.

You have made my day responded Andrew with relief. I will be able to

finish the kings work and have myself a weekend for a change.

Jonathan started for the door and said over his shoulder, It was nothing. I

have a gift for such things and it comes easily.

Andrew, an older man with long graying hair and a beard, turned in his

chair and said, Linger a moment, my friend. I understand you are soon to be

married. I would like to give you not only a present for your wedding but also

one for helping me out of the dungeon of my mechanical ineptitude. Have a seat

for a moment.

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Jonathan sat on a nearby chair. He was

starting to think that he might miss the King

and he was eager to ask about his sculpture. He

saw a chart of the stars on the far wall,

remembering he had heard that one of the

kings scribes was a sorcerer. He had little

interest in sorcerers potions and spells and

generally regarded such wizards to be strange and more clever than they ought

to be.

Andrew looked across his desk at Jonathan and

continued. Few people know this, he said, but it is

within my power to command spells unavailable to

ordinary magicians. Under the condition that you tell

no one of this conversation, I am offering you two

wishes of your choice.

Most people, when granted their wishes, make

the same mistake. They believe paradise to be simply

what they dont already have. So choose your two desires and they shall be

yours. You may see me tomorrow to state your requests but be sure to choose

wisely and you will live to cherish your decisions.

There was something about the evenness of Andrews voice and his steady

gaze that brought a mixture of both fear and amusement to Jonathan.

Yet Jonathan thanked him and he awkwardly left the room, promising to

return the next day. He walked back down the castle hallway, forgetting his

intention to speak with the King about his sculpture plans.

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Any two wishes I desire,

Hmm! Jonathan mused. I

suppose I should ask for gold,

so that Anne and I would be

wealthy enough to have our

own estate. Or perhaps I should

ask to become a knight, he

thought, so that Anne would

be proud of me and my family

would be honored.

I know, Jonathan thought after some pause, I should ask for the ability to

create the finest sculpture in Camelot so that there would be none like it in the

entire kingdom. So for the rest of the evening and throughout the night,

Jonathan struggled with his decision. It even occurred to him to ask for ten

wishes of equal worth so that he could have anything he wanted. Jonathan soon

concluded, however, that requesting more wishes would be greedy and so he

cast the idea aside.But were these things merely what he didnt now possess

as the sorcerer had suggested?

The next day Jonathan sat before Andrew and had come no further in his

decision making than he was the day before. But the words of the sorcerer came

to him again: Choose wisely ... and Jonathan realized what he wanted.

Andrew said to him: What is it that you wish for your first gift, myfriend?

Jonathan looked pensively responded, I have thought of half the treasures

in the kingdom. Yet I have already been given skills enabling me to

comfortably earn a living. As I am fortunate enough to marry Anne, I expect Ill

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be the happiest man in the kingdom. Then fully looking at the aging scribe,

Jonathan continued: What I would like, Sir Andrew, is something you advised

me to use: wisdom. I would like wisdom.

Andrew leaned back in his chair with a dawning look

of triumph and glee on his face. Fantastic! he called

out, never taking his eyes off Jonathan.

The sorcerer stood up, putting his arms on Jonathans

shoulders, saying: In all of my years of magic, I have

never had the privilege of granting a better gift. Andrew swept his hand

majestically in the air before Jonathan and said, Be it as you have so desired.

For a moment, Jonathan felt a tingling sensation throughout his entire body

and then a warm feeling of contentment came to him.

And what is your second request? Andrew asked as he sat back down in

his chair.

Jonathan thought for a moment and then he said: I am about to join my life

with my love, Anne. If a gift has been granted for me, it seems only fitting to

request a gift for her.

And what is the gift you request for your Anne? Andrew

said with intense curiosity.

Jonathan paused again and started to say something but

stopped himself. I suppose wealth or plenty of healthy childrenor even nobility in the court would be welcomed. But there is

something within me that says she would know best what she

wants. I think Ill ask her what she desires.

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Andrew responded, leaning back in his chair, Your wisdom is already

becoming you. Seek her pleasure and return to me tomorrow with your

answer.

Soon Jonathan left, bowing to thank the sorcerer for his first gift.

On his way to the village of Avenforth,

Jonathan wondered what Anne would

request. Perhaps she will want to marry

someone else a nobleman or one of the

kings champions? he thought to himself.

Or perhaps she will want wealth and

finally scorn me for not asking for it in

the first place? And the more Jonathan wondered what Anne would request,

the more he began to worry that she might demand something that would be

difficult to acquire, even for the sorcerer scribe.

Jonathan spent the day with Anne but was afraid to ask her what she wanted

most. He feared accidentally telling her a sorcerer had granted him requests.This, he knew, would violate the agreement to tell no one of the magic. So as

the day wore on, they talked about everything else but what

Jonathan had on his mind.

That evening, Jonathan and Anne sat beside a window

overlooking a courtyard below. They saw children playing

but there was a small disturbance.

One of the boys below was pretending to be a knight and

was holding a wooden sword. He was commanding one of

the girls to return to his castle to fix him a feast in honor of

his slaying a mighty dragon.

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The girl said, I want to go out and kill the other dragon. Then we can both

feast.

But the boy quickly responded, I am the king of the castle. It is I who gives

the orders.

Immediately the children began arguing. Fortunately they were soon called

in by their parents for dinner and they were gone.

Anne said with a sigh, It is too bad that adults are much like children.

Jonathan, not paying much attention because he was lost in his thought

about how to ask his question, grunted and responded, Youre right, my dear.

But suddenly he took heart and asked: Anne, my love, if you were granted one

wish by a sorcerer, what would be your request?

Why to be with you, my love Anne said as she looked into his eyes with

affection.

No, ... well, yes, you already have that, ... but

besides that, . . . what would you ask for above allthings? What would be your greatest desire?

Jonathan persisted.

Anne sat pensively for a while as she looked

out on the evenings sunset. She thought about her

fortune in marrying Jonathan, for he was a kind

and gentle man. Anne felt that her own life hadbeen enriched by her friends and her activities.

She realized that they were living in good times

and were blessed with more than she could have

imagined.

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As had Jonathan, Anne considered wealth. She also

thought of becoming a lady of the court. But then she

remembered the children. She remembered the adults.

And with a playful but confident look on her face, she

turned to Jonathan with her answer and said, I would

like to be treated as your equal, so that if one eye cries, so will both.

Jonathan was amazed at the request and pondered it for some time. If

granted, it would mean a life different for them than that of their friends and

those in court. And while their conversation turned to other things that evening,

when he left, Jonathan continued to reflect on his loved ones wish.

On the following morning, Jonathan went

to the scribes office. He had not slept a wink

during the night. He was afraid that if this

unusual wish were granted, his life would be

upset. There would be no order to their

relationship. How would things be decided?Would not everything be thrown into complete

chaos?

It crossed Jonathans mind that he could tell the sorcerer that Anne had

asked for gold. That way, they would be rich and she would never know she

could have had something else.

When Jonathan was sitting before the sorcerer, he was about to request gold

but he suddenly felt compelled to change his course. He said to Andrew, Anne

would like most of all that she be treated as my equal.

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Andrews eyes opened wider and a look of great interest spread across his

face. He asked, with what sounded like amusement in his voice, And how do

you feel about that wish Master Jonathan?

Jonathan said, Well, I suppose that just as I had my wish, she certainly is

entitled to her own. And it seems fair. Its not as if she is asking for more power

than mine. But tradition has it, . . . Jonathan paused, that I am to be in charge,

to make the decisions and to have the final say. Isnt that what being a man is

about?

Before I answer that question, you must state your second wish said the

scribe. You must decide now what you want for your second gift.

Jonathan sat in silence for a moment and said: Then I wish Anne will be

treated as my equal, for I love her with all my heart, although I fail to

understand the practicality of her wish.

Andrew slowly stood up and waved his hand, as he had before, and the wish

was granted.

Now tell me the answer to my question, if you will, sir. How is it that we

will be able to go about making decisions for our lives? Jonathan pleaded.

The old sorcerer slowly walked from

his desk over to a nearby window and

looked out. I have seen the splendor of

the kings court. I have seen how the

wealthiest and the most powerful in the

land have acquired riches beyond belief.

I have seen persons of beauty captivate

the hearts of the humble and the proud, the powerful and those of low estate.

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I have seen royalty end in rags, nobility fall to dishonor. But there is one beauty

in life that rises above all else.

The scribe wandered back to Jonathan and placed his hand on his shoulder.

When you decided to give up your power to choose the second gift, you were

yielding to the voice of your wisdom and your love for Anne. You were

allowing her the same privilege of choice that you had allowing her to choose

a wise or a foolish thing. You were giving up control.

As your days turn into years with

her, you will find that neither of you will

rule your home. Instead, decisions will

be made by discussion and compromise.

Each choice will be influenced most by

the one who has more experience, more

passion or more interest in the subject.

One of you will be more influential in

some decisions while in other matters,the other will have greater influence. Decisions will not be made by role or

tradition. It will be in the magic of this equality that you both will experience a

beauty and contentment worth more than all of the kings gold.

At the end of the week, on a beautiful

Spring day in May, Jonathan and Anne were

married in the royal chapel. In the comingyears, they were blessed with healthy and

cheerful children. Their years together

brought the beauty and the contentment the

scribe had predicted.

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As they grew old together, they took

comfort in the fact that the two gifts they had

been given, at their marriage, were passed on to

their children and their childrens children. And

they lived happily together in the good times

and in the bad times. As one of them cried in

joy or sorrow, so did the other.

This story is available in PDF format at: http://www.FlyByNightPublishing.com/PDF/000305tx.pdf

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The Two Gifts, a short story