The Art of Patience

The two brothers decided the lesson their children needed to learn most was waiting.

When you travel, you must never burden yourself so as to be free to react to any situation in the most economic and safest way. Children are rarely given important tasks so that they are free to run when danger arises.

However, if a child runs and runs and runs, his family may never find them again.

The first brother said “I will scare your child and force him to move.”

The second brother said “I will wait for them to come to me or find them.”

Both brothers were unsure how to communicate this to the children without alerting them to the trial they prepared for them.

The second brother said, “I will tell your child to come find me if there is danger and you are not around.”

The first brother agreed that it was a good plan and would do the same with the same his brother’s child.

The next morning, all of them went hunting in the woods. The children were told to keep a look out for deer or rabbit and to pick any berries they were certain were not poisonous.

Both children agreed it would be a fun adventure and promised to listen closely to their fathers’ words and heed their commands without question.

“Uncle,” the first child said, “Where will we find the deer and rabbits?”

The Uncle muttered something about paying attention to the surroundings and not to fret over deer or rabbit yet to reveal themselves.

“We will find them where they are,” The Father said.

As they wandered the woods, it was decided to cover more ground they would split up. Each child would go with their Uncle and both parties walked parallel to each other, but out of sight.

“If we are separated, you must return to the spot where we parted company and wait. Under no exception except a threat to your life should you leave this spot.”

After a time, both Uncles told the children to wait here “While I look for deer tracks.”

Hours passed as the children waited. Alone, scared and starting to get cold, they were forced to decide whether to remain waiting for their Uncle or look for their Father at the meeting place.

The first child was too scared to move.

The second child ran as fast as he could to the spot they had chosen.

The second child found his father waiting for him.

“It is good you waited just long enough and then came to me. Where is your cousin?”

The second child said he did not look for his cousin and did not know where he was.

“You left your cousin in the forest? You should have looked for him first as he is the one in our party who needs the most guidance. Return to where you were and find him. I will wait here and send your 

Uncle after you when he returns here.”

The child was afraid to go back in the woods alone, but he understood if both he and his father left the clearing, no one would remain to tell his Uncle that his child was lost.

The small one puffed up his chest and headed back into the woods.

He wasn’t looking long before he found his Uncle. He found his Uncle was very angry.

“You left my son in the woods to save your own skin? That is a great shame upon you and I will not travel with a child who would leave mine to die. Find my son or return to your father, I go my own way now.”

The child was confused and scared. He wanted to look for his cousin with his Uncle and he did not want to return to his Father to report such a horrible failure. He puffed his chest out again and returned to the last spot he was set to wait at. Then he began to make bird calls as he walked in slow, concentric circles.

The second child heard a bird getting closer and closer. He wasn’t afraid of birds so he decided to walk towards the sound and ask the bird where his family was.

The two children met in no time by calling out and answering with a bird call they each knew. Even their Uncle and Father couldn’t tell where they were. They began to get worried and also decided to ask the bird if he’d seen their children.

All were pleased to meet each other in an empty clearing and the Brothers concluded they had done a good thing, whether they meant to or not, because everyone had learned the value of patience and coordination.

They resolved to teach this lesson to each successive generation.