The Black Pearl
So throughout the whole world great men: adventures, kings, princes, knights; and other men of high standing, answered to the call. As time went by, the day had come when the trial was to begin. The line of men that wanted to show their charity stretched as far as the eye could see. When the king came out to inspect, a sneer came upon his face; because he knew he would be wealthier this year than before. He invited the first man in. He was a short, stocky old man that wore an elegant cloak. His cloak distinguished him as a man of the government and he stood proud in front of the king. In the grand hall, where the test would take place, was a massive silver scale. This scale was a magical scale; it did not measure weights, but a person good deeds.
“Tell me of your good works,” replied the king, “What have you done?”
“How are you to measure what I have done?”
“The scale there will show your deeds, just speak and you will see.”
The publican cleared his throat and began.
“I have represented my fellow citizens and in the process given many privileges to make their lives more pleasant.”
After the final word a treasure chest appeared on the left side of the scale. The scaled moved in favor of the publican.
“Is that all you have done, surely there is more?” asked the king.
“Why yes,” replied the publican sternly, “I have helped the old; inspired the young. I’ve fed the poor and contributed money to many charities.”
Just like before more treasures appeared, and the publican continued to list every deed he had done until the left side of the scale was over flowing with gold, silver, and diamonds.
“That’s quiet a lot of deeds you have done,” said the king.
“I know. I hope you have enough to top that,” the publican said, playing with his mustache.
The king said nothing and left the hall. When he came back, he held in his hand a small circular pearl that was black as the night. The publican looked at it with wonder.
“Is that what you have to outweigh my works? Your kingdom will surely be mine.”
“We’ll see about that,” said the king.
He placed the black pearl on the right side of the scale and in a moment of amazement the scale slowly tilted in the king’s favor until the right side completely touched the floor.
“That’s impossible! One pearl is heavier that all this.”
“Indeed,” replied the king.
The king called his guards to bind the publican. He was soon thrown into the diamond mines to work until his death. The king jumped for joy as he grabbed the pearl between his fingers. There was a secret to that pearl that only the king knew off. The pearl was given to him by a witch that had shadowy dealings with the king. The pearl contain all the evil of the world and the essence of the hearts of men – -and that evil is very heavy. The witch told the king no treasure in the world could beat it except a book of truth and all that was pure. If the pearl was ever beaten the king and all his evil devices would be engulfed by the dark treasure. The king paid little attention to the warning and used the pearl as he saw fit. The scale return to it equilibrium and the king invited the other men in to test their works. The same result happen time after time until he had more slaves than ever before and more money too.
The king continued his devious practice year after year until there were only three men left in the world to challenge him. The first man rode on a white stallion; wore silver platted armor, and his features were heroic. The next man rode on a donkey. This man was a thief. He had no good deeds worth telling because he could not remember if he did any. He had a sly plan on winning the contest, but he keep his plan deep in his mind; fermenting it until the proper time. The third man was a poor man. He had no horse or any means of travel. He wore ragged clothing, yet had a peaceful countenance about him. Under his arm he carried a black book, which he opened regularly to read.
When the king came out to see who would challenge him this year, he saw only three men.
“Three men,” he thought to himself, “Only three left in the world, how grand! I will be the first king to be the ruler over every man – only three!”
The king invited all the men in to stand before the grand scale.
“Which of you will go first?”
The knight (taking the liberty to show if boldness) made his way forward, paid his respects, and introduced himself.
“I am John. Other men before me have come to you and have failed. May I say that you are treacherous man, and may mercy shine upon you when you lose everything you own. Today, prepare to give your kingdom to me.”
The king cocked his head to the side and smiled cockily.
“Tell me of what you have done, Johnny boy!”
“I have risk my life even unto death to save others,” replied the knight, “I have fought in wars against huge armies to protect my fellow man.”
Now what the knight had said was true, and the treasures that appeared where very numerous and quiet heavy. The left side of the scale came down with a crashing sound. The king raised an eyebrow.
“I must say that this is by far the greatest works I have ever seen. You may just win, Johnny boy, but I doubt even your works can outweigh my special treasure.”
A ladder had to be used in order for the king to place the pearl upon the scale. When he did, the scale tipped easily in his favor. The knight was astonished. A group of guards ran out to grab him. The knight; not to be out done, defended himself well. However, he was overpowered and dragged to the diamond mines to work for the king.
“One down, two to go,” said the king to himself.
The thief swaggered over to the king and tipped his hat.
“I’m ready if you are,” said the thief
“I doubt that you have done anything of merit. Why are you here?”
“I’m here to take your kingdom. You see dear king I’ve been thinking, your scale only measure a man’s good deeds. It doesn’t measure if he has done them or not.”
“What’s your point?” replied the king.
“The point being sir is that I have a deed that will be to your doom.”
The king laughed and smacked his knee.
“Then if this deed is so great, speak it.”
“Well, when I win I will free all the men you have ensnared and give them a portion of my kingdom to repay for their loses, and to make the pot even sweeter, “he said with a grimace,” I will make this poor fellow my governor.”
Of course the thief had no intention of doing what he said, but the scale did not measure honesty; only the deeds a man would tell. The treasure that appeared was so grand that it engulfed the left side of the scale and towered up to the hall’s ceiling. The king leaned back to look at all that was there.
“You see,” shouted the thief, “Your own game has turned on you. Nothing you have can beat that, nothing!”
“You’re very cunning,” replied the king.
“That’s right and your kingdom is mine,” said the thief.
The king climbed the ladder and placed the black pearl upon the scale. At first, nothing happened and the thief jumped for joy, but his happiness soon turned to sorrow as he saw the scale tilted in favor of the king.
“No, my plan was perfect. What happened?”
“You’ll have plenty of time to figure that out in my diamond mines.”
The thief was taken and there stood the last man.
“Hurry up, now. Tell me you great deeds,” said the king in haste.
“Well, I don’t think my deeds are worth anything at all. I haven’t done anything as great as the knight nor am I as cunning as the thief,” replied the poor man.
“But what do you have to challenge me with.”
“I only have this black book,” replied the man, “It has always been good to me.”
The king took the black book and flipped through the pages. He saw titles like Proverbs and Jeremiah, and then he shut the book.
“Oh, that book,” he said rolling his eyes,” Is that your treasure?”
“Indeed, it has served me well throughout the years.”
“Not much I suppose,” replied the king, looking at the poor man’s clothes, “Go and place your so called treasure upon the scale.”
“You may go first,” replied the poor man.
The king thanked the poor man and placed the pearl on the scale. It tilted all the way to the floor. The king crossed his arms.
“Your turn,” he replied, extending his hand.
The poor man used a ladder to place the black book on the scale. The moment he did the scale slowly titled in his favor. The book was heavier than the pearl. The king shook with terror; he could not believe what he had seen. He called his guards to gather his chest of gold and silver. When they did, the chests were placed upon the scale; but nothing changed, the book was still the heaviest treasure. The king ordered his guard to get ropes and pull the right side of the scale to the floor. Ropes were brought; sweat and tears came forth, yet the book remained in its place.
“What does this mean?” asked the king.
“I suppose it means I win,” said the poor man, “Can I have the deed now or will you send it by way of messenger?”
“NO! This is a trick of some kind. You are the devil himself!”
“No,” replied the man, “but I do go by the title of “Christian””
The king gave one last order.
“If I cannot beat you, I can surely kill you.”
The guards rushed over to the poor man with swords drawn, but before they were able to land a hand on him the black pearl rolled off the scale and began to shake. From the pearl came a powerful vacuum that began to drawn in all that was in the hall, save the black book. The poor man only survived by holding onto the book for dear life. Once the raging wind had gone, the pearl, the man, and the black book remained. The poor man took the black book and slammed it upon the pearl. The pearl shattered into a thousand pieces and that was the end of that.
The poor man freed all the men and gave them a portion of the king’s treasure, and the poor man himself ruled over the kingdom until his dying day. His sons and daughters always said he read from that old black book, and made sure others knew of it too. For a treasure like that is a great thing to have; and all the riches in the world are nothing compared to it.
