ANST - Re: Story of wisdom and turth

[Cherie Nolan]

> 
> ...a small crowd is gathered.  They appear a mixed bunch of fighting men and
> women, scholars, monks, wenches, artists, and craftspeople.  A plainly
> dressed warrior sits among this group quietly teaching and sharing from his
> travels.  This week Gryphon shares some traditional wisdom and tells a tale.
> He begins with a tale...
> 
> A Knight, A Squire, and A Horse
> 
> A knight and his squire were once on their way to a war in a far away land.
> The knight proudly sat his horse and his young squire walked along beside
> him.  Together they set a leisurely pace that was easy to keep up with.  One
> day some onlookers in the strange lands they traveled through said, "What a
> terrible thing, a big strong man sitting on the horse's back, and the poor
> boy has to walk."
> 
> So the knight wishing for the favor and good will of these strangers got off
> the horse, and the young squire got on.  Shortly they passed another group
> of people and these said, "How terrible, this noble knight is walking while
> that young boy bestrides the horse."
> 
> So both the knight and squire got on the horse's back, but the next group of
> people they passed just around a bend in the road said, "Oh what a poor
> horse! Two people sitting on his back - that's terrible, why it's downright
> inhumane."  The horse looked askance at these folks, for he was a warhorse
> stout and true and the double weight was nothing to him at this strolling
> gait.  But being a horse he held his tongue.
> 
> However, based on these last words, the knight and squire both got off the
> horse.  The next people they passed said, "How crazy, the horse has nothing
> on his back, and two people are walking in the dust when they could be
> riding."
> 
> Sometime later, people at the war were astonished at what they saw when the
> knight and squire approached.  What did they see ye ask? The knight and
> squire were both carrying the horse!
> 
> Gryphon's commentary:
> 
> How does this apply to us?  Most people want to be liked, so they try to
> avoid criticism.  At its worst, our efforts to avoid criticism can make us
> compromise things we shouldn't.  The knight and his squire were minding
> their own business, doing what they thought was right.  When people
> criticized them, the knight and squire caved in to the criticism and tried
> to please everyone.  They ended up acting like something they were not and
> looking, well, a little foolish.  They were acting like a horse (the horse
> had more intelligence than to try and act like a knight but he wasn't given
> any choice in the matter).
> 
> Ever try to carry a horse?  It isn't easy, likewise our lives aren't easy
> when we cave into criticism rather than stand for what is right.  Stop and
> think for a moment.  Is there a difference between the ideals you profess
> and the way you act?  If your beliefs mean anything to you, they should be
> reflected in your words and deeds each day.  Is it?  Others may criticize
> you.  But the only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing, say nothing, and
> be nothing.
> 
> Now for those of you who think I'm being too preachy and want the typical
> wisdom categories, here you go:
> 
> Biblical Wisdom
> 1 Peter 3:17
> "It is better. . .to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
> 
> French
> Honi soit qui mal y pense
> Shamed be he who thinks evil on it - (motto of the Order of the Garter)
> 
> Celtic Wisdom Triplet
> Three things which the upright will gain:
> contentment with what they have,
> peace of conscience,
> and unending happiness.
> 
> Always in humble service,
> Gryphon Savage
> 
> ... We could all take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to
> criticism.
> 
> ...The "wisdom" shared is either from period sources, in a period style
> (such as a Celtic triplet or story), or on a topic that relates to life in
> the Society.  However, I reserve the right to "modernize" obscure words or
> phrases in translation or to be really perverse and go in the other
> direction to describe the underlying Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Old Norse, or
> Gaelic for a particular piece (then again I might just make it up) - my
> library is decent for Biblical Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, Gaelic and Old
> Norse.
> Gryphon can be reached at harpandblade at home.com or visit Gryphon at The Harp
> and Blade web site at http://members.home.net/harpandblade
>
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