A Fable
Once upon a time, a father had three ignorant, illiterate sons. When his sons reached a certain age, he sent them away to learn what they could and return.
The eldest boy left his father and set off on his journey. After many days he came to a large building. As he got closer, he saw a man standing at the entrance.
"What is this place?" the boy asked him.
"This is the repository of all the learning of the wise ones," the man told him.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am the librarian, the keeper of knowledge," the librarian responded, and led him inside.
The inside of the library was filled with shelves which were themselves filled with papers and scrolls and collections of paper.
"What are these?" the boy asked.
"These are books," came the response.
The boy took one from the shelf and opened it. Inside were markings the boy had never seen before. "What is this?" the boy asked.
"This is writing," the librarian answered him.
"I can't understand this!" The boy closed the book and left the library.
When he arrived home, his father asked him, "What did you learn, my son?"
"I learned that wise ones are idiots," the boy replied.
When the second boy left his father and set off on his journey. After many days he came to a large building. As he got closer, he saw a man standing at the entrance.
"What is this place?" the boy asked him.
"This is the repository of all the learning of the wise ones," the man told him.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am the librarian, the keeper of knowledge," the librarian responded, and led him inside.
The inside of the library was filled with shelves which were themselves filled with papers and scrolls and collections of paper.
"What are these?" The boy asked.
"These are books," came the response.
The boy took one from the shelf and opened it. Inside were markings the boy had never seen before. "What is this?" the boy asked.
"This is writing," the librarian answered him.
"Can you help me understand?" The boy asked.
"Yes, I can." The librarian patiently taught the boy about letters and words and the boy learned to read.
One day when the boy could read, he asked, "What can I can I do with this?"
"You can read any of these books." the librarian told him, gesturing to the books on the shelves around them.
The boy picked up a book and started to read, "The world is round."
"How can the world be round? It looks flat to me!" The boy closed the book and left the library.
When he arrived home, his father asked him, "What did you learn, my son?"
"I learned that wise ones are idiots." the boy replied.
When the youngest boy left his father and set off on his journey. After many days he came to a large building. As he got closer, he saw a man standing at the entrance.
"What is this place?" the boy asked him.
"This is the repository of all the learning of the wise ones." The man told him.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am the librarian, the keeper of knowledge." The librarian responded, and led him inside.
The inside of the library was filled with shelves which were themselves filled with papers and scrolls and collections of paper.
"What are these?" The boy asked.
"These are books." came the response.
The boy took one from the shelf and opened it. Inside were markings the boy had never seen before. "What is this?" the boy asked.
"This is writing." the librarian answered him.
"Can you help me understand?" The boy asked.
"Yes, I can." The librarian patiently taught the boy about letters and words and the boy learned to read.
One day when the boy could read, he asked, "What can I can I do with this?"
"You can read any of these books." the librarian told him, gesturing to the books on the shelves around them.
The boy picked up a book and started to read, "The world is round."
"How can the world be round? It looks flat to me! Will you help me understand?"
The librarian answered, "Yes, I will." He took the boy to the sea side and showed him the curve of the horizon. He showed him how a ship disappeared around the curve of the earth as it sailed away.
The boy nodded as he understood. "What can I do with this?" he asked.
"You can learn more." The librarian responded. The boy picked other books. He learned about orbits, solar systems, gravity, planets, plants and animals.
Many years later, the boy returned home. When he arrived, his father asked him, "What did you learn, my son?"
"I learned that I still have much to learn." the boy replied.
The eldest boy left his father and set off on his journey. After many days he came to a large building. As he got closer, he saw a man standing at the entrance.
"What is this place?" the boy asked him.
"This is the repository of all the learning of the wise ones," the man told him.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am the librarian, the keeper of knowledge," the librarian responded, and led him inside.
The inside of the library was filled with shelves which were themselves filled with papers and scrolls and collections of paper.
"What are these?" the boy asked.
"These are books," came the response.
The boy took one from the shelf and opened it. Inside were markings the boy had never seen before. "What is this?" the boy asked.
"This is writing," the librarian answered him.
"I can't understand this!" The boy closed the book and left the library.
When he arrived home, his father asked him, "What did you learn, my son?"
"I learned that wise ones are idiots," the boy replied.
__________________________
When the second boy left his father and set off on his journey. After many days he came to a large building. As he got closer, he saw a man standing at the entrance.
"What is this place?" the boy asked him.
"This is the repository of all the learning of the wise ones," the man told him.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am the librarian, the keeper of knowledge," the librarian responded, and led him inside.
The inside of the library was filled with shelves which were themselves filled with papers and scrolls and collections of paper.
"What are these?" The boy asked.
"These are books," came the response.
The boy took one from the shelf and opened it. Inside were markings the boy had never seen before. "What is this?" the boy asked.
"This is writing," the librarian answered him.
"Can you help me understand?" The boy asked.
"Yes, I can." The librarian patiently taught the boy about letters and words and the boy learned to read.
One day when the boy could read, he asked, "What can I can I do with this?"
"You can read any of these books." the librarian told him, gesturing to the books on the shelves around them.
The boy picked up a book and started to read, "The world is round."
"How can the world be round? It looks flat to me!" The boy closed the book and left the library.
When he arrived home, his father asked him, "What did you learn, my son?"
"I learned that wise ones are idiots." the boy replied.
____________________________________
"What is this place?" the boy asked him.
"This is the repository of all the learning of the wise ones." The man told him.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am the librarian, the keeper of knowledge." The librarian responded, and led him inside.
The inside of the library was filled with shelves which were themselves filled with papers and scrolls and collections of paper.
"What are these?" The boy asked.
"These are books." came the response.
The boy took one from the shelf and opened it. Inside were markings the boy had never seen before. "What is this?" the boy asked.
"This is writing." the librarian answered him.
"Can you help me understand?" The boy asked.
"Yes, I can." The librarian patiently taught the boy about letters and words and the boy learned to read.
One day when the boy could read, he asked, "What can I can I do with this?"
"You can read any of these books." the librarian told him, gesturing to the books on the shelves around them.
The boy picked up a book and started to read, "The world is round."
"How can the world be round? It looks flat to me! Will you help me understand?"
The librarian answered, "Yes, I will." He took the boy to the sea side and showed him the curve of the horizon. He showed him how a ship disappeared around the curve of the earth as it sailed away.
The boy nodded as he understood. "What can I do with this?" he asked.
"You can learn more." The librarian responded. The boy picked other books. He learned about orbits, solar systems, gravity, planets, plants and animals.
Many years later, the boy returned home. When he arrived, his father asked him, "What did you learn, my son?"
"I learned that I still have much to learn." the boy replied.
Did you come up with this yourself? This is fantastic. :)
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