The Tale of Three Servants

The master of the house broke down in tears and confessed. He acknowledged that the detective’s story was true. He voluntarily opened the vault and showed them the money was all gone except a few thousand dollars. Next to the small cash pile were the glass vials the master had used to mix the two deadly poisons.

The detective put handcuffs on the master and took him away. He was never heard from again.

The oldest servant, who was now out of a job, had no money to repay his debts. He ended up fleeing the small village in the middle of the night to avoid facing his disgruntled and dangerous lenders.

The second servant decided that life was too short to wait for the right time, and so he proposed to his sweetheart the next morning. They were married two weeks later.

Shortly thereafter, the bank repossessed the master’s estate and sold it auction to the wealthy dairy owner, who promptly hired the second servant and his new wife to care for the house and grounds. The two elderly lovebirds maintained the estate for the rest of their lives.

Finally, the dairy owner, in honor of his deceased friend, established a foundation with the youngest servant’s investment. Every year, the charitable organization sent three local servants around the world. And to their delight, they were able to see what the youngest servant never had, and never would: The world beyond the boundaries of their quiet village.