work.

one day, a king was called to the very edges of his kingdom, for a large treasure chest had been found in the fields by a lowly farmer. he took two members of the royal court with him, to act as his advisors.

indeed, the treasure chest held a vast and dazzling sum, comparable in wealth to the sum of several royal advisors' households.

the king asked, "if i were to bestow this treasure upon you, what would you do?"

the first royal advisor declared, "i would build a palace in your honor and host lavish parties every night, so that everyone would know of your greatness and generosity."

the second royal advisor, not to be outdone, declared, "i would build a grand castle with a central courtyard, housing a monument in your likeness, encrusted with jewels and gold, so that people from near and far would speak of your magnificence."

to the surprise and indignation of the royal advisors, the king then turned and asked the lowly farmer, "and if i were to bestow this treasure upon you, what would you do?"

the farmer straightened up, looked the king directly in the eye, and simply said, "work."

and the wise king replied, "so it shall be done."

the treasure was left in the care of the farmer, who then used it to develop and care for the land and other peasants. the edges of the kingdom flourished under her care, as she taught her children and the villagers' children to care for the land as well.

and back in the central courtyard of the wise king's castle, unbeknownst to her, a beautiful statue of the humble farmer was erected in her honor.

- youri

(DTLA)