A Thorn Among Flowers
Once upon a time, in a village nestled amidst lush green hills and adorned by a beautiful river, lived an aged couple. They were unlike other village dwellers. Their land was filled with an array of vibrantly colored flowers. Still, among the bed of roses, a lonely thornbush lived.
The old couple loved the thornbush as much as the flowers. They watered it, tended to it, and took immense care of it. The villagers, however, didn't understand their affection for such a prickly, unsightly plant.
One day, the son of a wealthy merchant from a neighboring town visited the village. The young man, referred to as Kalden, had troublesome eyesight, making his day-to-day life difficult. He heard of the wise old couple whose land exhibited the most beautiful flowers, ones known to carry potent medicinal values. Hopeful, Kalden decided to visit.
When he reached the old couple's land, he was astonished by the sight. It was like stepping into a painting brimming with vibrant hues of petunias, marigolds, roses, and carnations. At the far corner, he observed the standalone thornbush. Unlike the elegant, velvety flowers surrounding it, the thornbush looked austere with its prickly branches and lack of flocking butterflies.
Kalden asked the old couple if flowers from their land could cure his ailing eyes. The old man replied, 'Flowers bear the beauty and fragrance, but the true power lies somewhere else.' Baffled by the enigmatic hint, Kalden observed the garden again, with his gaze falling upon the thornbush.
Something urged him towards it. Though its appearance was harsh, he felt an unexplainable pull towards it. He gingerly collected a few thorns, pricking his fingers in the process. That night, he had a vision. In his dream, he saw himself boiling the thorns in water, straining it, and applying it to his eyes. Awaking with a start, Kalden decided to give it a shot.
Meticulously, he followed the procedure, and indeed, post-application, he felt an unusual soothing sensation. He continued to apply the thorn-extract regularly. To his and everyone's amazement, his eyes started to strengthen. His vision was clearer than ever before, and it lent him a newfound freedom.
The news spread like wildfire, marking the village as a medical miracle site, with hundreds of people flocking to seek help for various ailments. The isolated thornbush officially became the village's pride.
The very people who had once belittled the thornbush's existence were standing in line to collect its thorns. Realizing the power of unassuming things was a great lesson for everyone. The old couple's wisdom of embracing all of Mother Nature's gifts, despite their exterior, reigned supreme.
And that's how a simple and unlovely thornbush changed the fate of a village and a young man's life and taught everyone the importance of not disregarding something just because it does not fit their definition of beauty.
The tale of the thornbush reminds all of us even in today's world that appearances can be deceiving. Something that appears rugged and hard on the outside may hold profound beauty on the inside; it just requires the right vision to see it.