King Conrad’s Heir: A Tale of Nobility, Kindness, Bravery, and Wisdom
Once upon a time, in an ancient kingdom, stood an old wise king named Conrad.
King Conrad was loved by everyone for his kindness and wise decisions. He had a unique charm of understanding the hearts of people and connecting with them. He ruled with compassion and justice, and hence, the kingdom thrived under his rule. Generations had prospered and grown in his kingdom. Yet he lived alone and had no descendant to succeed his throne. Despite his old age, he lacked an heir, which worried the kingdom.
One day, an old oracle from the outskirts of the kingdom came to see him. She was famous for her accurate prophecies. The oracle provided a prophecy stating that an unknown stranger who possessed nobility, kindness, bravery, and wisdom, would arise from the kingdom's populace to inherit the throne.
King Conrad commanded a royal decree to take place, ordering every young man in the kingdom to undergo a series of tests designed to unveil these four virtues: nobility, kindness, bravery, and wisdom. Wide-eyed with anticipation, the kingdom held its breath as Conrad’s quest for an heir began.
A procession of men arrived from every corner of the kingdom, taking part in the trials. However, as months went by, no one seemed to possess all the qualities required to be the rightful heir of King Conrad. The mood in the kingdom grew somber, as the attempts to find an heir seemed to be in vain.
It was during these dreary times when a young man named Elias, a bread-maker’s son, decided to join the trials. Elias was an ordinary young man with not much wealth, popularly known for his warm heart and generous nature amongst his fellow villagers. Despite the murmurs about his common background, Elias was determined to take part in the final trial.
For the final trial, King Conrad organized a grand feast. Each participant was given a gold coin, a piece of bread, and a riddle to solve. The riddle was: ‘What can you give away and still keep?’
The feast started, and the young men were filled with enthusiasm to win the throne. However, during the feast, a beggar wandered into the room, drawn by the aroma of the food. He was shooed away by the guards, but Elias saw him. Without a second's hesitation, Elias rushed over and handed the beggar his piece of bread, earning him many disapproving looks from the other participants.
At the end of the feast, each participant was asked the answer to the riddle. By turn, they all declared: ‘the gold coin,’ as gold coins were plentiful in the kingdom, and it wouldn’t harm them to part with one. But when it was Elias's turn, he responded, ‘Kindness.’ Taken aback by the unusual answer, King Conrad asked him to explain.
'When I gave my bread to the beggar, I also gave away kindness. Yet, I do not feel I've lost anything. Instead, I believe that the kindness in my heart has grown stronger,' Elias stated confidently. The room fell silent, eyes turning to the old king.
King Conrad's heart filled with joy. Finally, he found his successor, a man possessing nobility born not of lineage but of actions, kindness as shown to a mere beggar, bravery to act contrary to the crowd, and wisdom to understand the depth of the riddle.
And with the choice so clear and straightforward, King Conrad declared Elias as his rightful heir. The entire kingdom burst into jubilant celebration, cheering for their new, deserved king.
So, Elias, the bread-maker's son, became King. Inheriting the wisdom and compassion of King Conrad, he ruled with justice and kindness, continuing the legacy of prosperity and peace in the kingdom.