The Enchanted Loom🔊

Once upon a time, in the evergreen Kingdom of Aesis, a rich textile merchant named Bernard lived. He was known throughout the kingdom for his finest and luxurious fabrics but was equally notorious for his relentless greed.

One day, a beggar came to Bernard's shop seeking alms. Rather than offering help, Bernard scornfully shooed him away. As the rejected beggar shuffled away, he mystically whispered a curse which echoed throughout the day, 'May your greed weave your doom!'

Shortly after, Bernard came across an ancient loom. The loom was exquisitely crafted with precious stones and lines of gold, making it inordinately expensive. Ignoring the mysterious warning of the old beggar, Bernard, ensnared by his greed, bought the loom without giving it a second thought. He began weaving fabrics on the enchanted loom and, to his great surprise, each fabric that came out was more gorgeous than the last. It was crafted with threads of gold and silver, and precious stones were embedded as if by magic.

Word spread throughout the kingdom about Bernard's extraordinary textiles, and his reputation soared even higher. His fabrics became so coveted that even the royals began purchasing them, filling Bernard's pockets with more gold than ever.

However, the enchanted loom had a mind of its own. It started weaving non-stop, churning out yards of luxurious fabric every day, consuming the costly raw materials at an alarming rate. Bernard began spending his gold faster than he could earn it, yet the loom didn't stop weaving. His once flourishing empire began crumbling under the weight of the greed-inflicted curse.

Desperate to stop the loom, Bernard sought wise counsel. He travelled to the edge of the kingdom atop the Cerulean Hills, where the mystic seer, Meerah, resided. Upon hearing his tale, Meerah, with her age-old wisdom, saw right through his greed and realised the curse was woven by the beggar whom Bernard had turned away.

Meerah instructed Bernard to find the beggar and make amends for his actions, only then could the curse be broken. With a heavy heart, Bernard travelled throughout the kingdom, searching for the beggar but was met with little success.

One day, while crossing a bridge, Bernard observed a weak, hunched figure sitting by the river. It was the beggar. Bernard kneeled before him, apologising and offering him alms. The beggar looked into Bernard's eyes, acknowledging his remorse and sincerity. With a faint smile, he gracefully accepted the alms and lifted the curse.

Bernard returned to his shop, where the enchanted loom was now producing normal fabrics, no longer operating endlessly. He realised that the excess of anything could prove detrimental, and his excessive greed had almost led to his downfall. He decided not to let his greed cloud his judgement and to treat everyone with kindness, humble as a beggar or noble as a king.

From that day forward, Bernard lived a changed man, embodying the lessons of humility and balance he had learned from his enchanted loom.

Hence, the tale of the enchanted loom serves as a reminder that greed is a dangerous creature, leading us astray from the path of righteousness and contentment. It teaches us that balance in life is essential and that kindness should never be undervalued.