The Prophetic Macaw and the Stone of Light
Once upon a time, long before phones and railways, in the little kingdom of Serendip, lived a benevolent king named Richard, known for his striking wisdom and remarkable wit.
King Richard was not only a rare blend of humanness and stature but also was famously revered as a living oracle, a man whose prophetic insights could alter destinies. His tales of wisdom and his uncommon understanding of life and its facets were celebrated far and wide. Yet, it wasn't his eloquence that was the most talked about; it was his strikingly beautiful harlequin macaw, Hiro.
Hiro was no ordinary bird but a gift from Lady Destiny herself. Legend had it, Hiro had lived through the ages, witnessing every era unfold and its stories etch into the sands of time. He was said to communicate only with those pure at heart and unblemished by greed.
Days rolled, as they often do, into months and years. One day, a frail peddler named Saul appeared at the royal court. Brimming with uncertainty and concern, Saul longed for counsel from the King. Ailing parents, an impending debt, and a failing business did indeed call for a royal intervention.
Saul presented a tiny box before the king, which housed a strange stone, radiant and glittery, unlike anything any eye had ever seen.
It didn't take King Richard more than a glance at Saul's eyes to understand the worry that bound the poor man. And so, taking the box from Saul, he summoned Hiro.
With the box before him, the bird peered into its depths, its gaze never once leaving the stone. Three silent minutes went by until Hiro broke into an eerie song.
The prophetic bird sang of how, thousands of miles away, in the Kingdom of Zenith, such stones were revered as Light Stones, said to bring prosperity to any land where they reside. Suddenly, the air became lighter, smiles brightened, and hope bloomed.
Intrigued by Hiro's prophecy, King Richard decided to send an envoy to Zenith with the stone, believing in the supposed prosperity it held.
Several weeks later, the envoy returned, bringing back with them an alliance proposal from Zenith, their confirmation of the stone, a promise to relieve Saul's debts due to the find, and a profitable trade partnership for Serendip.
Miracles weren’t instantaneous, but they sure did believe in taking their time. As fate would have it, prosperity sailed its ship to the shores of Serendip, Tony’s business flourished, and his parents’ health improved.
The story of the stone, and more significantly, of the bird’s prophecy was sung in every household. Saul, whose life was turned around, lived to testify the tale of the miraculous bird and his kind-hearted King.
King Richard became immortal in the folktales of Serendip, his deeds sung and cheered in every street and home. And Hiro? Well, he continued to rest on his sovereign's arm, his brilliant colors reflecting the sun's light, and his mysteries confined within his unusual existence.