The Boy & The Golden Rule

There was once a boy who believed in the Golden Rule. That you should love all men equally. He lived in a kingdom where the children were mostly cruel and wicked but he was not like them. He believed in his golden rule and was kind to everybody, giving a helping hand to all who needed it, from a cat stuck high up in a tree to a little old lady who needed help in crossing a busy street. He helped them all. But all the other naughty children just laughed at his good deeds saying, ‘Do you think your golden rule will help you in life? No,’ they said ‘You must help yourself if you want to get ahead in this life. That is the only sure way to the top.’ They laughed and mocked him in this fashion while he kept on believing in his golden rule and doing good to all others. They shunned the little boy and would not play with him, often bullying him a bit just for fun. He became a very lonely lad, but still he believed firmly in doing what is right. Then one day the King said to his Wise Man, ‘It is time that you get an apprentice because you are getting old and someone must take over from you one day.’ The Wise Man asked his little bird to go out into the kingdom and to find him a little boy with a special gift. The little bird flew all over the countryside and heard about the little lad who believed in his golden rule of love so firmly that he would help all others often to his own expense. He flew back to the wise man and told him of this remarkable lad and his great gift of love and compassion for others. 'This is the boy I am looking for.' said the wise man. And summoned the little lad high up to the king's castle. Here he became the first apprentice to be taught the great magic of the wise man, and when the other little children heard this they weren't laughing any more. They learnt that true love was its own reward, and doing good to others was the only way to help yourself. Love your neighbor as you love yourself, just as he had said. The little boy grew to be a wise old man in service of the grand old king and he was never bothered by the vain and wicked children ever again. Follow your heart for all else is only folly.