THREE BROTHERS

	   There were once three extraordinary brothers. They were the
      last descendents of an ancient race.
	Long ago a great hero from their family line had performed
      a noble deed of service to the gods. The gods in turn then
      granted him and his heirs each a special gift. All of the children
      in his family would develop some unique power at the
      onset of puberty. The abilities gained were never the same from
      person to person and often varied in usefulness. Over the ages
      this race died out until only three remained.
	   The eldest brother was a huge, bear like man and his strength
      was legendary. He could pull an old oak tree up from the ground
      roots and all. Unfortunately his anger was also legendary. His
      short temper made him very dangerous to be around. He had no
      real friends and everyone feared him.
	   The middle brother could read minds. This fellow however was
      terribly lazy. He would often use his talent to steal from
      others. No cache of gold was secret from him and he always knew
      just how to avoid being caught. This villain spent his days
      lounging about doing nothing. His contempt for other people and
      their weakness grew. In his vanity he imagined himself as ruler
      of all, even the gods. No one was good enough for him so he kept
      to himself, preferring his own company.
	   The youngest brother had not yet discovered his power.
      He was a bright cheerful boy with love in his eyes and
      a song always on his lips. Hard work was a pleasure to him.
      All the chores his brothers gave to him he did with gladness,
      full of the pulse of life.
	   One day the eldest brother flew into a fit of awful rage.
      He began to destroy everything around him. The middle
      brother could read his mind from far away so he hid
      himself and waited.
	   The youngest was drawing water from the well when the
      eldest found him. The huge brute approached him with the
      flush of venom in his face. His massive frame towered
      over the lad. Two huge fists like hams reached out in a
      promise of misery.
	   The young boy turned and touched him with a tender
      look. Those child eyes shone and held the bully with an
      unseen grip. He felt the pain and anguish of the man.
      Those hell fires of torment eating away at him. The boy
      cared for his brother with all his heart and wanted to
      help him in any way he could. With no thought for himself,
      he sought only to cool those flames of agony.
	   From deep inside himself, the youngest, opened up a
      secret gate that held back the ocean of his soul. For
      that perfect moment the sun stood dim beside his glory,
      when the love of angels poured down into the world of men.
      His heart sang out as a trumpet of boundless joy and the
      stars themselves seemed caught in breathless wonder.
	The eldest brother was filled to overflowing. He closed
      his eyes and saw only light. There was no feeling but love,
      no thought but love, no one but love. The eldest was
      overwhelmed. He sat down upon the ground, gasping, as tears
      ran down his enormous cheeks. All anger forgotten in that
      golden glow of bliss.
	   The middle brother, reading the mind of the eldest,
      knew it was safe to emerge from hiding. He came straight
      away to the well to join the others. Imagining that his
      mental powers had somehow changed, he decided that it
      must have been his own will that calmed the beast. He
      quickly announced as much to his brothers to gain their
      admiration for his greatness.
	The youngest brother nodded his head in cheerful
      agreement, certain that his older and wiser brother must
      know best.
	   Early the next morning the young boy was out walking
      in the woods gathering fuel for the breakfast fire. In
      his innocent play he soon discovered his own special power.
      With a squeal of delight, he made the songbirds call to him
      in their sweet voices. He wove that chorus of perfect joy into a
      hymn for all the earth and knew that this was his own special gift.
      He smiled and the sun rose. 


					      B.E.