Wise Sage With 3 Dolls

A wise old sage who had a special gift for a young prince. He presented the prince with three small dolls. The prince, not too impressed, raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you giving me dolls? Am I supposed to play with dolls like a girl?"

The sage smiled gently and replied, "These aren't just any dolls. They're a gift fit for a future king." He then pointed out, "Look closely at each doll. Notice the tiny hole in the ear of each one."

Handing the prince a piece of string, the sage continued, "Now, take this string and pass it through each doll."

Intrigued, the prince took the first doll and cautiously inserted the string into its ear. To his surprise, the string came out from the other ear. "What does that mean?" the prince asked.

The sage explained, "This doll represents a type of person who doesn't seem to listen to anything you say. Whatever you tell them seems to go in one ear and out the other. They don't retain anything."

Curious the prince moved on to the second doll and threaded the string through it. This time, the string came out from the doll's mouth. "What about this one?" the prince inquired.

The sage nodded knowingly, "Ah, this doll represents a different type of person. Whatever you tell them, they can't seem to keep it to themselves. They'll go and blabber it to everyone else."

Finally, the prince approached the third doll and repeated the process. But to his surprise, the string didn't come out at all. "What's the deal with this one?" the prince asked, puzzled.

The sage smiled knowingly, "This doll represents someone who keeps everything you tell them locked up inside. They're like a vault, never sharing what they've been told."

The prince pondered for a moment before asking, "So, which type of person is the best?"

In response, the sage handed him a fourth doll. As the prince inserted the string, it emerged from the other ear. "This," said the sage, "is the best type of person."

"Explain," urged the prince.

The sage continued, "This person knows when to listen and when to speak. They understand the importance of keeping secrets but also know when it's necessary to share information. They strike a balance between being trustworthy and being able to communicate effectively."

The prince nodded in understanding, but then he asked, "Can you elaborate more on each type of person?"

And so, the sage began to explain in detail...

1. The first type of person, represented by the doll with the string passing through from ear to ear, is someone who lacks attention and retention. They may listen to what you say but quickly forget it or fail to internalize it.

2. The second type of person, represented by the doll with the string coming out from the mouth, is someone who loves to gossip and share information. They may not have malicious intent, but they struggle to keep confidential matters to themselves.

3. The third type of person, represented by the doll with the string stuck inside, is someone who is trustworthy and reliable. They are good at keeping secrets and respecting the privacy of others.

As the sage elaborated on each type of person, the prince listened intently, absorbing the wisdom being shared.

"Now," said the sage, "take the fourth doll and try threading the string through it again."

The prince did as he was instructed. This time, the string came out from the mouth. "Interesting," remarked the prince.

"Indeed," said the sage. "This demonstrates that even the best of us can sometimes struggle to maintain the balance between listening and speaking. We must always strive to improve ourselves and learn from our mistakes."

The prince nodded in agreement, grateful for the valuable lesson he had learned. From that day on, he made a conscious effort to be a better listener and communicator, understanding that true trustworthiness lies in knowing when to listen, when to remain silent, and when to speak out.