Twelve Sheep



King Stefan loved to travel. Whenever he got free from his royal duties, he would ride out with his ministers to tour his kingdom. This helped him understand the hardships of his people and allowed him to interact with wise individuals.

One day, while traveling, the king noticed an old man working in a field with his young son. The king stopped and said, Old man, if you had started working earlier in the morning, you wouldnt have to work so late in the day.

The old man bowed in respect and replied in a sorrowful voice, My king, I woke up early and started my work on time, but fate did not support me. This is all I have left now.

In reality, the old man had lost six of his children at a young age. Only this seventh child had survived. Oh, I am truly sorry, said the king.

The king then asked, How do you think your harvest will be this year Will you get the full reward for your hard work

The old man smiled and said, My king, that depends on the ship that is coming. If the ship is either completely full or completely empty, the harvest will not be good. But if it arrives half full and half empty, then the harvest will be excellent.

The king, amused by this riddle, replied, Yes, your words seem to hold some truth.

As the king was about to leave, he asked, Old man, if I ever send twelve sheep to you, would you be able to slaughter them

The old man chuckled and said, Yes, of course. Send them, and I will surely slaughter them.

Hearing this strange conversation, the kings ministers grew impatient. They were irritated by the old man, who seemed to be answering the kings straightforward questions with nonsensical responses. Eventually, the group moved on.

The Kings Challenge

Several days later, the king gathered his ministers and questioned them, During our last journey, we met an old man in the fields. When I asked him why he had to work so late, he said he had started early but fate did not support him. What did he mean by that What was he trying to say

The ministers were confused and replied, Your Majesty, how could we possibly know what he meant

The king continued, Then tell me, what was the ship he spoke about, upon which his harvest depended

The ministers, still puzzled, said, Your Majesty, we did not understand his words back then either. We assumed he was just a crazy old man. After all, what does a ship have to do with a harvest

Hearing this, the king grew angry. Then what do you know You could not understand a simple conversation with an old man If you did not understand, why didnt you ask

The ministers stood in awkward silence, unsure of what to say.

Alright, then tell me about the twelve sheep. Which twelve sheep was he referring to when he said he could slaughter them the king demanded.

The ministers were completely lost. The king himself had brought up the topic of the twelve sheep, and now he was asking them what they were

They tried their best to figure out the meaning of the old mans words but failed. The king finally declared, I am giving you three days to find the correct answers. If you fail, you know the consequences of my anger.

Now terrified, the ministers rushed to consult the wisest people in the kingdom. They questioned fortune tellers, searched through books in the royal library, and explored every possible clue. But nothing made sense.

As time ran out, they realized their only remaining option was to go back to the old man and ask him directly. They sent a minister to meet him.

The Old Mans Wisdom

When the minister arrived at the old mans farm, he spoke in a polite tone, explaining the kings challenge. The old man understood everything and laughed. However, when the minister requested him to come to the palace, the old man hesitated.

Cant you see my harvest is ready If I leave it, I will suffer a great loss. I have worked hard for this crop, the old man said.

Dont worry about your harvest, old man. The ministers will pay you the full value of your crop. Now, please come with me, the minister assured him.

Satisfied, the old man agreed and, after receiving twelve hundred lei Romanian currency, he left with them.

At the palace, the ministers gathered around him and asked, When you told the king that you started your work early but fate did not support you, what did you mean

The old man explained, When the king saw me, an old man, working with my young son, he was actually asking why I got married so late. My answer meant that I had married early, but fate took away my children. Only this one survived.

The ministers then asked, What was the ship you spoke about, and how was it related to your harvest

The old man laughed and said, It was simple The ship referred to the clouds. If they come too full too much rain or too empty no rain at all, the harvest will be ruined. Only when they come half-full moderate rain will the crops grow well.

Ah, that makes sense One last question—who were the twelve sheep the king was referring to Whom did he want you to slaughter

The old man burst into laughter. Slaughtering meant defeating, and the twelve sheep were all of you

Then, he started counting the ministers one by one One, two, three, four… eleven, twelve I have already slaughtered you all by taking twelve hundred lei from you.

The ministers, humiliated, turned red with shame.

Just then, the king entered the room. With a sharp tone, he said, Oh, my wise ministers You summoned a poor old man here just to learn something simple. If you wished to gain wisdom, you should have gone to him yourselves.

The ministers bowed their heads in embarrassment and pleaded, Your Majesty, please forgive us. We panicked because we feared your punishment.

The king smiled, and as a reward for his wisdom, he gifted the old man gold coins before bidding him farewell.