What Does it Mean to be a Real Friend?
- Avi
- Mar 25, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 27, 2020
Perhaps a riddle could open up discussion.
There a story of a King, a very wealthy king. This king had riches beyond imagine, but more than riches of gold, silver, oil or furs he possessed one of the greatest riches known to man. Among his servants he had true friends who loved him in spirit and in truth.
There was a time the King was called away from his palace. The journey was great and he knew he would be gone for three seasons at the least. One of his possessions that he valued was a fine wine he was gifted by great vintner who was a dear friend to his father. He had only four barrels left and didn’t trust his house servants to keep it.
So he called three of his beloved friends and told them of his journey and entrusted them each with a barrel of some of the world finest wine, and remember this wine also had a sentimental value as it also was wine he shared with his father. An irreplaceable wine he gave each beloved friend to keep and guard in his absence.
Over year later the king finally returns. In his absence one of his dear friends whom he had honored with trust to keep his wine was truly a friend. When he had received the wine in his care he immediately hid the wine in his seller and locked it behind a shelf. He had forgotten all about it and when the king returned he quickly retrieved it untouched and in perfect condition. The king was ever so pleased and grateful.
The second servant that was his friend was not so successful. For he had tasted just a cup. That cup turned into a few and before he knew the whole barrel was through. He sold two of his prize horses and purchased 4 barrels of the finest wine he could find. He gifted them to the king and begged for the kings forgiveness. The king hugged him and thanked him for the the gifts but mostly for his honesty and repentant spirit.
The third friend, well he was a puzzle. See he had tasted just a glass and when he tasted it he said to himself, “truly this is the finest wine I will ever taste, how can I take this from my friend who trust me so?” He sealed it back up and locked it away. He confessed to the king that he had tasted it, that he had but one cup and couldn’t bring himself to enjoy another. He apologized for stealing from his friend and his king’s wine.
When the king heard this he immediately jumped up and hugged his friend and said, “truly you are the greatest of friends a soul or a king could ask for! Now let us enjoy the wine together!”
I think it‘s important to have all types of friends. But if you replace the wine with my husband, then only the first friend will do. Quality over quantity. 😆
I disagree with your comments. Example: In place of the item the King left in trust with his friends, let’s put his wife. The first friend would not touch her. The second friend would take her as his own. The third friend would party with her once then not again. See the idea? In this light, only the first friend is honorable. And Epstein did not kill himself.
This is a tough one to answer. I believe they are all good friends due to the fact they realized how important the wine was to him. In the story of life people will make mistakes. What you do after the mistake defines the true character of a person.
I agree with emma.j.bolin. The third friend, although he initially broke his friend’s trust in order to taste the wine, he was able to deny himself the pleasure of having more wine in favor of justifying his friend’s faith in him. .
I think that all 3 were good friends. They were honest very honest. Friend number 3 had something they lack. Friend number 3 tasted the wine just a glass of it. He had the opp0rtunity to drink it all because it was turly the best he ever had tahstetd.But here something he value more then the good tasting wine his friendship. His friendship and the comment he made to his friend. there is no price one can place on a good friendship.So number 3 friend was the better friend