The Nart sagas

-The wisdom of elders-

In ancient times the Narts used to throw their old fathers off the cliff so that they would not have to take care of them.
"The elders.." they said, "they are a burden on our wives".

One son led his father to the end of the cliff, his heart full of sorrow and sadness, and his head full of thoughts.

and like that when he didn't notice, his father hit his head on a rock and instead of complaining he started to laugh.

The son asked puzzled: "Father, why are you laughing? just now you hit your head!".

answered the father: "I'm laughing because I remembered that years ago when I led my father to the end of the cliff on this same road, he also hit his head on this same rock.

Then he told me that one day the same thing will happen to me, and well his prophecy came true.

You too son, one day, when your time will come, you will hit your head too on this rock when your son will lead you on this same road".

The son thought "if my actions are like his deeds, then maybe my fate will be like his".

In disgrace, he secretly returned his father to his home and continued to take care of him with devotion.

Every evening, the son came to his father's room to bring him food and stayed to chat with him.

One evening the father said: "Son, you used to bring me apples with the meals, and it's been a while since you brought apples to me even tho it's their season".

Answered the son in sadness: "We had a drought year, and the trees dried up".

His old father said: "Son don't give up! Because there is advice and there is,

I know of a place between mountains, which has sturdy apple seedlings.
These seedlings even over days will not be damaged by drought or pests".

The son went to the place according to his father and came back with the apple seedlings which weren't damaged by drought or pests! and like that because of his old father, the village no longer suffered of scarcity and hunger.

On the second evening asked the father again: "What are the residents of the village talking about now?"

Answered the son: "I walked next to the river, and saw a gold urn in the water, all the residents of the village dive to the bottom one and twice and can't get up the urn gold, there's just water"

The old father solved the riddle quickly,
"I know and you know that water is like a mirror, near the river there is a tree, Its branches are sloping above the water.
Instead of searching it in the water, son look towards the sky.
And there between the branches it's hidden, and in the water you just see its reflection".

Then to the amazement of all the people gathering, the son lowered the golden urn from the branches.

Everyone were amazed be his wisdom, and didn't know that it was his father's advice.

On the the third evening when the father asked what's going on, the son told him that this time the task is difficult for the whole nation!

The Narts council declared in public that royalty will earned by the one who declares first and establishes a fact that he saw the sun at sunrise.

And all the people at the same time saw the new sunrise, therefore the sages have a hard time choosing the most suitable one.

And the old father offered as usual a new and unusual solution: "While everyone will look east for the sun to rise, you my son, look west to the mountains opposite, because the sun casts its light on them before it is visible at sunrise.
The king's daughter will be yours for sure, and the royal crown as well".

And the son that managed to overcome them all, proved to his nation and to the whole world that the wisdom of elders, is great in years and it can't t be given up.

The many years wisdom solutions will never be replaced by new forces.

He was crowned as the king and then told his subjects, how great is the wisdom of his old father.

Everyone understood from now on and forever, that the commandment of parents is most important of all and agreed between themselves to cancel the tradition.