Once, in a faraway land, live a young girl and her mother. They live a simple life and aimed less. They think of happiness and still survive with little resources. The girl is happy. Her mother is too. Until one day, a young merchant from a nearby town stopped by and asked for directions.
He said, "Madame, I am a young merchant from the nearby town and is going to travel to the richest land of all. your house is the last one in this area and I assume you know the way. could you help me by showing direction of which I might go?"
The mother looked at the young merchant and thought to herself: "This is a fine young man. He seemed happy and adventurous. he is also polite. How I wish my daughter would marry him." Laughing at her thoughts, she invited the young merchant inside their small home, offered him some tea and asked her daughter for ink and paper.
She then drew a map slowly and with focus. After, she gave it to him.
"Here", she said, "This is the path you must follow. Avoid losing yourself at night for every path looks exactly the same the moment you wake up. Always have the map with you."
The young merchant looked at the map and was confused. "I am sorry, madam. but I cannot understand the map that you made."
The daughter and mother looked at each other in surprise.
"I apologize. but that is exactly how the path looks." The mother said.
"Here, let me take a look." The daughter sat beside the young merchant and looked at the map. "Well, that's because you have it the wrong way. Turn this upside down and it'll be more comprehensible, sir."
Doing what the daughter said, the young merchant again looked at the map but was still confused.
"I am afraid I do not really understand."
"Have you ever read a map before?"
That left the young merchant silent.
"No."
"Perhaps we could help. my daughter is a very fine lady. she can read maps and is very responsible. i believe if she go along with you, you would find the way."
That night, the young merchant decided to bring the daughter and by morning, they would be leaving immediately.
The mother was more than happy. she finally thought of her daughter living a luxurious life in the gentle arms of his husband, the young merchant. She helped her packed her things and gave advises before they went to sleep.
By the next morning, they were all good to go and the daughter and mother bid goodbye.
The journey was tiring for both the young merchant and the daughter. They travelled for almost a day and did barely talk, only when necessary. The daughter is submissive, thought the young merchant, she is polite and quiet. she must have been a very good daughter to her mother. 'I wonder why she was easily given to me when she has this beautiful character.'
That night, they camped and rested for the day.
By next day, the journey is still the same. no one talking, only when necessary. and they rested at night.
For a week, this travel went on and the merchant was very tired. she finally asked the daughter, "how far do we have to travel to reach the richest land?"
"Well, if we would continue on this path, we would reach it tomorrow by midday."
the merchant was happy learning this and they travelled.
by next day on the same time, they finally reached the place.
the young merchant thanked the daughter and went on his way for business. he earned larger than he expected and worked and worked until he knew he had more than he could have.
this he did for three months and he did not realized that such long time had passed. and as he was thinking of what to do with his wealth, the daughter popped up of his mind.
"i believe this young woman could be my wife. she can give me sons who i can inherit my wealth with", he thought.
so the young merchant went along his way and looked for the daughter.
he found her in an inn, where she is working.
without further adieu, he asked for her hand and the daughter willingly accepted. they married the following day and settled on a mansion outside their town.
as years passed by, the young merchant finally had two sons. he felt happy and contented and thought of the future of his children. he also thought of her wife and their journey together and how they got married.
he felt happier.
one day, while looking at the beautiful sunset in his terrace, the merchant was surprised by one of his sons' scream. he speedily searched for him and found his wife lying on the floor, dead.
his sons were crying and he stared there shocked.
the next day, his wife was buried. he and his sons went along their life and tried their best to live. they tried their best. years passed and his sons grew up wise and strong. he entrusted his wealth to them and felt happy for their success.
he though of nothing more happier than see them become successful and he thought of his wife, who raised them.
as he remembered their wonderful days together, he thought of a diary she had always brought since the day they left her mother's side. he almost forgot. she had one diary.
thinking that she still have it in her room, he searched there. he looked at her drawers, closet, bed and bathroom but he did not see anything. finally, he thought of giving up.
he sat in her chair and stared at the moon outside the windows. it was beautiful and shining like her wife and she remembered her loving touch. he teared a little and wiped away his sad thoughts. when he was about to sleep, he saw an old book beneath his bed. he was not able to clean it since the day his wife died. and upon seeing the diary, he squealed with delight.
the book was just as beautiful as his wife. its brown and dark edges showed signs of old time and the pages were just as old. he turn the first page and he saw his family. him, standing beside her and holding one of his sons shoulders, and her, smiling brightly in theh black and white photo. she looked beautiful.
he turned the second page, and saw her. her words. and her comfort. then, he started reading.
