Proverbs and Parables

The Painter and the Paint

There once was a painter. He was an excellent painter who created beautiful paintings. The painter holds power over his paint; if he desires, the paint will do whatever it is told to do. Despite his great authority, he cares for his paint.

One day, the paint desires to be used, but the painter is busy elsewhere. "If I can draw the attention of the painter," the paint thinks, "perhaps he will create a painting with me."

So, in an attempt to draw the attention of the painter, the paint throws itself at the canvas. Hearing a strange sound, the painter puts down his current work and approaches the canvas. Seeing that it has drawn the attention of the painter, the paint is happy.

The painter sees that the canvas has a spot of paint on it. The painter inspects it for a long moment, perplexed by the paint.

"Why have you done this?" The painter asks the paint.

"To please you," the paint replies happily.

The painter smiles at the paint, pleased by its efforts to create art. The painter, hoping to salvage what he can, scrapes some of the paint back into its container. Despite his efforts, some paint is left on the canvas.

Struck by inspiration, the painter creates a small flower using the paint. This pleases the paint.

The next day, the paint feels the desire to be used again. So, seeing that the painter is busy elsewhere, the paint throws itself at the canvas. This time, the paint covers the flower painted the day before.

The painter, hearing the same noise he heard before, approaches the paint. Seeing that it has drawn the attention of the painter, the paint is happy.

The painter sees that the canvas has gained another spot of paint on it. The painter inspects it for a long moment, perplexed by the paint.

"Why have you done this?" The painter asks the paint.

"To please you," the paint replies.

The painter smiles at the paint, then makes an effort to scrape the paint back into its container, leaving even more behind than the day before.

Struck by inspiration, the painter creates another small flower using the paint. This pleases the paint.

The next day, the paint finds itself separated from the painter, for he is very busy today.

The paint, as it has done before, flings itself at the canvas, this time totally covering it.

The painter, hearing the strange noise, approaches the paint. The painter sees the canvas covered in paint and is quite surprised.

"Why do you do this?" the painter asks the paint.

"To please you," the paint answers.

The painter smiles and nods his head. The painter begins to scrape the paint off the canvas, but, inspecting the paint further, the painter sees that it had already begun to dry.

The painter has no need for the dried paint, nor the spoiled canvas.

The painter then disposes of the canvas, the paint with it, and continues his work from before, for he is very busy today.