“She despises your ways. It’s no secret you love your money more than you love your family”

T

he sorcerer looked deep into the eyes of the ancient skull and began to chant. The hairs on the back of the king’s neck stood up and a cold wind swept past him.

“I see beautiful palaces that have been built with your hard-earned fortunes.” The sorcerer spoke in a tone barely above a whisper. “Pirates, ruthless and dangerous, own these properties. They are the ones who attacked the vessel carrying your treasures. To get your money back, you would have to wage war, an endeavor that would cost you more money than the lost jewels are worth.”

“So there’s nothing I can do?”

“No.”

The king growled.

“Wait. She lives!”

The king felt his pulse quicken. “Who?”

“Your daughter. Somewhere across the ocean she resides peacefully.”

“Nonsense! If she was alive she would have returned to me.”

“She despises your ways. It’s no secret you love your money more than you love your family.”

“I should strike your head from your shoulders for those disrespectful words!”

“Better to save your energy and go after your daughter, Your Majesty. I can tell you where she is.”

“Tell me!”

“For an added fee...”

The king restrained his anger and paid the greedy sorcerer. The sorcerer told him the approximate whereabouts of the princess. Then the king killed him.

No one would escape the wrath of the angry king. Not even his own daughter.

********

Yonatan rose from the table where he was learning to answer the door. Someone was knocking and it sounded urgent.

“Aharon? Is everything okay?”

“Yes, baruch Hashem, but have you forgotten that today is market day?”

“Oy!”

Yonatan hurried into the back of the house and found his wife, Rochel, saying Tehillim fervently.

“Rochel, I’m sorry to interrupt but apparently we both forgot it’s market day today. Aharon is waiting to take our merchandise to sell in the city square.”

“Please tell him we apologize. This isn’t the first time we’ve forgotten!”

Rochel carefully folded a stack of elegant, perfectly stitched robes and handed them to her husband.

Yonatan returned to Aharon and handed him the expensive merchandise.

“Here. Please forgive us.”

“Of course.” Aharon waved his hand. “Don’t think that I forget for even one day that your wife creates these beautiful robes mainly so that I should be able to sell them and earn an honest living for my own family. I know there was enough treasure on that ship you bought to last many lifetimes.”

“Hatzlachah rabbah, Aharon.”

“Amen! I’ll bring you the full payment after I sell all the robes and then I’ll take my share.”

(Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr., Issue 776)