The Discovery of Wisdom

[Olùkọ́ Ọbádélé]

The Discovery of Wisdom

Once upon a time, there was a child with only fifteen francs to his name who embarked on a journey to acquire wisdom. He encountered an old farmer whom he politely greeted. The old man then asked him,

“My child, where are you going at this hour?”

“I am searching for knowledge,” responded the child. The old peasant looked at the boy for a long time before inquiring further,

“How much can you give in order to gain the knowledge which you seek?”

“Five Francs!” The old man took the child’s hand and the child gave him a five-franc piece. At this point the first lesson arrived:

“Never betray those who trust in you!” At this the child gave him a second five-franc piece and the second lesson came just as quickly:

“Remember that everything that happens to you has already been written in your destiny and you will keep your composure!” The boy, already very moved, gave the old man the five francs that remained and listened intently to the third lesson:

“My child, whomever should call you, you will respond to their call.” At this, the child had no more money to continue his search and returned home.





After his arrival at the village, two of the boy’s friends invited him to help them salvage a stash of gold that had long been lost in an abandoned well. After some discussion, the two friends insisted that he, being the lightest of the three, be the one to enter the well. With the aide of a rope, they lowered him into the well. He discovered two bags of gold and attached them to the rope so that his friends could lift them out of the well. Once they had the spoils the two friends abandoned the young boy in the well and left for the king’s village.

The young boy waited for a long time and began to worry. Suddenly he remembered the second lesson of the old peasant:

“Remember that everything that happens to you has already been written in your destiny and you will keep your composure!” At that very instant, a strong wind knocked the rope into the well and the child used it to climb out. Thus freed, he left for the king’s village. Halfway there, he spotted his two friends who were busy hiding the two sacs of gold in the middle of the cemetery.

The young boy then went directly to the king’s palace and asked to be seen by His Majesty. The king asked him,

“What can a child like you want with me?”

“I can be of use to you because I am able to interpret the songs of the birds to inquire about your security and the protection of your interests,” the child responded.




At the same moment, a nightingale perched on a branch by the window was singing. The king asked the child to interpret the song.

“That bird says that there are two bags of gold buried in the middle of the cemetery. Your guards will accompany me to go recover the gold and you will give me one of the bags. If I am lying you can take my life.” The guards accompanied the child who recovered the two bags, of which the king offered him one. There was then another bird that began to sing in the corner of the palace and the king commanded the boy to interpret the new song.

“That bird is announcing an unfortunate piece of news. There are two strangers in your village, both of whom are boys of my age. They are here in hopes of seizing your throne. You must to kill them before nightfall, otherwise you will lose your crown very shortly.” The king gave the order to search the entire village to find the two boys and kill them. They were quickly found, killed and buried.

At this, the king adopted the boy and made him sole heir. The king entrusted the boy with his throne on the boy and left on a voyage. The boy spent his nights in the royal bedchamber. During this period the king’s young wife repeatedly tried to seduce him, but without success. One day when the boy almost gave in, he remembered the first lesson:

“Never betray those who trust in you!” He then energetically pushed away the young woman, who was furious.




Upon the king’s return to the village, his wife went directly to him to tell him that his inheritor had done everything possible to have her but that she had always rejected him. Furious, the king sent a letter to the guards at the gates to the city telling them to kill the first person to cross the threshold. He then sent off the unsuspecting young boy.

Halfway there, the boy heard a voice calling him. He wished to continue on his way but remembered the third lesson:

“My child, whomever should call you, you will respond to their call.” He responded to the speaker who retained him a moment to recount some legends. Anxious to see the boy dead, the king’s wife had left immediately after him and thus was the first to arrive at the gates. The guards killed her immediately.


There is always a price to pay for life, but one should never be malicious or cruel towards others.