Once upon a time there lived a large beautiful stone. The stream flowing past polished its sides to a shine, which sparkled in the sun. But over time, the stream dried up, and the stone continued to lie on the hillock. All around him there was ample space for tall grasses and bright wildflowers.
From above, the stone could clearly see the paved road running below, along the side of which pebbles and cobblestones were piled up. Left alone without the usual murmur of a cheerful stream, the stone increasingly began to look longingly down at the road, where activity always reigned. One day he felt so sad that he could not stand it and exclaimed:
- I can’t live forever alone! What good are herbs and flowers? It makes more sense to live side by side with my brothers on the road, where life is in full swing.
Having said this, he moved from his habitual place and rolled headlong downwards until he found himself on the road among stones just like him. Who hasn’t walked or driven along the road! And the wheels of carts with iron rims, and the hooves of horses, cows, sheep, goats, and dandy boots with jackboots, and strong peasant shoes lined with nails.
The stone ended up in the crush of the road, where it was roughly thrown aside, trampled, crushed, doused with streams of mud, and sometimes it was stained up to its ears with cow dung.
Where has his former beauty gone! Now he sadly looked up at the hillock where he once lay peacefully among fragrant flowers and herbs. He had no choice but to vainly dream of regaining his lost peace. It’s not for nothing that they say: “We don’t keep what we have, and when we lose it, we cry.”
Likewise, people sometimes thoughtlessly leave remote rural corners, rushing to noisy, crowded cities, where they immediately find themselves at the mercy of vanity, unquenchable thirst and endless difficulties and worries.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru