Parable Of The Two Villages

A man who was traveling came upon a farmer working in his field and asked him what the people in the next village were like. The farmer asked "What were the people like in the last village you visited?" The man responded "They were kind, friendly, generous, great people." "You'll find the people in the next village are the same," said the farmer.

Another man who was traveling to the same village came up to the same farmer somewhat later and asked him what the people in the next village were like. Again the farmer asked "What were the people like in the last village you visited?" The second man responded, "They were rude, unfriendly, dishonest people." "You'll find the people in the next village are the same," said the farmer.

The two travelers met on the road and began comparing notes. They concluded that the farmer was a politician and would warn all fellow travelers to avoid him when they passed near his city.

I liked the original version better. -- JonathanTang

Not only is that a sadder ending, it's an improbable one. It's very unlikely that the two travelers, if they met, would get along very well...

Based on what evidence? Poor deduction powers at work.

After a hard day working in the field, the farmer returns home. He is greeted by his wife, who asks him "Anything interesting happen today?" The farmer nodded. "A couple of travelers asked me what the people in the next village were like. I told them whatever they wanted to hear." "But no one's lived in that village for years," said the farmer's wife. The farmer shrugged. "Maybe they'll meet each other."

Pity those who don't understand, who can't or won't see the intended meaning of the original parable. The parable is meant to teach us that our own attitudes, prejudices, opinions, values, etc, are what determine our view(s) of life, of others. These are things we carry with us - simply changing one's location ultimately changes little.

Clearly the farmer lives at a crossroads.

This is hardly a parable. There is no real lesson here -- just an attempt to turn fluff into Deep Meaning. For these travelers, their experiences could be just what they stated; that is, there were people who acted exactly as described by the travelers. What an ass the farmer was.

CategoryUselessDrivel