The Dull Man's Answer
Once upon a time, in a green valley where cool waters flowed, there lived a gentle man who kept to himself. Because of his slow movements and his calm temper, the townspeople fondly called him the Slow Man. He meddled in nobody's business, tended the colourful flowers in his garden and lived out his days in peace. But in the busiest square of the town there lived an insolent man with a sharp tongue, proud and mocking towards everyone. This insolent man took great pleasure in belittling the people around him and in making fun of their weaknesses. On a hot summer day when the sun was shining brightly, the Slow Man was passing quietly through the market place. When the proud man saw his heavy steps, he began to laugh out loud in the middle of the crowd.
"Just look at this sluggish and useless man!" he shouted insolently. "You can neither run fast nor lift a heavy load; what are you really good for?" he said mockingly. The curious people around them stopped and began to watch this unfair taunting. The proud man raised the level of his insults and tried to humble him before everyone. The Slow Man stood without the least excitement and listened calmly to the ugly words. Without letting the peaceful look on his face change, he looked straight into the proud man's eyes. Everyone in the square fell into a deep silence and waited curiously for the answer that would come.
The Slow Man began to speak in a gentle and dignified tone of voice. "The slowness of my body or the smallness of my strength is a state nature gave me, and it harms nobody," he said. "But the ugly and hurtful words that pour from your mouth are entirely the work of your own bad choice," he added. "I feel no shame at the slowness of my body, but this poisonous tongue of yours and your evil heart are your real shame," he said, and closed the matter. Before this wise answer the proud man's face turned bright red and he could not find a single word to say. The people around them applauded with admiration the just and mature answer of the Slow Man. A person's bodily shortcomings are not a fault; the real fault is the ugly tongue and bad character that wound others. An evil word belongs to the one who says it.