The Two Soldiers and the Robber
On a hot summer day when the sun shone brightly, two old soldiers set out on a long journey. One of them told at every chance how fearless he was, and threatened even the shadows with his sword. The other went on his way in silence and listened to the boasting of his companion with a smile. As the journey went on, they reached a dark and unsafe pass shaded by tall pine trees. While the wind howled among the leaves, the strange silence around drew the attention of the experienced soldiers. Suddenly a majestic robber with a wrapped face and a sharp axe in his hand sprang out from among the bushes.
When the robber roared and began to run towards them, the soldier who praised himself jumped back in terror. “You had promised to protect me!” the silent soldier shouted, but his friend had already begun to run away. The cowardly soldier hid behind a high tree nearby without even looking behind him. The brave soldier, left alone, drew his sword coolly and at once took up a position of defence. After he skilfully turned aside the first hard blow of the robber, he put the man out of action with a swift move. When the danger had passed completely and the robber had fled, the hidden soldier came out slowly from the place where he had hidden.
Drawing his sword from its sheath with great fury, he began to shout as if he were going into battle. “I would have shown that bandit his day; he only ran off without giving me a chance!” the cowardly one boasted. “If only you had stood by me, we would have destroyed him completely with the strength of us two!” he added bravely. The calm soldier cleaned the dust from his sword and looked at his companion with a bitter smile. “Tell your fine words to people who do not know me; perhaps they will believe you,” he said calmly. “Because I saw with my own eyes how cowardly you are and how you ran away at the moment of danger.” Empty words spoken in hard times can never take the place of real courage. The mirror of a person is their work; one does not look at their word.