Confessions

In a wooded realm, not far from you or I, there lived one named “Man”. Man was strong, kind-hearted, and mentally fit. Legend says that he could cross the widest valleys, climb the tallest mountains, and swim the vast oceans. He fought any beast that dared oppose him and killed them with a swift, fatal blow. He possessed the moral character to do what was right in the face of evil, but bore a silent flaw. As his legend grew, so too did his pride. Man acquired a large head and full chest.

Man had a wife named Love and three daughters named Joy, Purity, and Wealth. He had spent his years cultivating Love, Joy, Purity, and Wealth. He built them a home with his own two hands with the finest wood the forest had to offer. He provided food for them by hunting the largest beasts that roamed the trees. He would only allow them to drink from the cleanest of springs. Man treasured them and vowed never to see them be troubled or hurt. He showed them how to protect one another and how to fend off the evil wiles of the wood. He dared not risk the livelihood of his investments, so he did all that he knew to keep them safe.

One sunny, warm day, Man was approached by a creature of the woods. The sight of any creature, let alone this one, startled him. No animal dared approach Man for they knew the danger he posed.

“What is your business approaching my land and my belongings?” demanded Man.

“Oh, good and masterful Man, I am but a humble servant of the wood coming to you with a proposition. I have heard of your legend – how great and powerful you are! I wish to serve you with the noblest of intentions. I see that you have all that you could ever ask for. You possess unnatural strength, a sturdy home, and a beautiful family. You have the wealth of many great kings, yet it seems to me you are still lacking.”

“Lacking?” smirked Man. “As you have stated, I have all that a man requires and wants. How much more can one gain from this Earth?”

“A fair question indeed, most honorable Man, for one who has never ventured beyond the forest. Yet, there are many towns beyond the limits of these woods. I have seen them with my own eyes. They are full of rich abundance far beyond what you have here. Yes, you have much, but there is a chance for more. There is no question that these woods are dangerous. They are ever-changing, and you can only do so much before they strike you back. What about your Love, Wealth, Purity, and Joy? You, among all people, should know just how important they are to protect and provide for.”

“Your offer intrigues me, though I am not completely convinced. What benefit do you gain from bringing this to me?” inquired Man.

“I only wish to help you. You are the protector of these woods. Your love for your family inspires me. My only desire is to see you become more prosperous.” The animal could barely keep from choking on his own words.

“I am grateful and willing. What do you have in mind for me?”

“You must take your Wealth and invest her in the town’s bank. After due time, she will yield a large return and become more prosperous in all that she does. When she finds a great return, we can take her to a larger town, with a larger bank, and find greater Wealth. Over time, Wealth will prosper and so provide a secure future for the rest of your family,” explained the sheep.

“This is a noble thing you have presented me. You seem to have wisdom beyond your stature, and I request your presence. I will look for you at the rising of the sun in two days. What is your name, friend?”

The animal smiled a coy grin underneath his fur and whispered,

“Sheep”.

And it was with that that the Wolf named Sheep disappeared into the Wood.

The newfound friends set out on their quest and found great success. They were venturing from town to town, investing in Wealth and seeing a great return.

One fateful day, a brutal storm shook the foundations of the Earth. The Towns were greatly distraught because of the magnitude of the disaster. Buildings crumbled, caught fire, and turned to ash. Among the casualties of the storm was Wealth. It was in the great fires that she was caught and burned alive. Not a trace of Man’s Wealth remained.

“Oh, Sheep, what are we to do now? I have lost all my Wealth and I miss her greatly. How could I not have protected her from such a catastrophe?” Man cried out midst sobs of tears.

“There, there Man. This is indeed an incredulous event. One that I could NEVER have seen coming. I do pity you midst your loss but must urge you to move quickly before another event such as this threatens your remaining livelihood.”

“Where am I to start now? Over these past few months, my Wealth has prospered, but here I am empty. I still maintain my Love, Purity, and Joy, but I fear I will not be able to protect them. What must I do?”

“There is but one way to regain your wealth and prosper the health of your family. You must work the fields of labor. It is hard and toilsome work, but it must be done. In order to last, you will need to bring Joy. Without her, you will surely fail. I know of another Man looking for able-bodied workers. Come,” said Sheep, as He led Man to his next proprietary venture.

The Wolf named Sheep led Man and Joy to a field of labor. Because of the great storm, the field was barren. The work had to be started from the ground up. Man worked tirelessly for his new Master. He spent long days basting under the heat of the sun only to see little fruit and even smaller financial gain. The dirt was hard, dusty, and the ground was cracked under the pressure of the Sun. To add to Man’s fervent work, the Master of the field was abusive. He mentally and physically hurt Man if He did not toil fast enough. Joy tried to remain strong for her father, but even her strength faded. Over time, Man lost his Joy.

Some time later, the Wolf named Sheep visited Man. He saw that Man was broken down and sad, beaten by the heat and by the strong hand of His Master.

“Man, why is it that you are in such a state? You were once strong, wily, and an able-bodied ruler of your belongings. I come now to see you distraught, bent over, and weak. What is it that has caused such a great turn?” the sheep asked cunningly.

“Sheep, there once was a time as you described but it is not at the moment. I am famished, the ground is hard, and my Master is wicked. Midst my hard labor, I have misplaced Joy. She came to me one day and the next morning she was gone. I am afraid that she has disappeared in the woods and has been taken as food. My wife, Love, is in great emotional turmoil. We have lost two of our daughters and I work long days and come home very tired. She says she does not feel safe anymore. Oh, Sheep, what must I do?”

“I fear that you are in far worse of a situation than you originally thought. Come, take a walk with me and we will discuss what must be done next. You must bring Purity, as she is the final thread holding you together. Stay strong, my friend. We will see to it that you are restored.”

So, the three set off on a small hike when they came across a lone house on the side of the road. It looked to be abandoned, nothing covering the walls except vines and creeping things. Out of the shack appeared a seductress covered in fine cloth. She moved with swooning sways. She had the eyes of a fierce hawk and the touch of a delicate flower. She made her way over to Man and smoothly coddled her way into his heart. As she led him into her home, Purity cried out. In the heat of the moment, Man did not notice that Sheep was dragging Purity in to the woods by his sharp teeth.

Man and the Seductress spent many days together, entangling themselves in passionate love. Love seemed to be at its fullest, and Man experienced feelings of Wealth and Joy.

As the days progressed, Love went looking for her husband, only to find him wrapped in another’s arms. Before he could apologize, in her sorrow, she died. He came to his senses and realized his Purity was now gone, too. Wealth and Joy had not come back. He had lost everything. The seductress, through mangled teeth, laughed an evil laugh and tossed him into the street.

He lay outside on the dirt for hours, crying, screaming, and cursing Sheep when he heard a soft step fall behind him. He turned to find that the Sheep had appeared, but this time with blood staining its teeth.

“You! What have you done to me? You have brought me to this place, and now I am empty, poor, and weak because of you! You stole my Wealth, you took my Joy, my Purity, and my Love was taken by this Seductress that you led me to!How could you have done this to me?!” Screamed Man.

“Oh, poor and pathetic Man. You have come such a long way, assured of your own strength to profit you in the world. It seems that you have failed.”

The Wolf Named Sheep began to circle Man.

“You see, I have met many a man such as you. Independent, strong, and full of many blessings. To say that you disgust me is an understatement. Under the guise of profit and security, I lure men such as you into my trap. It is a trap that I like to call Abundance.”

Drool puddled under Wolf’s feet as he drew nearer.

“Abundance feasts on your Pride and screams that you will never have enough. I have taken many men to and from the Towns and watched their wealth burn to the ground. I have led many Men to the fields of toil where their backs are broken by the firm hand of Work and they misplace their Joy. Then, each one I lead past this very shack and without fail, you sacrifice your Purity and Love at the foot of the Seductress. And without fail, I find yet another corpse to feast upon,”  beamed the Wolf cheerfully as He licked His lips.

The Sheep Named Wolf removed His sheep cloth and fully revealed himself as a snarling, wild Wolf. Man, startled and whimpering, began to plead.

“You were much too strong at our first appointment and I would have surely died trying to feast on your bones. Over time I wore you down and have now brought you to my level. You are lowly. Mangy. Worthless.I gave myself the name “Sheep”, but I am the Wolf named Pride and Selfishness. And it is this mangled beast that will consume your pathetic flesh.”

As Man let out a blood-curdling scream, the Wolf named Pride and Selfishness lunged one quick, fatal blow to the heart of Man. His blood ran thick across the ground, joining the cesspool of the blood of Men before Him.