In a country which must certainly have been a long way away from where we Rumanians live, all the young people decided to kill all the old people. It’s an old, old story... What was the use of their going on living with white beards and all They had lived their life, they’d had their time and that was that. Anyone who reached the age of fifty or a bit over—he was to be done away with.
Lots of wise old men were killed and lots of wisdom passed away with them.
Only one kind-hearted young man, so they say, took pity on his father; after all, he owed his life to him in the first place. So he hid him away in a cellar and took care of him.
Time passed and a terrible drought came. Meadows and plough lands shriveled and withered and all the springs dried up. There was terrible famine, and sickness and all kinds of troubles came upon the young people thick and fast, and their hair began to go white before its time.
They would have put up with everything as best they could, but more and worse troubles followed. The snow melted and spring was upon them without their having a single grain of seed to put in the ground.
They scd the floors of all the barns that used to be stacked so high they could hardly hold all the grain. All the king’s councilors held long talks with the king but there was nothing they could do to get themselves out of their terrible trouble. From bishop to farm worker the whole people were overcome with horror and fear at the thought that spring had come and there was nothing to sow their fields with.
The old man hidden in the cellar could see that his son was going about looking miserable all the. time. One day he asked him: "What’s you look so thoughtful, my boy Has anyone done you any harm Are you in trouble Tell your father all about it. He may be able to help you, even if it’s only with words."
The son told him all the troubles straight away, from beginning to end. The old man thought for a little and then he said: "Don’t tell anybody anything for the time being. But when the last patches of snow melt on the fields, take your plough and go and plough up the lane in front of your house. Rake it over after that and.., stop worrying. "The boy followed the advice the old man had given him and what did he see There came a quick spring rain and out of the ground there began to sprout wheat and maize, oats and barley and even beans and peas in some places. It seemed so wonderful that news of it spread up and down the country. It was a thing no one had ever heard of—a man’s reaping where he hadn’t sown.
Of course the king got to hear of it too. He quickly ordered the lad to be brought before him. So he presented himself and of course he was now considered to be the wisest of the wise.
"What did you do How did you do it Who told you what to do" The king started asking him questions at once. All these questions confused the boy and he was afraid so he didn’t tell him the true answer straight off. But in the end he admitted what had happened.
"Bring me your father here," the king ordered. So the old man was brought along too.
"Well, your Majesty, just think how many seeds drop on the ground when people carry them home on their carts."
The old fellow was given a royal reward; he had saved the life of the whole nation and so the boy was pardoned too for not killing him.
And ever since then, my friends, they haven’t killed the old men any more.
What happened to the country when a drought came