One day it occurred to a certain King’s daughter that if she only
knew the answer to the question, which part of the human body knows more
about love? She would never stray in any relationship.
The King
issued a decree throughout his kingdom announcing that whoever could
answer her daughter’s question would receive a great reward. Many who
read the decree made their way to the palace at once, each person with a
different answer.
In reply to the question, a person noted for
repeating clichés said it was the heart; it is the heart that rejoices
in love and aches when love is broken. But the princess pondered: If the
heart knew more about love, how come more people claiming to be
following their hearts ends up miserably broken?
One person said
it was the eye: the eye beholds beauty and therefore best to know love;
you can tell love just by beholding the brightness and eye color of a
person.
Another person replied that it was the mouth and ear: the
mouth utters and feels a kiss, and the ear listens to sweet and lovely
words that define love.
Someone else insisted that it was the
reproductive organs: love is energy, which is channeled through
reproductive organs. And the intensity of the energy, is the feel one
needed to know about true love.
The Princess was not pleased with any of the answers, and no reward was given.
After several nights of reflection, the Princess resolved to visit an
old woman who lived on the bank of a river and was said to be
enlightened. The Princess wished to ask her the question.
However, the old woman never left the river, was known to receive only
the poor, and refused to have anything to do with persons of wealth or
fame.
So she disguised herself as a simple lady and ordered her
attendants to wait for her some distance from the river while she walked
the path alone to seek the old woman.
Reaching the holy woman’s
dwelling place, the Princess found her caring for a patient in front of
her hut. When the old-woman saw the stranger, she nodded her head in
greeting and continued caring for the patient. The Princess approached
her and said, “I have come here to ask your help with the question:
which part of the human body knows more about love?”
The
old-woman listened attentively but only patted the Princess on the
shoulder and continued her care. The old-woman had four calabashes,
inside each; were crystal clear water. And also, she had four grinding
stones, beside each; lay four different set of leaves.
The
Princess said, “You must be tired. Here, let me give you a hand with
that.” The old woman thanked her and handed the Princess the grinding
stone, and then sat down on the ground to rest.
After she ground
the first set of leaves and poured into the first calabash, the Princess
stopped and turned to the old woman and repeated her question. The old
woman did not answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the first
calabash, and whilst pouring some content for her patient said, “Why
don’t you rest now? I can take over again. What is the taste after
mixing?” “It is bitter,” the Princess said, after licking some portions
of it; poured in her left hand. The princess continued to grind the
second set of leaves. One hour passed, then two.
The Princess
stopped and turned to the woman and repeated her question. The old woman
still did not answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the second
calabash and whilst pouring some content for her patient said, “Why
don’t you rest now? I can take over again. What is the taste after
mixing?” “It is sour,” the Princess squeezed her face and said, after
dipping one finger in the liquid and tasting it. The princess continued
to grind the third set of leaves.
She again stopped and turned to
the woman and repeated her question. The old woman still did not
answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the third calabash and
whilst pouring some content for her patient said, “Why don’t you rest
now? I can take over again. What is the taste after mixing?” “It is
salty,” the Princess frowned and said, after licking some portions of
it. She continued to grind the last set of leaves.
The Princess
again stopped and turned to the woman and repeated her question. The old
woman did not answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the fourth
calabash and whilst pouring some content for her patient said, what is
the taste of the last mixing?“It is sweet,” the Princess smiled and
said, after dipping one finger in the liquid and tasting.
“I came
here to ask if you could answer my question. But if you can’t give me
any answer, please let me know so I get on my way home,” said the king’s
daughter. She then sat beside the patient whom she recognized for the
first time as a noble man.
“But your questions have already been answered.”
“How’s that?” the Princess asked, puzzled.
At this question, the feeble man who had gained some strength pitied the Princess. He had listened so had an answer to give.
“My dear,” he begun with a slow voice.
“Love is a journey; it is bitter, it is sour, it is salty, and it is
sweet. All is meant to be enjoyed; and so if your question is what part
of the body best experiences everything about love, it is the buds on
the tongue; only they can detect bitterness, sourness, saltiness and
sweetness. Remember, as the buds on the tongues adjust to different
taste so is someone in true love.”
The Princess smiled; No answer
could best fit the question than what has been given. She bestowed on
the man the promised gift, and the man in turn proposed love; receptive
unconditional love; similar to those shown by buds on the tongue to
varying taste.
And both lived for bitterness, for sweetness, in sourness and in saltiness, till death did them apart.
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Nice one...the best from what I have read so far...😀
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