Story Number 7

The Old Tramp and The Half Blanket

Whilst walking through the beautiful streets of Paris, Phileas came across an old tramp slumped underneath a pile of rags. "Are you okay there sir?" Asked Phileas. No reply. "Are you okay there sir? Would you like me to find you some dryer blankets to keep you warm?" No reply. Phileas tried to remove the rags from the old man. Suddenly The man appeared from underneath the rags and growled like a wild dog. "Get off my blanket! Go on, away with you!" snarled the old tramp. Phileas was stunned, since he was only trying to help the man. "Sir, I mean no harm, I'm offering to buy you a warmer, dryer and cleaner blanket for the rough nights ahead. This blanket you are so dearly protecting isn't even bigger enough to cover you, It's merely half a blanket." "Well I don't want your charity. This half blanket, is all I have left, it reminds me of the wrongs I committed." Phileas knew he couldn't persuade the man and thought it would be best to leave before the man became more aggressive. So he apologized and set off on his way. The old tramp, realizing how aggressive he acted called after Phileas. "I'm sorry for shouting at you, please don't go, I'm so lonely. I appreciate your kindness and generosity, but Please come back and let me tell you the story of how I got this blanket." Phileas smiled and returned back to the man. "Okay, well if I can't buy you a new blanket, then atleast I'll keep you company, please do share this story of yours."  "Thank You" said the old man. "Just promise you wont judge me after the story finishes. A very long time ago, there lived a King. The King was a wonderful ruler, and his people lived well. He always wanted the best for his people. When he grew old, he gave all his lands and estates to his only son. It was his desire that his son would use his youth to serve the people even better than he had done himself.

In return for giving his son his crown and his throne, the Old King requested two things. The first was to take good care of his people and the second was that he promised to take the best possible care of him in his old age. The Old King wished that his won would return the same love he had given to his son that he will be well cared for.

When these two things were promised, the King held an official ceremony and crowned his son King. The son followed his father's advice at first and saw his treasuries grow and saw his people continue to be well looked after. He also followed through on his promise to care for his father. Both of these things remained true until the son found a wife.

The wife did not like the father she thought that he was just an old fool, she also hated the fact that her husband listened more to his father's advice than to hers. She would try and turn her husband against his father by saying “The old man is always coughing at the table it makes me sick. He treats you like a child, always giving you advice about how to run the country. You are the King now. He had his turn and gave the country to you when he could no longer run it."

The king loved his wife, and promised that he would do anything for her, in order to please her he threw his father out onto the streets of Paris. The guards were given orders by the wife that the old man was not to be allowed back into the castle. Living on the streets for Old Man was rough and life threatening. For many years he lay in alleyways and slept under piles of hay or rubbish like an animal. The old man's pride was hurt, and felt betrayed by his son.

Eventually the queen gave birth to a son, who grew into a proud and strong young man. Despite what his wife said, the king told his son that his grandfather lived outside the castle, and he would let him visit him. The young man spent as much time as he could with his Grandfather talking to him and learning from him. He developed a caring heart. He brought whatever food and drink he could find to his grandfather. As much as his grandfather enjoyed the food and drink, he loved most of all the kindness and love that the child showed to him as he grew up.

One day the grandfather asked for an old horse blanket to protect him from the cold, the young man ran off to fulfil his wish. In the stable he found a thick warm horse blanket. He took it from the horse and ripped it in two. Just as he finished tearing the blanket in two, the king caught him in the stable. “What are you doing my son?” asked the king “Grandfather is freezing cold, so he asked me to grab him a horse blanket.” Said the young "Why are you taking him only half the blanked?" asked the King. His son answered, "I am saving the other half for you to help you sleep on the streets when I become King.”