THE THIRD QUEEN
A Fable of the Decorously Brief
A fabulously rich and remarkably powerful king decided to get married for the third time. The king chose youthful and dazzling beauty Lyla as his new wife. She was not only good-looking but also blessed with a humble and gentle nature, which made people around her adore her.
Her unassuming nature made her friendly and warm in all respects. Her hospitable and welcoming attitude helped her win excellent rapport with the other queens living within the palace. She was well-respected by all who lived and worked within the sprawling halls of the palace.
One day, the second wife of the king, Diane, took Lyla aside and told her many mean and nasty things about the first wife, Brenda.
“I couldn’t help but notice that you have become quite chummy with Brenda. Well, since you are new to this great palace, I feel it is incumbent upon me to take a moment and share something of great importance with you. Brenda is the queen of the first order and is very powerful due to being the mother of the rightful heir to the throne.
This puts her in a unique and elevated position within the palace, so you cannot afford to place your trust in her. As a matter of fact, she is a very wicked person who is well adaptable in covering up her evil identity from others. Since my very first day of arrival in the palace, she has been applying a terrible series of performances against me.
If you do not handle things with care and caution, there is a sure possibility that she will bring about your fall in the same manner that has befallen me. I would strongly recommend that you reconsider spending time in her company. She has much power and is known to do many evil schemes. I really hate her!”
Hearing that, Lyla looked at Diane in confusion. Then she said,
“I thank you for understanding. From now onwards, I have decided that I shall keep a distance from Brenda.”
But the next day, Diane was in for a surprise when she found Lyla with the very pleasant company of Brenda, the first queen. Both of them, their friendship had grown and matured, seemed to be having a very pleasant moment with each other; both were full of bliss.
Diane had to wait until Lyla turned back to her own private chamber before she could go inside and confront her.
You promised me that you would do everything in your power to avoid any interaction with Brenda, regardless of the circumstances.
So now, I’m left to wonder why you still choose to spend your time mingling with her as if there’s nothing wrong? You really need to understand that this is your own benefit and well-being that I’m after. Brenda has done so many terrible things to me in the past, and I have no doubt at all that she could very easily do the same to you.
For your sake, it is necessary that you end any friendship you have with her. Trust me when I say that she is only acting out of a facade of being nice. In actuality, she is very manipulative, dishonest, and completely two-faced. I have come to hate her on a level that has consumed my very soul.
Given all the comments Diane had about Brenda, Lyla paused to take a deep breath then let it out slowly, the soft sigh passing her lips as she whispered
“I don’t know, I guess I just forgot about it and let it fall through the cracks. But you do not have to worry. Now that I think about it, I will harbor a deep-seated hatred for Brenda that will last for the rest of my life, I can assure you.”
The moment Diane left, she told Lyla that she would come back the very next day. Every single night, as regular as the clock, she visited Lyla’s room, where she maligned Brenda, sowing evil thoughts in Lyla’s brain and convincing her to hate Brenda with all her heart.
She would be very much displeased every time she sees Lyla getting on so well with Brenda because it ran against what she wanted.
One morning, Lyla approached Diane with a face obviously disturbed and clouded. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, and one could see that she was terribly depressed. With a heavy heart, she reached out to Diane and handed over a piece of paper, all the while saying,
“Every single thing that you have told me about Brenda has turned out to be absolutely true. She has a devilish disposition and has caused me so much pain, and I have suffered so much because of her. I only wish that I had listened to you and taken your warnings seriously.
I actually sat down and wrote out on paper all the bad and hurtful things she has done to me during our relationship. It would be so good for you to take some time to read it, but maybe when you are sitting around with nothing to do.” Diane smiled as she watched Lyla walk away. She was so happy since Lyla finally broke off her friendship with Brenda.
Then she took the paper to somewhere and opened it. But what she read on it, really shocked her to the bones. The paper said, “Dear Diane, If you must hate people, hate them alone. Don’t recruite me to hate them with you. That’s witchcraft! Stop forcing me to hate queen Brenda who has done nothing wrong to me. Your problems with her is none of my business! Leave me alone!”
MORAL LESSONS: Do not hate people because of what you heard about them without trying to find out the truth. Similarly, do not speak evil of people in their absence; do not get into the bad habit of gossiping.
