The Treasure

He was a dedicated knight of the King. But he wanted to be better. He had heard there was a treasure, a secret, that would enable him to truly follow the King. So with a cross around his neck to remind him of the great things the King had done for him, he set out on a journey to find it. He traveled to many places and asked questions of many strangers, but everyone gave him different directions. So he set out to test the paths on his own.

Spurring his stallion along a major path, he was confronted by an immense red dragon. His scales glimmered in the sun and flame flickered from his nostrils. "Come with me," said the dragon, "and I will show you real power. I will breath my fire into you, and you will be confident in yourself and do great things."

The knight looked down at the cross, and it was as if the King spoke to him, "The dragon's name is Pride, and he leads knights to destruction. Trust not in yourself, but in what I have done for you." And the knight turned the other way.

As he followed another road, a mysterious lady emerged from the trees. She wore a shimmering green dress and had a gleam in her eye. She smiled at him and said, "Come with me, and I will teach you the depths of inner feeling. And from that feeling will come the power you seek."

He looked once more at the cross and heard, "Her name is Experience; she promises much but requires more and more just to get the same result. She is a fantasy, I am Reality.  Do not follow her."

As he rode on, a sickly looking old man, all skin and bones, asked for a ride. As the old man mounted on the back of the horse, he seized the knight with a grip of iron. "I am Despair," said the old man, "and you will never find what you seek, for you are not worthy of it."

The knight glanced desperately at the cross and heard, "You are not worthy, but I have paid the price. The issue is not what you do, but what I have done." With this, Despair lost his grip and tumbled backward off the horse.

The knight spurred his horse to a run, fleeing from Despair, but reined in when he saw a strange sight beside of the road. It was a cave in the side of the hill with the King's sign of the cross over the entrance. He entered gingerly, reluctant to believe it was meant for him. In the rear of the cave he saw a treasure chest, old but sturdy. He slowly lifted the lid and found it was not locked. Inside lay a cross, exactly like the one he already wore. He walked away, both sad and elated. The only real treasure was the one he had had all along.