Protecting Paradise

The Great Magician gathered together all his children who dwelt in Paradise.
He told them that he would be going away for a long while and so he would choose from amongst them those who would run Paradise while he was away.

Toward that end he asked that each of his children should choose something that they would like mastery of; something that they believed would be of benefit to the kingdom.

When each had chosen the Great magician allowed them to see how their mastery would stand the Test of Time...

Some chose cleverness for they believed that being clever would allow them to make better decisions but the Test revealed that eventually it tended to turn them into glib liars who used their cleverness for personal gain.

Some chose to be masters of Nature but the Test revealed that Nature was best left alone for it already knew how best to keep a balance between all the different aspects of its colossal complexity and for every expected gain there was always unexpected losses - that could never have been predicted - which eventually resulted in catastrophe.

Some chose weaponry for they believed that one day there would be trouble in Paradise but the Test revealed that eventually it was those who chose weapons that started wars.

Some chose goodness - and indeed it was a good choice - but the Test revealed that even goodness is prone to paranoia and often falls prey to the glib whispers of the clever corrupt.

Many chose nothing - for they reasoned that since they already lived in Paradise then it was best left alone - but the Test showed that they had not taken into account that without someone to guide them Paradise would slowly but surely deteriorate - for everything eventually changes.

A few chose wisdom - and that was a superior choice - but the Test revealed that even wisdom fails when over whelmed by sufficient temptation.

A very few chose self mastery and it was from amongst them that the Great Magician chose those who would rule Paradise while he was away. For as he said, “If you can’t master yourself then whatever else you strive to master will suffer the whims of your passions and eventually fail its promise.”