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The Worst Story Ever
A long time ago, there lived a small village of people deep in a valley somewhere. This village was very peaceful and quiet, and they had no enemies and few troubles. The village was bordered on the west by a sea called the Dark Sea, and on the east by a large mountain chain. The mountain chain was extremely treacherous, full of icy cliffs and sheer precipices - to say nothing of the fearsome dragons and ogres that were rumored to live there. According to village legend, the ancestors of the people who lived there had crossed this dangerous mountain chain long ago in order to settle here, but nobody alive had been present in the crossing so it was unsure whether this was true. The mountain chain had many names in mythology and legend, but it was most commonly referred to simply as the Rhode.
The village was governed by a council of wise men who saw to it that everything remained in order in the valley. This council had seven members, and the members were known as Syads, although nobody knew for sure where this term had come from. The Seven Syads, as they were called, were all well-liked and well-respected, and under their leadership there was peace and happiness. And of the seven, the most well-liked and respected was a man named Dasheekin. He was fifty-two years old, which was rather young for a Syad, and he was an incredible leader. If the village had been a monarchy, Dasheekin would have been king.
One day, the village council met as they often did to discuss current events in and around the valley. However, that day only six Syads showed up at the meeting; the seventh was nowhere to be seen. It was eventually discovered that he had left the village to attempt a passage of the Rhode, although nobody knew why. Most of the villagers were inclined to simply let him go, laughing at his foolishness, and elect a new Syad to serve in his place; but Dasheekin would not allow it. He knew how hazardous the Rhode could be, and he knew that nobody would cross it without reason unless he were a fool - and certainly, none of the Seven Syads were fools. Therefore he announced that he would journey through the Rhode after him, to ascertain his whereabouts and discover his motives.
He left three days later and began a monumental journey. Many times he faced near-certain death, but always his wits prevailed and he moved on. At last, three months later, he found himself on the other side. There he met up with the missing Syad and inquired about his health, and more importantly, his reasoning. Why had he made this journey across the Rhode?
"For two reasons," he said. "First, I wanted to see if I could do it. Serving on the council for so long tends to make one lose sight of the real world, and I wanted to know whether I had what it took to conquer the Rhode. And secondly, I wanted to see if anyone would care that I was gone." He smiled. "You did. My life has a great deal more meaning now; and if the villagers still want me, I will be glad to resume my duties as Syad."
They returned together through the Rhode, and when they at last reached the village together they were both hailed as brave men and heroes. Both regained their status as Syad and all was much as it was - and peace and prosperity reigned once more.
This story quickly became a legend in itself among the villagers, for voyaging across the Rhode was no easy task, and the idea that someone would do it for no other reason than to check on a friend was extraordinary. Therefore, parents often remind their children of the story in order to teach them the value of courage and friendship. They do this by asking them a question:
"Why did Dasheekin cross the Rhode?"
To which the children always reply:
"To get to the other Syad."
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