Magic Number
The Horse brothers found a dying Owl in the woods and took him home. When he was nursed back to life, Owl looked at their broken house and shook his head.
“Do you want to be rich?”
Horse brothers looked at each other and nodded. “Of course, we’ve been poor since we were born and every day is a struggle. What can we do? Nothing seems to work.”
“Ah…” Owl drank some juice made by the brothers. “I see…”
The next day, when the brothers woke up, Owl was already gone. They found a handwritten note left on the table.
“If you count to 117, this magic number, every day at four o’clock sharp in the afternoon, you can succeed at anything you do.”
The brothers were dubious, but they had nothing to lose.
On the first day, they did the counting in the garden they tended. The flowers bloomed.
On the second day, they did the counting in the backyard. A florist from the big city happened to pass by and bought all the flowers.
On the third day, they did the counting around the table. The phone rang and a large order came in from the florist’s husband who owned the biggest flowers shop chain in the world.
On the fourth day, they did the counting in the middle of the road. All their neighbors gathered and agreed to join them as suppliers.
On the 365th day, they did the counting in the penthouse in the city. Their organic farmhouse went IPO the next day.
On the 617th day, they did the counting on the Capitol Hill. Younger Horse was elected a senator.
On the 954th day, they did the counting in front of the Supreme Court. Elder Horse took over the reign and became the King.
“Oh, brother, can’t believe that our lives would forever change like this,” Younger Horse exclaimed.
“We have to thank Mr. Owl for this,” replied Elder Horse.
“For everything.”
Then they started counting next to the throne.
On the 955th day, two laws passed in the Senate:
No one could count numbers at four o’clock in the afternoon every day. It is God’s nap time.
Owls are evil spirits. Every owl must be arrested and sentenced to death.
It is not easy to give when one has nothing but themselves. It is much harder when one has everything but themselves.