Kahlil Gibran on Government Critics

THE THREE GIFTS – from Gibran's The Wanderer click here

Once in the city of Becharre there lived a gracious prince who was loved and honoured by all his subjects.

But there was one exceedingly poor man who was bitter against the prince, and who wagged continually a pestilent tongue in his dispraise.

The prince knew this, yet he was patient.

But at last he bethought him; and upon a wintry night there came to the door of the man a servant of the prince, bearing a sack of flour, a bag of soap and a cone of sugar.

And the servant said, “The prince sends you these gifts in token of remembrance.”

The man was elated, for he thought the gifts were an homage from the prince. And in his pride we went to the bishop and told him what the prince had done, saying, “Can you not see how the prince desires my goodwill?”

But the bishop said, “Oh, how wise a prince, and how little you understand. He speaks in symbols. The flour is for your empty stomach; the soap is for your dirty hide; and the sugar is to sweeten your bitter tongue.”

From that day forward the man became shy even of himself. His hatred of the prince was greater than ever, and even more he hated the bishop who had revealed the prince unto him.

But thereafter he kept silent.

Note:

Of coz this is fiction. In reality there will be no head of state that is loved and honoured by all; many are not as wise. In Malaysia too, out government has a lot of shortcomings and in need of improving their policies and actions. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs a lobotomy.

Similarly the majority of our government critics do not need the 3 gifts. For one, probably none will need the flour as almost certainly all of them have enough to spare even after spending RM 10 for coffee at Starbucks.

However, there are a few who do need some soap and sugar :)

Siapa Makan Cili Dia Rasa Pedas :)