In our last post the merchant showed up in the middle of the third battle between the kingdom of the north and the kingdom of the south. When he opened his cart full of the food and drink the kings had paid him with for the bows and arrows they had purchased, the soldiers threw down their weapons and began eating and drinking at the merchant’s cart. The two kings were furious over the disruption of their war. We pick up the story again as the kings cry:

“STOP THIS! STOP THIS! WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?”

“The Merchant,” replied the soldiers (pointing to where he was standing).

Then in ferocious anger, the two kings rushed over to the merchant and struck him down. “Now that he’s dead, maybe we can get on with this war!” said the two kings.

The kings ordered their soldiers back into their battle lines. While they were lining up, the merchant rose to his feet and began to help them. The soldiers couldn’t believe their eyes! Was he a ghost? How did he do that? The soldiers nearest the merchant asked him how he was able to come back to life. The merchant leaned over and whispered something to them.

Before long the other soldiers noticed that the merchant was alive again. Instead of returning to their waiting armies, they stayed to ask the merchant himself what his secret was. To them too, he whispered.

When the kings returned each to his own side, they thought their soldiers were following behind them. When they turned around they saw them talking to their enemies.

“KILL THEM ALL!” the kings commanded. After all, you can’t have a war if soldiers are eating and drinking with one another. These men had all been messed up, so it was better just to get rid of them and start over fresh.

Come back next time to see how this story ends.

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Waging Peace is adapted from a story by John Aurelio in his book Story Sunday.