The Best Christmas Gift
Long ago, in Persia, a wise and good king ruled the land. He loved his people and wanted to know how they lived. The king wanted to know about his people’s joys and hardships. So he often dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the ordinary people of his
kingdom to see how they were faring. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler.
One time the king visited a very poor widow who lived in a hut with her five children. The king ate the stale bread the poor widow and her children ate. He drank the dirty rain water his poor subjects drank. He spoke cheerful, kind words to the family, took the children in his arms and hugged each one.
Then he left.
Later the king visited the poor widow and her family again. He again shared their meal of stale bread and dirty water. After his meal the king disclosed his identity by saying, “I am your king!” showing the family the signet ring hidden in his pocket.
The king thought the woman would surely ask for some gift or favor, but she didn’t. Instead the widow said, “You left your palace and your glory to visit us in this dark, dreary place. You ate the stale food we ate. You drank the dirty water we drank. You brought joy and gladness to our hearts! To others you have given your rich gifts. To us you have given yourself!”
The widow and the king embraced each other in friendship and the king invited the widow and her children to come live at the royal palace and be cared
for from the royal treasury. The poor woman and her children accepted the king’s invitation and spent the rest of their days in the company of the king grateful for his friendship and care.