The parable of good and bad deeds

— I don't blame you, Oscar, — Grandpa continued, — unfortunately, experience comes with time, but time and bad deeds cannot be undone. However, our wise ancestors long ago found the main law of the fair of life, and it sounds like this:

«Do unto others only what you wish done unto yourself».

— Interesting law, I like it, — said Mickey with a smile.

— This law can also be stated differently, — continued grandfather, — «Do not do unto others what you do not wish done unto yourself». It's important for you, my children, to understand it and remember it in both forms, as the meaning is the same.

— So, from this rule, it follows that we should only do good deeds? We only want good things for ourselves and not bad! — exclaimed Oscar in surprise.

— Yes, that's correct, — agreed grandfather, — but also remember something important. After doing a good deed for someone else, don't expect them to do the same for you in return. They may not have the time or ability to do so. And sometimes, even we ourselves may forget to respond with kindness or get caught up in the busyness of life. But by setting a good example, it will stay in their memory and bring kindness back into our magical world, returning to all of us with happiness and love.

— Do unto others only what you would have done unto you, — said Mickey with a smile.

— Well done, Mickey, — replied Grandpa, — this law is the most important one at the fair of life, and if you adhere to it in choosing your actions and deeds, then the bricks of your life's house will be as strong as stone and hold warmth and comfort for all eternity. Oscar, you yourself said that you only desire good things for yourself. By doing good deeds at the fair of life, you receive good in return — strong and durable bricks from Sunny Street for your life's little home, — Grandpa wisely spoke.

How to distinguish bad deeds from good ones?

Oscar and Mickey were very happy with the new interesting knowledge that helped them look at the meaning of actions and deeds in a new way, but they still had questions, and their heartfelt conversation with Grandpa continued.

— I understand, — Oscar said joyfully, — when I come to the fair of life, every action I want to take, I should first try it on myself. Do I want the same thing done to me? And if yes, then do the action or deed and receive good and sturdy bricks for it. My house will be strong, and no rain can destroy it. And if I don't want that action done to me — then don't do it. And so, we can distinguish between good and bad actions, and snakes won't be able to deceive us and slip in their rotten brick, right, Grandpa?

— Yes, my children, that's right, — said the satisfied grandfather, continuing, — for example, do you want to be deceived? No, then it's a bad action, and don't take it and don't deceive anyone. Do you want to be called names and insulted — no, then that's also a bad action, and don't do it, even if you really want to. And it doesn't matter who's on the other side of the action — a friend, a mother, or a kitten. You'll still get a bad brick for a bad deed! Even if you break a regular tree that did nothing to you and can't replace yourself, you'll still get a rotten brick from the snakes. That's the fair of life, my little ones — the deed you do, the brick you get.

— Well, well! — exclaimed Oscar joyfully and surprised, — and why didn't I know about this before! And «stealing a painting and giving it to a friend» is a bad action? But I'll make my friend happy!

— Put yourself in the shoes of the person whose painting was stolen, Oscar — would they feel bad? Indeed, they would, — said Grandpa, — now imagine you're in your friend's position when they find out the painting was stolen — wouldn't they feel bad and awkward? Of course, they would. And you would also feel bad when everything comes to light… that's a triple bad deed. That's how easily we realize that it's a bad action, by simply putting ourselves in other people's shoes and applying the rule of «do not do to others what you do not wish done to yourself». And there's no need to wonder if the theft will be uncovered or not — the bad deed is done, and you've received a rotten brick as a result! And even in a good barn, you can't hide from the rain that falls from heaven.

— Grandfather, and for what and how, can you still use the rule «do to others what you want to yourself»? Mickey asked.

— It's only half the job to determine what action is proposed for you in the fair of life, — replied Grandpa, — It's good if you make the right choice, but it's far more important to do the right thing well! And to do that, apply our rule in this way — «do unto others AS you would have them do unto you»!

— This means, — Mickey continued the conversation, — if I took the task «help a friend weed his garden» at the fair of life, should I do it as if it were my own garden? Is that right, Grandpa?

— Yes, Mickey, that's right. Imagine that it's your own garden and do it in such a way that the result pleases you too! Help and weed all the weeds very carefully, so that it becomes the most beautiful garden!

— With such an approach, it will be a doubly good deed! And they'll probably give us more good bricks, — Oscar wisely concluded.

— But the most important thing is not to forget that it's someone else's little garden! — Mickey joked with a laugh.

And laughing, they all laughed together at Mickey's joke, all together, and then decided to stretch a little, relax and think about what was said.

In my grandfather's wonderful garden

The kids were glad to hear what they heard, but they were thinking seriously! Therefore, Grandpa decided to cheer up and entertain the kids after a long instructive conversation.

— Kids, let's fly to my wonderful garden, I'll tell you the story of how I created it and see a lot of interesting things!

And all three of us, our fabulous souls flew to the big and beautiful grandfather's garden. On one side it was surrounded by a forest with majestic pines and beautiful birches. And on the other side of the garden, there was a clear blue lake, with a beautiful rocky bottom and a shore of the purest white sand. In the garden itself there were many fruit trees and beautiful and fragrant flowerbeds with magnificent flowers. Mickey and Oscar adored Grandpa's garden and loved to fly in it, have fun and splash in the clear lake.

— Wonderful garden, Grandpa! I really like it, and I'll make myself one too! — Mickey said enthusiastically, circling around the fragrant and useful juniper.

— Of course, we will, and I will help you, — Oscar picked up and picked a couple of ripe apples from his grandfather's favorite apple tree.

— Everything will work out for you, my children, and I will also help in any way I can — grandpa offered his help to Mickey and enjoying the beautiful flowers and the smell of roses, flew deep into the garden.

— Grandpa, tell me how you created such a beautiful garden, you probably have a talent! Mickey asked.

— I don't know, kids, whether I had a talent for beauty or gardening, but I remember for sure that I flew around my house in an empty field and didn't even know how and where apples and flowers come from, — grandfather laughed and continued, — but I definitely understood that I wanted a beautiful garden, and how I had no idea how to create it at all!

— Yes, grandfather, I'm just the same, every time after a rain or a hurricane, I circle around my ruins of the house of life, and I don't understand how to build it reliable! Oscar laughed.

— So, after asking the elders for advice, I started taking deeds and deeds about the garden and flower beds at the life fair. «To help my grandmother water flowers and trees», «weeding flower beds», «planting a tree» and many other interesting things I found at the fair on this topic, and took up their implementation, hoping to learn how to do everything myself and create my own magnificent garden.

— Did the snakes bother you, Grandpa? — Oscar asked.

— Even then I understood how to distinguish a good thing from a bad one and did not take cases like «trample the garden», «break a branch taking out an apple», «cheat that I watered the flowers, and fly away to play with friends myself»… I also saw all these bad deeds mixed up with good deeds and tried not to do them, as far as I had enough experience.

— Grandpa, what should I do if I realize that my action was bad, but I've already done it? — asked Oscar.

— Well, not always do we have time to think about our actions. Sometimes we act impulsively or hurry somewhere. It happens that we understand the consequences only when we see holes in our life's house or feel cold and dampness inside. But if we have done something wrong and then realized it, no matter how much time has passed, we should try to make it right. We should apologize for what we did, discuss it, make amends if we caused any losses, find a compromise, and try not to do it again, — replied the grandpa.

— And I didn't think about the garden near the house before, — said Mickey, — but when I accidentally took cases about the garden at the life fair, I liked it, and I got carried away, and now I often take them, and at the same time it helps me with my small but beautiful garden.

— Yes, Mickey, it happens that we do something, for example, at the request of our elders, and over time we get carried away and it becomes our hobby or life's work, but sometimes not, — grandpa replied and continued, — and so year after year, I learned a lot by doing things and deeds on the fair about the garden. Even when I opened my shop, I also started selling garden-themed cases and this helped me create my own magnificent garden. And now I often fly to the fair and do something interesting, and then I fly to my garden and repeat. And my garden is getting better and better every day.

Suddenly Oscar stopped, and looking down, asked Grandpa:

— Grandpa, what if there are no good deeds or actions at the fair? What should I do then? I can't just sit idle, and the hole in the house is letting in cold air, — Oscar asked.

Grandpa looked at Oscar mysteriously, and seeing his excitement, asked with a smile:

— And why did such a question arise?

— Well, Grandpa, answer my question first, please, and I'll tell you everything! Oscar said evasively.

— OK, Oscar, — said Grandpa and continued, — yes, there is not always time to think about your action. Sometimes we take on bad things in a hurry or hurry somewhere. It happens that out of anger and in a desire for revenge. And we dismiss the main law, and do not observe «do not do to another what you do not want to yourself», because we think that we will not get anything bad for it. But we realize the harm of our act only when we see holes in our house of life and freeze in it from cold and dampness. But if something bad has been done, but then an understanding of what happened came, and no matter how much time has passed, you need to go back and apologize for what you did. To discuss, to make amends, to compensate for the losses, if any, to find a compromise and not to do so anymore.

— OK, — Oscar replied and continued, — you can't hide anything from you, Grandpa, I accidentally broke a branch when I was picking apples from your favorite apple tree. I'm sorry, I won't do it again! Oscar said, looking down.

— It's okay, Oscar, it happens. The main thing is that you realized what you did wrong and apologized. And he did not hide what he had done, fearing punishment. An apology and an admission of guilt can exclude even the thought of punishing you! And we will heal the apple tree, and it will still give us many, many apples! Grandpa replied with a smile.

— Thank you, Grandpa, — Oscar said, hugging him, and together with Mickey and Grandpa they continued to enjoy the charm of Grandpa's garden.

High up in the blue sky, the magical radiant sun shone brightly. Many beautiful birds of paradise sang and flew from tree to tree. And even a beautiful peacock, proudly flew in front of the fascinated gazes of the kids, developing its beautiful, multi-faceted and multicolored tail! Everything was great and well maintained.

Having flown in plenty and gathered a basket full of apples, fruits and some flowers, they flew to a small house-bathhouse with a veranda near the lake. Grandpa stayed to cook dinner, and Mickey and Oscar flew to the lake. Having splashed and played enough in a clean and warm lake, having warmed up and dried off in the sun, our children flew back to the veranda to their grandfather, to the smell of something very tasty. Grandpa was already waiting for them there with dinner and fruit for dessert, with apples baked in the oven. Hungry after bathing, the children quickly settled down at the table and began to have a delicious dinner.

After thanking Grandpa for his delicious dinner and having eaten enough, Mickey and Oscar lay down on a soft sofa next to the fireplace. Oscar did not like idle lounging and flew to melt the bathhouse and bring firewood to the fireplace, but soon he suddenly returned with a question to his grandfather:

— Grandpa, what if there are no good deeds and deeds at the fair? Over. What should I do? I can't sit around doing nothing, and even if the hole in the house blows cold," Oscar asked, sensing that grandpa would not like his question, but not knowing the answer to it, he still took a chance.

— It's good that you, Oscar, can't sit around doing nothing, — Grandpa began approvingly and continued, — but, first of all, in my memory there has never been such a thing that there were no good things at the fair, we just don't bother with the desire to do them, and don't seem to notice them.

— And I don't remember this, — Mickey interrupted Grandpa and continued, — out, the actions «smile at passers-by» or «don't argue» always lie, but no one takes it, they probably cost cheap, — Mickey said thoughtfully and continued listening to grandpa.

— And secondly, — grandfather continued, — if it blows in the house, it means he did a bad thing. And what, again and again you want to do bad things, just to patch up the holes? — Grandpa asked sternly, but continued kindly, — Oscar, did you come to me for advice because there wasn't even a foundation left of your house, or because you didn't have any friends except Mickey, or sleep? And only worries and endless useless worries?

— Yes, Grandfather, you're right. I'm sorry for my question, but I'm like this and there's nothing I can do. And I can't sit around doing nothing," Oscar answered sadly, and looked hopefully at his grandfather.

— Nothing, Oscar, you're young and hot, we were all like that once, — Oscar's grandfather encouraged, — but it's better to do nothing than do useless things for your house of life over and over again and breed evil in our magical and beautiful world. Be patient, stay at home, read books by the fireplace. And if your house has collapsed or it's blowing cold — fly down to see your best friend or beloved grandfather," grandpa said with a smile, "and never take bad things at the fair. Better ask your friend Mickey or I have good bricks and fix a hole in the house. A friend will never refuse. And then you will repay him the debt, and also with good bricks! It's better than wasting time at the life fair on bad deeds and bringing evil into your home again and again.

— And where did Mickey get the bricks!? He probably, like me, invests everything in the house, in the bathhouse and garden without a trace? Oscar asked in surprise.

— That's how I always have bricks, — Mickey answered him, — and I put them aside just in case, they are lying and waiting for their use. I'm always happy to share with you, Oscar.

— And I, Oscar, have already accumulated a whole shed of good bricks, — said Grandpa, — and I still report and report — who knows what's ahead — they will be useful to us and my friends.

— Come on!? — Oscar was surprised, — how do you manage to save bricks? I don't have time to patch up my holes and restore the walls, but you still have! — said Oscar, putting wood in the fireplace, but after thinking continued, — well, now I understand why — you do good things and get strong bricks that do not collapse. Therefore, there are no holes in the house of life and nothing needs to be repaired. All new bricks go only to the construction of a new one and into the piggy bank. Of course, you need to be patient a little — you can't build a house quickly. But then, my good deeds will serve me for many, many years, in the strong bricks of my house of life.

— Well done, Oscar, you're right to reason — the grandfather said approvingly and continued, — and also, you don't need to put all the bricks into the business at once, suddenly you miscalculated and you won't have time to do everything before the rain. You'll get so wet without a roof over your head. It's better not to rush, put aside as much as you need, with a reserve, for a new building, and then do it — so that there is a roof over your head and stocks in the shed.

— It's hard for me to wait, — Oscar answered thoughtfully, but I heard your advice and I'll try to use it, — said Oscar and thinking over his grandfather's answer, flew on to heat the bathhouse.

All evening the kids had fun in the bathhouse by the lake, warmed up and steamed in the bathhouse, and then splashed in the lake. They told different stories and after drying out by the fireplace and drinking tea with dryers, they flew back to their grandfather's house. On the way back, flying through the wonderful grandfather's garden, and admiring the evening sunset, the inquisitive Oscar asked grandfather with interest:

— I remembered here, there are actions not in relation to others, but to myself, and it is not at all clear whether this is a bad or a good act. For example, «do not brush your teeth before going to bed», or «do not exercise in the morning», I do this act to myself and it is not clear whether it is bad or good. I want that's all! How to be, how to understand if I'm doing bad or good?

— In such cases, when there is no understanding, the elders will help, — grandfather replied, — you can come to them for advice, they will definitely find an answer and explain. And also, reading books helps. Here's Mickey, he often sits and reads books, and you jump like a scalded one, he has no time for everything. And Mickey has a strong house, but you don't.

— Yes, Grandpa, I like to read books and learned a lot of useful things from them for myself, — Mickey said happily, — so they help me choose good deeds and deeds and avoid bad ones? Mickey asked Grandpa happily.

— That's right, Mickey, that's right, — Grandpa replied and continued, — and also, you always listened to your parents and elders. The elders have seen a lot in their lives and done a lot of different things. Will the elders give bad advice? And we've read a lot of books. Books, my children, tell about various deeds and deeds, and there is always an assessment of them. And we, being carried away by the plot, involuntarily remember what is good and what is bad. And when we come to the life fair, we unconsciously select only good deeds, because we have already been given this hint in the books.

— I see, Grandfather. I will read books and listen to my elders, — Oscar said and, satisfied with the answer to his question, looked at the dark starry sky. They got to their grandfather's house and breathlessly admired nature. It was already dark outside and a soft mist, in thin trickles, crept in the garden along the treetops and over the mirrored surface of a quiet lake. The birds were no longer heard, and only the crickets cut through the silence with their sharp roll calls. In the dark, endless sky, the stars fell sparkling, giving a small, but still a chance to make the children their innermost wish. Our fabulous souls went to bed, and the quiet night life of distant and mysterious stars continued outside the window.

Excursion to the grandfathered house

Waking up and stretching, Mickey and Oscar peeked out the window. Everything around was singing and blooming. The sun was already shining brightly high above the horizon, filling the magical world with joy and warmth.

— Hello, Grandpa! — Mickey cheerfully shouted, seeing Grandpa flying towards his house.

— Good morning, little ones! I've already flown to the fair of life this morning, worked a bit, warmed up my body and soul, — Grandpa laughed.

— What interesting things did you do at the fair? — Oscar asked, rushing into the yard to do his morning exercises.

— I took on a serious task — «managing the construction of a house»! — Grandpa proudly replied.

— Now that's some warm-up! We're still far from that! We should first learn how to do the task 'hang a picture on the wall.' It's always something — a nail in the wrong wall or a blunt drill bit! — Oscar laughed.

— Indeed, my dear children, not every soul can handle management. It takes centuries of learning because you have to make the right decisions, delegate tasks properly, and make sure a chicken coop doesn't turn into a house! — Grandpa laughed and continued, — long, long ago, just like you, Oscar, I dreamed of building a marvelous castle for myself. So, I began to engage in the affairs of the fair of life, related to construction and furnishing of a home. That's how I learned and got involved in this fascinating endeavor. Let's fly, and I'll show you my grand mansion!

— Let's go! — Mickey joyfully shouted, and they followed Grandpa into his grand house.

It wasn't just a house, it was a true small palace! With light blue walls, majestic white columns, and beautiful capitals. The windows, arranged in straight rows, were crowned with elegant arches, emphasizing the harmony of lines and forms of the palace. The massive main door made of red wood, adorned with carved figurines, beckoned one to step inside the splendid building. Near the entrance stood sculptures of heroes from their fairy-tale world, as if they had come to life, and a beautiful fountain adorned with reliefs, paintings, and intricate stone carvings splashed nearby.

Mickey and Oscar flew alongside Grandpa through the spacious and well-maintained rooms of his grand mansion. Inside, it turned out to be even more spacious and magnificent than it appeared from the outside.

— Grandpa, it seems even bigger, more beautiful, and sturdier from the inside! — Oscar exclaimed in astonishment as he flew through the magnificent hall with a fireplace, admiring the paintings on the walls.

— Yes, Oscar, — Grandpa replied, — not everything can be seen, understood, and felt from the outside. Only by stepping inside the house of life can its beauty and grandeur fully unfold. Many souls in our magical world build their houses of life to appear dull from the outside, as a means of protection, while inside, everything is bright, intriguing, and warm. A soft couch provides comfort, and a wonderful fireplace warms a beloved guest with its heat. But there are castles that appear huge and beautiful on the outside, yet inside, they are empty and cold, with only the eerie howling of the wind throughout the damp halls…

— And I prefer to show off! The bigger and brighter on the outside, the better! — Oscar proudly declared and continued, — well, how else? If the house is big and beautiful, it means its owner is important and noble!

— He may indeed be important and noble, to his credit and praise, — Grandpa replied, — but he may also not be. Rain and storms will put everything in its place and answer the question of whether he is involved in good or bad deeds.

— Judging by the ruins of my castle, it's clear what kind of expert I am! — Oscar laughed and continued his journey through Grandpa's house.

There were no drafts or leaks on the beautiful walls of Grandpa's spacious rooms. It has stood for centuries, delighting its guests and enveloping them with warmth and coziness within its dependable and kind walls.

— Every brick of this house holds its own story, and there are hundreds, if not more, of good deeds behind them, — Grandpa explained.

— Tell us, Grandpa! — Oscar pleaded, — so that I know, and the snakes don't fool me, as they usually do, with their tricks and treats!

— Well, these walls of the spacious living room were particularly challenging for me, — Grandpa said thoughtfully and continued, — I was still learning to build, and the snakes were already swirling around me, twisting and offering their vile schemes at the fair of life. They would suggest «covering up flaws since no one would notice anyway», or «taking construction materials for oneself since no one would count them», or «doing things differently from the instructions to earn more». In short, my dear children, snakes were pushing their own agendas and rotten bricks from all sides, but I managed. After struggling with the holes in my house, I learned and soon received only good bricks for my deeds. I understood that even the slightest bad deed would leave a hole in the wall, and not a small one!

— Yes, Grandpa, experience and steadfastness are crucial in such serious matters, — Mickey agreed, — and please, tell us another story! — he requested.

— Ah, right here, — Grandpa continued, — when we entered the large and cozy guest bedroom, there was a massive hole after a heavy rain! In the middle of the night, the rotten bricks were washed away, and the guests were drenched by the rain! — Grandpa smiled as he reminisced, — Oh, it was quite embarrassing! That's how my own bad actions let down dear guests. It's funny, but my reputation was tarnished, quite literally, and it took a while for those important acquaintances of mine to visit me again.

— I understand you, — Oscar laughed, — I don't pay attention to them anymore! Well, let's find new acquaintances! Oscar said. But after our conversation and the new knowledge you shared with us, Grandpa, and the rule «do unto others as you would have them do unto you», I will think carefully whether it's worth bringing rotten bricks into my home and spoiling relationships with friends and guests.

— Yes, Oscar, think about it, — Grandpa replied and continued wisely, — many are invited, but few are chosen as true friends.

— And for what bad deed, Grandpa, did you receive rotten bricks? — Mickey asked.

— I pondered for a long time back then, — Grandpa thoughtfully replied, — I reviewed past deeds and actions and found a couple of questionable ones that those cursed snakes slipped in — «firing workers for their mistakes» and «cutting corners on expensive tools for work».

— What's wrong with that? — Oscar asked, — If they make mistakes and don't know how, let them go! We'll find new ones! And spending on expensive tools is just wasteful!

— And that's the whole story, — Grandpa said, — experience is needed in all matters to distinguish the good from the bad in each specific case, — Grandpa explained, — that's why we hire new workers, train them, and spend money if we have our own, almost like family, trained workers. We just need to pay them more attention and, after thoroughly understanding the problem, teach them better. And our rule, «Do unto others as you would have them do unto you», will also help us. Oscar, if something didn't work for you, would you want someone to teach you or dismiss you as incompetent?

— Of course, I would want to be educated! And I would want my deeds to be celebrated! — Oscar cheerfully replied.

— And I'm helping you, Oscar, — Grandpa continued, — I'm teaching you to build your reliable home of life instead of dismissing the problem with «figure it out yourself»! But the most important thing is that you also want to learn and grow. Then the learning process will be faster and easier.

— Thank you, Grandpa, for not abandoning me and rescuing me from the clutches of the snakes! — Oscar warmly embraced Grandpa and replied.