Once upon a time, in lands far away and long ago, there lived a just—but rather unconventional—king. One day, the king decided to host a grand competition in the palace courtyard. The goal was simple: to see who could jump the highest.
Three unusual guests were invited to compete. There was a flea, famous for its incredible agility; a grasshopper, known far and wide for its powerful legs; and a flying goose, admired for its elegance and grace.
The palace square filled with curious spectators. When everyone had gathered, the king announced the prize:
“Whoever makes the greatest jump shall win my daughter’s heart—and half of my kingdom along with it!”
The flea went first. Tiny and confident, it crouched down and leapt with all its might. It jumped so high that it vanished from sight. The crowd gasped and looked around in confusion.
“The flea didn’t jump at all!” they murmured.
But the truth was, the flea had jumped the highest of all—so high that no one could see it, and so its achievement went unnoticed.
Next came the grasshopper. It was diligent and ambitious, having trained for months for this very moment. With a strong push, it launched itself into the air. Unfortunately, it misjudged its direction and landed straight in the king’s lap!
Startled and angry, the king shouted, “Are you jumping at me?”
The grasshopper wished the ground would swallow it whole.
Finally, it was the flying goose’s turn. Many assumed it would simply glide or fly, not truly jump at all. But instead of soaring into the sky, the goose made a gentle, well-measured leap and landed gracefully beside the princess.
It neither disappeared into the heavens nor crashed into the king. It simply reached its destination with calm elegance.
Seeing this, the king rose and declared his decision:
“Jumping high is not only about reaching the sky. Knowing where to land—and reaching your goal with wisdom—is a far greater skill. The best jump is the one made toward the right purpose.”
And so, the flying goose was deemed worthy to marry the princess.
The flea quietly stepped aside, thinking, If only I had been seen.
The grasshopper lowered its head and sighed, If only I had been more careful.
Both had learned an important lesson.
And as every fairy tale ends, three apples fell from the sky:
One for the one who reads this tale,
One for the one who tells it,
And one for those who know their goal—and leap toward it with grace.