The Prince Who Learned Wisdom

1 There once lived a prince who would someday become the ruler. “Study hard, my boy,” his father advised him. “You will require an excellent education when you are crowned king.”

2 The prince took these words to heart and studied hard every day, until one day, a thought came to him. “My teachers give me a lot of useful knowledge, but I wonder if I am gaining the wisdom that a ruler needs.” He decided the answer was no. To gain wisdom, he would require a new plan.

3 The prince informed his father that he wanted to visit a nearby country whose philosophers were said to be very wise. He would ask them to teach him their wisdom. The king considered this idea to be very foolish. “Wisdom comes only from a good education,” he declared firmly. “Your teachers are preparing you very well.” Still, he agreed to let his son go, even giving the young man some gold coins for his journey. Neither suspected that the prince’s search would end up taking him in a very different direction.

4 Early the next morning, the prince set out. To avoid attracting attention, he dressed in ordinary clothes and carried his belongings on his back like anyone else. As he strode along, he whistled a cheerful tune, happy to be traveling on his own.

5 By afternoon, his stomach was growling loudly, so he sat down in a nearby field to eat his lunch. The warm sun stroking his cheek and the soft breeze whispering in his ears made him drowsy.

6 The prince was awakened suddenly by the crackling of dry leaves. A thief was scurrying away with his pack! He was too far away to catch, so the prince was forced to go on without it. (Luckily, the gold coins were hidden safely inside his coat.) He continued on, pondering what had occurred. As he was thinking deeply, he came to a realization. “Anything can happen when you sleep outside. When I become the ruler, I must make sure that everyone in my kingdom has a safe place to sleep.” Then he laughed. “That fellow actually gave me a bit of wisdom!”

7 As evening approached, it began to rain heavily. With a great distance remaining and his feet soggy, the prince stopped at an inn. Aching with hunger, he welcomed the scents of fresh bread and savory stew that met him at the door. After a hearty, delicious meal, he climbed the stairs to his room, blew out the candle, and crawled peacefully into bed—but not for long. CREEEEEAK! A young woman tiptoed into the shadowy room and quietly picked up the prince’s boots. As she tried to creep out again, the prince leaped up, blocked her way, and yelled for the innkeeper. When the man arrived, the outraged prince informed him that the woman had been stealing his boots.

8 “No, she wasn’t,” the innkeeper replied, shaking his head vigorously. “She was taking them downstairs to the fire so they would dry before morning. I’m sorry if my daughter disturbed you.”

9 Feeling embarrassed, the prince quickly gave the daughter a gold coin as an apology. Back in bed, he reflected over what had happened. “When I am king, I must be sure to get all the facts before I make a judgment,” he concluded. Then, laughing, “I never expected to acquire wisdom in a village inn!”

10 The following day, instead of continuing on, the prince returned the way he had come. He did not stop until he was inside the palace.

11 “Back already?” exclaimed his father. “You can’t possibly have made it even to the border. Why did you give up your plan?”

12 “Father,” replied the prince earnestly, “in just two days, I gained enough wisdom to know that it was not the most advantageous plan. I now realize there is no need to seek wisdom in distant places. I have learned that wisdom can in fact be discovered anywhere by simply paying attention and learning from personal experiences.” Hearing this response, the king smiled and nodded with satisfaction at his young son.

13 From that day forward, the prince made a point of leaving the palace at least twice a week to observe and listen to what was happening among the people. When the time came for him to become king, he was a very wise ruler indeed.

The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A

Which sentence best states the theme of the text?

A.

A wise person thinks before speaking.
B.

Do not be afraid to give up on foolish ideas.
C.

Lessons can be learned in unexpected ways.
D.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Part B

Which sentence from the text best supports your answer to part A?

A.

“To avoid attracting attention, he dressed in ordinary clothes and carried his belongings on his back like anyone else.”
B.

“‛When I am king, I must be sure to get all the facts before I make a judgment,’ he concluded.”
C.

“The following day, instead of continuing on, the prince returned the way he had come.”
D.

“wisdom can in fact be discovered anywhere by simply paying attention and learning from personal experiences.”