Virtue and Vice

Once there were two friends known as Vice and Virtue who set off on a journey together in a hot summer day. When they reached the desert the day was so hot that they felt like they were being roasted alive in a hot oven and it was truly so hot that iron bars could melt under the blazing sun. Virtue, unaware of the terribly hot desert, had already drunk all his water and was now desperate for a few drops. He knew well how malicious his fellow traveler was so he did not ask him for any water, but soon enough he could not walk anymore and he was almost about to faint. So he resolved to take two precious jewels out of his sack and offer them to Vice for a bit of water. Vice, the terrible man that he was, refused to share his water and explained that Virtue could always demand that the jewels were taken of him by force once they reached green land, and could then take them out of Vice's position. So in place of the precious jewels he demanded something that Virtue could never get back: his two bright and beautiful eyes. At first Vice was petrified. How could Vice propose such a horrible thing? And then how could he give up his sight forever? Was Vice not afraid of God's punishment? What kind of life could he live without being able to see? So he pleaded again and again to Vice to let him drink one sip from the water that he carried but Vice coldly refused. So Virtue lost all hope and decided to say goodbye to all the sights of the world just to drink a few drops of water and save his life. Vice brought out a hot dagger and blinded the poor man in both eyes, then the wicked fiend left Virtue bleeding and almost dead, gave him no water and stole his precious jewels, his few belongings gathered in his sack and then the clothes on his back too, and he set off on the road alone.
A wealthy sheep owner was passing by the land with his cattle and wherever he found water and green fields for the sheep he would set up camp and stay for a few weeks. A shepherdess of the group set off on foot in search of water, found a little brook and filled her pitcher with fresh cold water and turned back to return to the camp. On her way back she heard weak muffled cries looked for the source and so she found the bleeding and blinded Vice, as he was crying and praying to God to somehow spare him and let him live. The shepherdess rushed towards and gave him the fresh water to drink and revive. Then she found the cut-out eyes and picked them up, washed them in the clean water and replaced then in their bleeding sockets. She tied her scarf around Virtue's head and took him home with her.
At nighttime when the owner of the sheep came home he was the shepherdess, who was his only child, tending to a pale and bloody young man that was lying motionless in corner. His daughter told him of what she has seen and since he was so quick about his wits he immediately remembered having heard of a famous tree nearby with magic leaves. His daughter begged him to help cure the unfortunate young man of his malady so he then went out in the darkness to find the tree and pick up leaves from its branches. Half of the leaves cured blindness and the other half cured fits of convulsion. The leaves were brought home and the daughter turned them into a potion that she sprinkled into Virtue's eyes. His eyes started burning and he suffered greatly for a few hours until he went to sleep. He was unconscious for five days and he lay completely motionless. On the fifth day he opened his eyes and exclaimed that he could see from the same eyes that he thought he had lost. As soon as he could move he fell into deep prayer and thank God for his mercy. Then he thanked the cheap owner and his daughter and the rest of the household for saving his life and taking care of him. Afterwards when he gained back his health, he would accompany the man to the fields every day to help him with the sheep and day by day he came to have more and more respect for the sheep owner himself and feel great and deep love for his daughter. Virtue's love for the girl was not passing fancy, he was in love with her because she had senselessly saved his life out of her good nature had ever since been very kind to him. But he kept wondering how good a valve the sheep owner agree to let her daughter marry such a penniless man like himself and how could he with no money or belonging provide for such a beautiful and well-bred young woman who was doubtless used to many luxuries in her life? At last he decided to try to forget her and gathered his things go away. At night he told the sheep owner about his decision, thanked him again from the bottom of his heart for his kindness at saving his life and opening his home to him and confessed that he could not find any way to properly thank him but he promised to pray for him every day so he would find his way to heaven and God would then pay him back for his good deeds. He then told him that even though he would miss him very much, it had in a long time since he had been to his village and that he really needed to go back there, so he asked permission to set off to his own home at dawn. The sheep owner heard this he was truly sad and thought for a while. Then he told him that a young man like himself could go wherever he wanted but he might always come again to meet a companion like Vice and he might find himself in peril again. Why wouldn't he stay in such a beautiful peaceful place where he is surely safe and sound? He told him that of all his precious belongings his daughter was the dearest to him and he would gladly give him her hand and many of his sheep, if he would except to stay. Virtue was very glad to hear this and then he openly confessed that he loved the sheep owner's daughter that he suspected that she loved him back. They had a humble ceremony the next day and the two were married. After all his suffering and struggle Virtue finally came to peace and prosperity.
After a few months the sheep owner as was his custom gathered up his camp and left the land with his family and his men to a new place with fresh fields. But before leaving he sent his men to the magic tree to gather up some of the healing leaves so he could take them with himself: One big sack of the leaves that cured blindness and one that cured fainting. The party was on the way for a long time and dusty and desolate roads before they reached a big beautiful town with a powerful king. It was known throughout the town that the king's daughter had been suffering from sudden fainting for many years and for this reason she was slowly pining away. As she was the daughter of a king, no man was allowed to look at her except for the doctors, who were unable to cure her of her illness. So the king, out of desperation, sent word to all corners of his land to seek any man who had a cure for the illness to come forward and try his hand. If a man succeeded he could take her as his wife, but had the man failed he would have to be executed because no man a stranger to the princess would live after seeing her face. So many men came and tried their luck and lost their heads. Once virtue heard of this he immediately sent word to the king that he had a cure and he would provide it for no cost and out of good will. King was very pleased and asked him to come forward because his name was Virtue and his eyes were so honest, the king was very hopeful so he sent him to his daughter's chambers. She was lying on her bed looking very weak, her clothes sticking to her body of sweat that had beaded on her forehead. Virtue turn some of the magic leaves into the cool and refreshing potion the princes drank and fell into a deep sleep three days. She woke up smiling with rosy cheeks and asked for breakfast. The king, upon hearing this immediately visited his daughter and found her almost in complete health. So he called for a great feast, invited all the land and bestowed upon Virtue all manners of luxuries and precious goods. The king's grand vizier also had a young beautiful daughter who had gone blind after falling ill to small pox. So Virtue cured her blindness as well using the magic leaves, and soon he became one of the King's own courtiers and trustees. Years passed and the king named him as his successor and when the old king died Virtue sat on his throne. One hot summer day the king camped in a nearby field for the day and as he had gone for a walk among the greens he came across Vice and immediately recognized him and told his men to capture him and bring him to the palace. In the palace Virtue confronted Vice and reminded him of his cruel treatment in the desert, of how he had been left for the dead but Lord did not want him to die so he survived and came to so much prosperity. But because he could not find it in his heart to do harm even to pay man such as Vice, he decided to let him go, but the sheep owner, Who was the king's closest friend and advisor, brought out his sword and cut off Vice's head and said to Virtue that and then who has so much in his heart will only poison the world with his malice while a good-natured man like Virtue himself would take happiness and prosperity wherever he went.