Do like to Judge "An Ancient Tale"

new boy

Long ago in an ancient Kindom, there lived a princess who was VERY young and very beaufiful. The princes, recently married, lived in a large luxurious castel with her husband, a powerful and wealthy lord. The young princess was not content, however to sit and eat strawberries by herself while her husband took frequent and long journeys to neighboring kingdoms. She felt neglected and soon became quite unhappy. One day while she was alone in the castle gardens, a handsome vagabond quickly won her heart, and carried her away with him.

Following a day of dalliance, the young princess found herself ruthlessly abandoned by the vagabond. She then discovered that the only way back to the castle led through the bewitched forest of the wicked sorcerer. Fearing to venture into the forest unaccompanied, she sought out her kind and wise godfather. She explained her plight, BEGGED forgiveness of the godfather and asked his assistance in returning home before her husband returned. The godfather, however, surprised and scocked ar her behavior, refused forgiveness and denied her any assistance.

Discourage, but still determined, the princess disguised her identity and sought the help of the most noble of all the kingdom's knights. After hearing the sad story, the knight pledged his unfailing aid--for a modest fee. But, alas, the princess had no money and the knight rode away to save other damsels.

The beauiful princess had no one else from whom she might seek help, and decided to brave the peril alone. She followed the safest path she knew, but when she was almost through the forest, the wicked sorcerer spied her and caused her to be devoured by the fire-breathing dragon.

* Who is the MOST RESPONSIBLE for the death of the princess?

*Who is the LEAST RESPONSIBLE?

*Who is the MOST ETHICAL?

* Who is LEAST ETHICAL?

Have FUN-----new boy

LongHairGal

If you were in tower-land the princess would be considered responsible for her plight (they have no pity on women). Like the story of Dinah, they hold her responsible because she sought out association from the daughters of the land. Sounds like what happens today in middle eastern countries. Makes me vomit.

But as far as your questions about who is most responsible for her death, I would have to say the vagabond, the godfather and the knight. Nobody there is really ethical IMO. I'm glad I don't live in this never-never land.

LHG

new boy

Dear Long hair gal

I don't think there are any right or wrong answers. So are you saying the girl has no responsible-----------She is just a victim in this whole thing. Is life just a think that just happens to us?-----------Are all the men bad what about the Prince?

Wasanelder Once

I think it was Colonel Mustard in the Drawing Room with the pipe wrench.

W.Once

Abandoned

The wealthy lord should be fried for leaving his sexually frustrated wife alone for long periods of time. Besides, who the heck wants to sit and eat strawberries all day? Variety is the spice of life. And contrary to common, wt belief, there are other spices besides salt. Still, the story doesn't mention whether the princess tried to make her feelings of dissatisfaction known to her husband, so who was more negligent of the two is not discernible from what's written.

Logical hole: Since the princess was only dallying for a day, then she was only a day's journey from home and since she didn't run into any trouble leaving, why was she so concerned with what she would encounter on the way back? Plus, she was able to travel from this heinous place to her godfather's house, but she couldn't go back home?

The godfather isn't godly or fatherly. What kind of person refuses forgiveness to someone who is sincerely sorry. Of course, maybe the princess wasn't sorry for her fling. Maybe she was only sorry for the fling not turning into something more. In that case though, wouldn't the godfather want to help reunite the couple so that the wealthy lord could move on with his life? Maybe the godfather just didn't want to be bothered by mere sinners. His repugnance suggests that he probably considered himself above that kind of activity. His sins were more refined than her base sins. Off with her head!

The evil wizard is already defined as evil so he's at fault no matter what he does. The story leaves out some pertinent information though. As we learned from the seinfeld show, people have a certain level of social responsibility when they witness an evil act. So, the evil wizard may have just been following his natural instincts. He may not have been designed or created with the ability to NOT be evil. Did the godfather have the capabilities to help and just not want to because he judged the princess as not deserving help. Did he have the power to make that call.

The point I'm trying to make is that we don't have enough information to say for sure who's right and who's wrong.

Narkissos

Strangely this reminds me of a JW memory: there was a similar "test tale" going on in Bethel, shortly before I left. The main difference was that the hearer was asked to range the characters by preference order (from the most to the least likeable). This was very revealing, especially in a JW context.

By such standards I would rate:

1) The princess
2) The dragon
3) The vagabond
4) The sorcerer
5) The lord
6) The knight
7) The godfather

(I apologise for not playing by the rules; I tried but I did not succeed in working out a purely ethical judgement. Probably haven't enough ethics left.)

Abandoned

I think it was Colonel Mustard in the Drawing Room with the pipe wrench.

LOL! Actually, it was john (the class) in the footstool with the false prophecy.

jaguarbass

* Who is the MOST RESPONSIBLE for the death of the princess?

The princess

*Who is the LEAST RESPONSIBLE?

the knight

*Who is the MOST ETHICAL?

the knight

* Who is LEAST ETHICAL?

the princess

Have FUN-----new boy

Satanus

Everything is as it should be.

S

LongHairGal

Newboy:

Yes, I do think the girl has a responsibility and she made a stupid mistake. The problem is that this is a "ruthless" society she comes from where people are rigid in their "positions" with no leeway for any wrong. People relate to one another and react to you based on your position in their society. Yes, I think the prince is wrong but in a society like that there is no winning. The prince could be cheating and bring her a venereal disease and there would be nothing she could do about it.

If this happened nowadays, this girl would receive help from most people even if she were in a not so good neighborhood. I know our modern western world has a lot of wrong in it but there would be more forgiveness for her kind of stupidity.

LHG

Do like to Judge "An Ancient Tale"

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