The Parable of the Shoe Thief

The Shoe Theif

by Unknown

This master lived in a village. This village was a smaller village, but everyone knew the master, because he was the only one that owned a house. This house wasn't huge, but it was clean and the countenance of the house was amazing. This house was built on a hill and people would walk barefoot up this trail to the house and with their keys, would go inside, enjoy the special treasure, and then later leave. People did this all day long, but there was someone who did not like that this master had a house and everybody was paying attention to him So this thief tried everything possible to destroy this house, but for some reason was very unsuccessful. So he thought and thought and thought that if he got the master of the house, then the house would be his, so he planned.

He noticed that everybody was barefoot and was walking on this trail up to this house, so at night, he put glass and nails and other things that would cut these peoples feet up. When it came to be morning, the people noticed that they were unable to walk up to the house because they were getting cut. So they just eventually just wandered around and some wander so far away that they got lost.

The master asked his servants to do everything that they could to bring these people back. So these servants went out of the house and talked with these people. He told them about the key to the house and the treasure that they could find inside, but most of the people did not even know what the house was or why they even cared about the treasures. So the servants realized that these people are not remembering what the treasures were. So they thought, well if we give them shoes, then they would be able to walk on the glass up to the house.

The servants went around to the people giving them shoes and after a while, people started putting these shoes on. These shoes were a little magical though; they fit all sizes of feet and would lead you I the direction of the house, all you had to do is walk. So people put these shoes on and started walking and got lead in the direction of the house. This shoe thief noticed that they were going towards the house, so he thought and thought and came up with another idea. He would build houses around this house and they would be confused. It worked on some of the people, but not all of them. So he thought again and again and came up with another idea. If he were to have the people loosen up their shoes, then he could come in when they are sleeping and take them off. The shoe thief went up to the people and asked, hey your shoes look a little tight, and you should loosen them so that it’s more comfortable. Some people said no, I like them the way they are, while some said, you know your right and they loosened them. The people that loosened them got their shoes taken off at night when they were sleeping. These people got their feet cut up and eventually lost. The people that did not loosen their shoes eventually made it to the home where they received a brand new key and they could remember the treasure that the master offered. 

This was a story that I heard that I liked. I can't remember who told it though.