Timothy, Sam, And Albert: A Short Story

Once upon a time, there lived three hungry Civil War soldiers, named Timothy, Sam, and Albert. The fact that they were all Confederate soldiers was basically the only similarity they shared. Timothy was a handsome thirty-year-old. He was known among his friends as a gallant soldier, never afraid, and a kind friend to all who came into his acquaintance. On the other hand, Sam, an old man known as “Sour Sam,” was exactly that: sour. His face was one that always frowned, seemingly unable to smile. Nevertheless, beneath Sam’s famous frown, a kind heart was hidden. Lastly, Albert was a lad of merely fourteen years, but he had chosen to serve his country, along with his older brothers. Little Albert was a fine boy, but had reached a point in his

They were hungry, and thought that the efforts of three might bring about more food than that of one. Therefore, they joined forces, and headed towards their homes together. Surprisingly, as they traveled, the three soldiers became friends. Albert would admire Timothy, Timothy would wonder at the curious old man named Sam, and both the men held a deep respect for the courageous and inspiring boy. After a few days of traveling, the soldiers came upon a large village. They approached a cottage door, and when an ancient lady cautiously opened it, Albert began: “Ma’am, please, could you spare a bit of dinner for three starving soldiers?” “Absolutely not!” was the woman’s decisive answer. A crowd of villagers gathered around the doorway when they heard her startlingly loud response. “Who were these strangers, and what did they want with Granny (the lady’s nickname) that would make her so angry?” the villagers wondered. When Granny realized she had gathered an audience of neighbors, she pointed to them, and again addressed the soldiers: “You think WE have enough food to spare? Look around! We lack enough food to sustain ourselves, and you ask that we would share with

A few moments later, a villager reluctantly offered a pinch of salt. Timothy then stated, “A few carrots would help these stones to turn into soup even more quickly!” Another villager raced to his house, returning with a beautiful bunch of carrots.

By the end of the evening, nearly every villager had contributed food to the pot, and a splendid soup resulted! The villagers gave substantial portions of it to the soldiers, thanked them for teaching them that they had all they needed if they combined their possessions, and bid them farewell.

But what became of our three soldiers? Well, Timothy grew wiser with each passing year, and recounted to his grandchildren the tale of the stone soup. Upon his return home, Sam’s family found his heart softer, and they found that a smile more frequently visited his face. Albert no longer questioned what sort of a man he wished to become. He knew that he wanted to be just like Timothy. He got his wish. Albert was loved and honored by his community until his dying day. He was known as the most thoughtful and selfless man in the world, and the most willing to share what little he