Section 1
Once upon a time, three destitute brothers were struggling to make ends meet. They were so impoverished that they often went without food and water, and were constantly plagued by hunger. Realizing that their situation was untenable, they decided to leave their home and embark on a journey to seek their fortune. Despite traveling for a long time, they had yet to encounter any good fortune. One day, they stumbled upon a vast forest, and in the middle of the woods, they spotted a hill made entirely of silver. The oldest brother declared that he had found the good fortune he had been searching for and promptly filled his pockets with as much silver as he could carry before heading back home. However, the other two brothers believed that there was more to good fortune than just silver and decided to continue on their journey without touching the silver hill. After walking for another two days without taking a break, the brothers stumbled upon a hill made entirely of gold. The second brother was torn between two choices: should he take as much gold as he could carry and have enough to sustain him for the rest of his life, or should he continue on his journey in search of something more valuable than gold? After much contemplation, he finally made up his mind and filled his pockets with as much gold as they could hold. He bid farewell to his brother and decided to head back home. However, the youngest brother had a different perspective. He was not swayed by the allure of silver and gold and refused to give up his chance at finding something better. He continued on his journey, and after walking for three days, he found himself in a vast forest that was even larger than the previous one. He searched for food and water but found none, and soon grew weary. To see the end of the forest, he climbed a tall tree but to his dismay, he could see nothing but the endless expanse of treetops stretching out before him. As he descended the tree, hunger gnawed at him, and he longed to eat his fill once again. To his amazement, he spotted a table richly laid with food beneath the tree. The steam from the sumptuous spread wafted up towards him, and he could hardly believe his eyes. "Finally, my wish has been granted," he exclaimed, "just in the nick of time!" Without giving much thought to who had prepared the food or where it came from, he eagerly approached the table and began to feast on the delicious fare until his hunger was fully satisfied. After finishing his meal, he realized that it would be a shame to leave the beautiful tablecloth behind in the forest. He carefully folded it up and put it in his pocket. As he continued on his journey, he once again grew hungry in the evening. He decided to test out his new possession, and spread out the tablecloth, saying, "I wish for a table covered with delicious food." To his delight, the table was instantly filled with an array of exquisite dishes. "Now I understand where this food is coming from," he exclaimed, "this tablecloth is more valuable to me than any amount of gold or silver." Realizing that he possessed a wishing-cloth, he decided to keep traveling in search of more fortune, rather than settling down at home.
