Prayers Answered

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, deserted island. The survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they have no other recourse but to pray to God.

However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they decided to divide the territory between them, thus each would stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.

After a week, the first man was lonely and decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship sank nearby, and the only survivor was a woman, who swan to his side of the island. On the other side, there was nothing.

Soon, the first man prayed for a house, clothes, and more food. The next day, like magic, all these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. He boarded the ship with his spouse and decided to leave the second man behind.

He considered the man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to sail off, the first man heard a booming voice which seemed to come from way above his head: "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"

"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them, His prayers were all unanswered, so he does not deserve anything."

"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."

"Tell me," the first man said, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"

"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."

Sent to Starmag by Jaysheila Manoharan