Original Parables
The Carpenter's Apprentice
Manuel made his way through the woodshop that he had inherited from his father. Now himself an esteemed carpenter, Manuel found the apprentice at a workbench in the back, putting the finishing touches on a model ship about the size and weight of his own two hands.
Seeing his craftsmanship, Manuel told the apprentice, "You will build a boat fit for a journey."
The apprentice looked up in surprise. "I will?"
"You will."
"When?"
"While I am away."
Without another word, Manuel set out, and the apprentice set to work.
The apprentice was overwhelmed with honor and excitement. This was his chance to do something real and useful. Oh, he loved fashioning toys that would delight and entertain children and knickknacks that would adorn shelves and mantels, but never before had he been entrusted to build a true vessel.
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