Joshua and the Mountain

Joshua and the merchant sat by a warm fire. They looked up at the cold mountain.

“I bet you cannot survive one night on the mountain without fire,” the merchant said to Joshua. “If you can I will give you one acre of my land.”

“It is very cold on the mountain,” Joshua said. “But I will try.”

Joshua had always dreamed of owning land. Then he and his wife could have a farm of their own.

That night, Joshua told his wife about the bet.

“It is foolish,” said his wife. “But I will help you. I will build a fire at the foot of the mountain. Watch the fire. Imagine you are sitting warmly beside me and you will win.”

The next night, Joshua climbed to the top of the mountain. He stood on a rock with no fire. Each hour became colder. The rock on which he stood turned to ice.

Then he saw his wife’s fire far below. He watched it all night long. He thought about his wife and about their new farm. He survived the cold night.