The story is taken from a book compiled by the late Rev. Gerald Chamberlain, a great children’s story teller and a person who inspired and influenced many young people. With kind permission from his son, Paul.
THE KING’S GARDEN
Text: “Thou shalt be like a watered Garden.” Isaiah 58: 11
There once lived a great and powerful King who ruled over a very large and beautiful country. He had a most marvellous garden of glorious design, colour and breathtaking beauty. In the corner of the garden was a little house with every requirement to make the person to whom he gave the charge of his garden completely happy..
At length the King chose a boy named “Will”. He took him and showed him every part of it: the fertile soil in which to plant his seed, the little house in the corner in which he was to; live, the big walls all round, and the gate with the bolts and bars which was to make him secure to all comers.
“The garden is to be yours”, said the King “To till and plant trees and shrubs, which shall yield good fruit, which one day I will come and gather.” “Whatever seeds and. roots you desire to plant you have only to ask and they will at once be sent.”
“You see there is a little wire from your house to my great Castle on the hill by which you can send messages to me if you wish.”
The King departed and left Will standing proud and happy. “See,” he cried aloud “All this is mine. I am Master of it all.”
“Oh no, you’re not.” The voice startled Will. Looking round in surprise Will saw a tall stranger, with dark face and eyes. “Oh no you’re not” the stranger repeated, “as I will very easily show you; you are only the servant of the King who put you here, and who is a cruel hard master, who does not love you or wish you well.” “After you have toiled hard, tilling his ground and planting his seed, he will come and gather all the fruit himself, and you will have nothing at all for your trouble and labour.”
“Oh,” said Will, “I never thought of that.”
The Stranger continued,.” Why should you serve him??? Why not be your own master?? You have a strong gate and high walls round your garden and could easily rebel against the king and take the garden as your own. And besides, if you open the gate and let me in, I will be your servant.”
How nice and pleasant this sounded to Will. Before long the Stranger was through the open Gate and for a time all seemed just as pleasant as the Stranger had promised. Will 1ived at ease in his little house and the Stranger did all the work. And how hard he did work to be sure… In a very little time the garden was planted with all kind of trees and shrubs that Will had never seen before. The soil was so fertile that in a very short time the garden was yielding new fruit.
When the fruit was ripe the Stranger took Will around the garden and Will ate freely of all the sparkling new fruit. Will ate greedily and found the new fruit very sweet to his taste. Afterwards he found what he had eaten turned very bitter and made him ill. And yet he found he couldn’t leave the fruit alone, he had a craving for it day and night . . . . .
Another curious effect the fruit had on him was to change the appearance of his face., From a bright, honest, open face to a face very similar to the Stranger’s. Will often asked him the names of the plants but the Stranger always refused but the Stranger gave in one day and told him . . . . There was a Flaming Red Plant named ANGER . . . .A Rough Rambler called SELF-WILL . . . A Tall Fast Growing Plant ca’lled PRIDE . . . . A ROCK PLANT calIed LYING . . . . A Lovely Plant with a Bitter Sting called CHEATING . . . . A Mammoth Prickly Annual called . . . .UNKINDNESS…and a Plant with a Powerful Dye in its leaves called. UNCLEANNESS . . . . .
The ugly names frightened Will, but the craving for the fruit continued. One day he found stored away in a drawer of a desk a very ANCIENT MIRROR . . . . .He was glad to find it, for he had no mirror of his own. As he gazed in to the mirror he was utterly shocked . . . .
He saw a Gruel, Hard Bitter and Deceitful Face very much like the Strangers’
Rushing out into the garden he seized an axe and started hewing away at the devilish plants with all his might. “The axe” had on its blades the two words, “GOOD RESOLVE” . . . . . “Now”, thought Will, “‘there is an end for ever of all that bad and wicked fruit. 11 But foolish Will had forgotten that the roots were still there. And so the Plants began to sprout again, stronger than they were before.
One evening as he walked around the Garden in great despair he heard a gentle knocking at the gate, and heard a sweet voice say, “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear My Voice and open the door I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Looking round Will saw at the gate ONE standing so quiet and patient and with a loving gentle face and poor Will’s heart went out to Him at once. “This patient, loving One will make all things different in your garden, HE HAS OVERCOME’ THE STRANGER AND IS STRONGER THAN HE” said a Voice.
Will opened the door, and welcomed the Saviour in.
Will watched the Saviour go to work on the terrible plants. He pulled them out with consummate ease and before long the ground was cleared and the Terrifying Plants burned.. Then the Saviour planted Nine Beautiful Plants that spread all over the Garden. The Saviour had changed the Garden completely. It was a real Conversion.
With acknowledgements to Montague Goodman.
