For What it's Worth

this is a story I heard my friend Victor tell one night a few summers ago in the pleasant heat of a starry night:

There were two brothers who grew up in a house on top of a hill amongst the fields. Everyday they would go play at a tire swing by a river near their house. As the brothers grew older their lives began to take different courses but they still got together for a sit and a chat at the tire swing as often as they could. As they went off to college they grew more and more apart but when they came home to visit they could tramp off to the swing and it seemed as if no time had passed. As the years went on the brother's took wives and started families. After their parents passed away they were both back at their old house after the funeral and they went down to see if the tire swing was still in place, hanging from the tree by the river. It was there and they sat down and talked about their lives, their families and so on. After a few hours of talking their boyish adventurish spirits had been coaxed out of hibernation. They formulated a plan to build a sail boat and the older brother would sail for a year, returning to the tire swing exactly 365 days after departing. Then the younger brother would go out for the same amount of time. The brothers built a fine looking boat and after making family arrangements and what not, the older brother set sail from the nearest port. He sailed for many moons until after nearly six months had passed he spotted an island with buildings on the horizon. Setting a course for the island, the older brother pulled into port and was greeted by all the inhabitants. They had not had a visitor in hundreds of years and gave him the royal treatment which included a dinner with the king that night. As the older brother made his way through town he noticed some of the finest jewels he had ever seen in his life just lying in the gutters of the island's streets. The dinner the king had prepared was an extravagant feast, much like Prentiss Brunch. Servants prepared plates for everyone and the king watched intently as the older brother took a bite of chicken. "How is it?" the king asked. "It's okay," replied the older brother. "Only ok?" the king demanded. "It needs some salt, that's all," noted the older brother. The king got a puzzled look on his face and asked his servants if they knew what salt was. No one did. THe older brother then realized that the island probably had not yet figured out how to use salt on food. He quickly ran back to his boat and got some salt and put it on the king's food. The king's face lit up and he exclaimed, "this is the best thing I have ever tasted! How can I ever repay you?" The older brother thought for a moment and then asked, "what about all those jewels in your gutters, can I have some of those?" THe king looked puzzled and said, "you want our trash?" but granted the older brother his wish. The older brother loaded his boat up with the priceless jewels, showed the islanders how to take salt from the ocean's waters and then sailed off toward home and his rendevous at the tire swing with his younger brother. One year after he departed, the older brother arrived back at the tire swing where his younger brother was waiting for him. He told him of his tales and showed off his riches. The younger brother's eyes grew wide and he vowed to sail to the same island and find the same treasure. So he set sail, following his older brother's directions and after about six months arrived at the island. The island people once again gave him a warm reception and invited him to dine with their king. The younger brother noticed all the jewels in the gutters and fantasized about how rich he would be when he got back. At dinner the food tasted great, salted to perfection, but the younger brother had come prepared. He pulled out pepper and some seasoned salt he had brought and bid everyone to try it. Their mouths watered and they proclaimed him a culinary prophet like their visitor one year before. THe king asked, "How can I ever repay you?" The brother was prepared for this question and simply said, "Have your servants load my empty barrels up with all your valuables." That night the younger brother slept soundly in the king's castle while the king's men carried out his wish, loading up his boat. THe younger brother set sail the next day, vowing not to look upon his riches until he could show them to his brother and family. After a year had passed the brothers reunited at the tire swing and shared stories. Then they went to the boat and uncovered the barrels. All that was in them was salt.