The Unforgiving Father

Stories for Another Day

A farmer had two sons. Together they worked on their farm, growing crops and tending the cattle and the chickens and ducks. The farm was very prosperous and all was well, until one day the farmer, Dreck, said to his younger son, Raymond, “When you are out in the fields today, make sure you shut the floodgates. The river is already high, and if more rain comes, the fields could be flooded.”

But the son forgot to close the gates. Heavy rains came during the night, and the river rose. Because the flood gates were open, water flooded over the farm. The crops were ruined, and many animals were lost, but worst of all, the eldest son was swept away in the floods and drowned.

Raymond was pierced to the heart with sorrow for what he had done. He wept and pleaded with his father to forgive him, but Dreck stormed and raged at him, shouting, “Never! I will never forgive you! Get out, and never come back!”

Raymond, full of guilt and sorrow that he had been the cause of his brother’s death, turned away and left. As he reached the gate of the farm, his mother came running after him. “Raymond!” she said. “I know that you are truly sorry for what you did, and I forgive you. Now promise me this: for your brother’s sake, you must forgive yourself, and you must try to live the best and fullest life you can.”

Raymond gave her his promise, and they embraced for the last time. She gave him her blessing and he went on his way.

As time went by, Raymond found work on other farms. He worked diligently, and studied hard, and learnt how to take care of sick animals. Soon he was being called on by people from all over the country to help their animals. In time he married and had three sons of his own, and taught them everything he knew. And in time, he managed to forgive himself for what he had done.

Meanwhile, his father was so filled with bitterness and anger that he stopped working on the farm and caring for the animals. He sat at home, day after day, raging and mourning for his lost son. The farm gradually fell into ruin. His wife pleaded with him every day to forgive his son Raymond and ask him to come back, but Dreck closed his heart.

When the crops failed, Dreck blamed his son, saying, “It was him who let the floodwaters in and ruined the land.” When the animals died, he blamed his son again, saying, “The animals have died because there isn’t enough food for them now that the crops have failed.” And when his wife finally died of sorrow, he blamed his son for that too. “Raymond broke her heart and left her without hope,” he said.

With his wife gone, Dreck spent all his time in a single room of the house, staring out over his desolate farm. He ate little besides black bread and porridge. The house began to fall into disrepair, with leaks in the roof, mould on the walls, and holes in the floors. One day he found it was all more than he could bear. He had to get out of the house.

He strode down to the gate and leant over it, looking down the road. A young man he had never seen before was walking towards the farm. The young man spoke to him. “You have a beautiful farm,” he said.

“Do you think so?” Dreck snorted. “Maybe it was once, but now it’s worthless.”

The young man, whose name was Luca, said, “The soil in this corner is good. If it was dug over well, I’m sure it would be fit for planting.”

Dreck shrugged. “You’re welcome to try, if you want to,” he said. He opened the gate and Luca came in. He dug over that corner of the farm thoroughly, and then he planted some seeds and they began to grow.

The young man looked over to the next corner of the farm, then he went and began to dig a long, deep trench. “What are you doing?” Dreck growled. “This land is nothing more than a swamp!”

“If I dig a ditch along the length of this field, the water should drain away,” Luca said. “Underneath, the soil is still good.” Sure enough, once the water had been drained away and the soil dried out, Dreck could see that it was good. Together they dug it over and planted some seeds, and they started to grow.

The young man took his spade to the third corner of the farm, and started digging. Dreck said, “The soil here is parched and arid. It’s a wasteland.”

Luca said, “If I can dig a channel to the river, there will be water to irrigate the land and bring it back to life.” He dug long and hard, and water began to fill the channel, and soak into the dry, hard ground. He and Dreck dug it over and planted seeds, and they grew tall and strong.

In the fourth corner of the farm, some weed-infested buildings that had once been barns were falling down. “If we clear all this away and pull out the weeds, the soil may still be good underneath,” Luca said.

They pulled down the old barns and hauled the rubbish away and tore out the weeds. Then they dug over the ground, planted some seeds and watched them grow.

Dreck said to the young man, “The house needs a lot of work to repair it. Will you help me?”

Luca helped him patch the roof and repair the floors. They cleaned and painted it inside and out. When it was finished, the old man went to the window. He stood there looking out, and he cried out in pain.

“What’s the matter?” Luca said quickly. “Are you ill?”

“I feel as if my heart is being crushed,” Dreck groaned. “I’m afraid I’m going to die without ever seeing my son again!” He wept and sobbed. “Long ago I turned him away, but now I would give anything to see him once more.”

Luca wiped the tears from Dreck’s face and said, “Your son, Raymond, is my father. You are my grandfather. My father speaks of you every day, and always with love.”

This made Dreck weep even more.

“If you want me to, I will go to my father and bring him to you,” Luca said. “Nothing would make him happier, I know.”

Dreck asked him to do as he said, so the young man went quickly and brought his father back. As soon as Raymond entered the house, he fell on his knees before his father, but Dreck lifted him up and embraced him.

“Please, I beg you,” Dreck said, “let me forgive you! For years I have fed on bitterness and anger and blame, but if I can forgive you, I will be free of them.” Raymond embraced his father, and they wept together. Dreck forgave his son, and he felt peace at last. With his son and his grandsons, the old man lived in peace and happiness for the rest of his life.