A man wanted to become a monk.
The abbot pointed down into the ossuary. "Go down," he said, "and bless those bones."
The man did as the abbot said.
"Did you bless the bones?" The man nodded.
"What did the bones say?" asked the abbot.
"Nothing," the man replied.
"Now go curse the bones."
The man did as the abbot said.
"Did you curse the bones?" The man nodded.
"What did they say?"
"Nothing."
The abbot said, "Brother, that is how you must behave if you want to become a monk: regard blessings and curses the same, and say nothing."
Inspired by: Mille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 894 in the book. The story is not in the Perry catalog, but comes from Odo of Cheriton.
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