A Fable...

We talked about 'free agency' (or some might know this principle as 'free will') in church today - I discussed it with the youth in back tracking to Joshua's great call to action "Choose ye this day whom ye shall serve..." scripture... and the matter of "choice" moved forward with us into the book of Judges (which was today's lesson).
In the 3rd hour meeting the ladies again, gathered to discuss this topic from the back drop of a general conference talk titled: To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency, by Elder Rober D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
As I listened to the 'sisters' participating in that last meeting of the day - adding their thoughts and feelings to the lesson... I thought of how marvelous, and still rare a blessing it is - even in our modern society - that women can so freely express themselves. Given the fact that for centuries my ilk have been counted as property, chattle, suppressed and oppressed and to this very day held captive in many sectors of the world by the evil designs of conspiring men....
Even in 2006 -America the beautiful - women are wise to be cautious with whom they associate and aline themselves... an unwise choice of companionship can seriously comprimise a woman's opportunity to have her voice heard - and the horrid reality is that sometimes we are silenced completely.
I thought about this tale I'd just recieve in my e-mail this morn from a less active member of my church and I relayed it to the Sisters. It's a good story. I thought I'd post it here for you to read and ponder as well.............

Leave your thoughts for me after you've read it through? =)

A Fable From the Round Table…

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, if after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death.
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The question?....What do women really want?
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Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.
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He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: the princess, the priests, the wise men and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer.
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Many people advised him to consult the old witch, for only she would have the answer.
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But the price would be high; as the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.
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The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first.
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The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!
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Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life.
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He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden, but Lancelot, learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table.
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Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered Arthur's question thus: What a woman really wants, she answered....is to be in charge of her own life.
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Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared.
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And so it was, the neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding.
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The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom. But, what a sight awaited him. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened.The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, she would henceforth, be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the beautiful maiden the other half.
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Which would he prefer: Beautiful during the day....or night?
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Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day - a beautiful woman to show off to his friends. But at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch (?) Or, would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day, but by night, a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous, intimate moments?
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What would YOU do?
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Noble Lancelot, knowing the answer the witch gave Arthur to his question, said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself.
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Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own life.
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Now....what is the moral to this story?

The moral is.....