A long time ago, there lived a young man of modest means but uncommon strength of character. He worked long hours, treated others fairly, and used his hands to build what his heart could envision.  By diligence and goodness, his name became known across the land, and in time he built an empire of extraordinary wealth.

Yet the man feared what riches often do to the soul.


So he set a condition upon his fortune: that only those who could both prove they were of his bloodline and walk in his integrity could inherit it.  His hope was that his legal descendants would value virtue as much as gold.

Years passed into centuries.

His posterity multiplied, but their records were lost, their hearts grew faint, and few remembered the standard of the man from whom they came.  The empire, untouched and ever-growing, waited in silence for a rightful heir.

Generations later, in a quiet village, two brothers lived by simple trades.
One evening, as dusk fell and rain whispered on the roof, a stranger knocked upon their door.

They welcomed him in, shared their food, and warmed him by their fire.

The stranger told them a story—of a man long dead, whose immense fortune remained sealed away, awaiting an heir both true in blood and in spirit.  “I know,” said the stranger, “how to prove your claim. This wealth can be yours.  I can help you find the right legal documents—but you must live as he lived.”

The elder brother leaned forward, his eyes bright with wonder.  The younger laughed, shaking his head. “Another tale for fools,” he said, and sent the stranger from their home.