My Friend's Lost Story
January 11, 2011 10:45 PM Subscribe
Please help me help my friend find the source of a story she remembers. I don't know why, but she really, really wants to find it, so I'm hoping the hive mind can help. (story after the jump)
A man has a beautiful wife, but is always suspicious and jealous of her. Every time he thinks a jealous thought, the angels put a tiny stone ("no bigger than a button") in his heart. The stones gradually make his heart heavier and heavier. His behavior becomes uglier and uglier. Then one day he comes home and finds her in bed with another man. This somehow leads him to understand that he loves her and needs to forgive her. Every time he looks at his wife with forgiveness, the angels take away one of the stones, until .... happy ending.
This story doesn't even seem to make much sense to me, so it's possible there are two stories entwined here. Has anyone ever heard anything even vaguely like this? Specifics, please.
A man has a beautiful wife, but is always suspicious and jealous of her. Every time he thinks a jealous thought, the angels put a tiny stone ("no bigger than a button") in his heart. The stones gradually make his heart heavier and heavier. His behavior becomes uglier and uglier. Then one day he comes home and finds her in bed with another man. This somehow leads him to understand that he loves her and needs to forgive her. Every time he looks at his wife with forgiveness, the angels take away one of the stones, until .... happy ending.
This story doesn't even seem to make much sense to me, so it's possible there are two stories entwined here. Has anyone ever heard anything even vaguely like this? Specifics, please.
I've heard a variation of this story before, and while my Google-fu fails me at the moment, I believe it's a Nordic or a Slavic folktale. It might even be French. The "moral" at the end of the story was that jealousy and suspicion make you ugly and unhappy, and that both play a hefty role in self-fulfilling prophecies.
posted by patronuscharms at 11:27 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by patronuscharms at 11:27 PM on January 11, 2011
Best answer: There's no source, but apparently the guy's name was Farris :)
posted by lollusc at 11:41 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by lollusc at 11:41 PM on January 11, 2011
Or apparently it could be from the Bible. Hm.
posted by patronuscharms at 12:02 AM on January 12, 2011
posted by patronuscharms at 12:02 AM on January 12, 2011
Best answer: The Magic Eyes from Lewis B. Smedes' book Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve
posted by ellenaim at 1:58 AM on January 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by ellenaim at 1:58 AM on January 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you! The Smedes' book must be the version she remembers, with the "no bigger than a button" phrase.
Amazing -- I love this site.
posted by kestralwing at 3:41 AM on January 12, 2011
Amazing -- I love this site.
posted by kestralwing at 3:41 AM on January 12, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by semmi at 11:07 PM on January 11, 2011