There was once a kingdom that had two neighboring countries. Each year, the rulers of these kingdoms would come together to discuss the issues they were facing. Top security and royal service was ordered for the event, as only the kings themselves sat in on this highly important meeting.
Without consulting with the other kings, one of them invited his personal advisor to the feast. This distressed the other kings. “How dare he bring his personal advisor?” they confided with each other. But what added salt to the wound was the fact that the advisor was a Yid. That triggered their sinas Yisrael to the next level. “Bad enough he invited his advisor, but lo and behold he’s even a Yid?!” That was too much for them.
However, due to royal dignity, they had to maintain a business-like exterior throughout the meeting despite their anger burning inside them.
The time for the grand event arrived. The ballroom was set up like a regal banquet: majestic couches and a royal spread special for the occasion. Every king was escorted by an entourage of followers and was greeted with an honorable welcome. But unlike the other kings, the Yid was confronted with a group of youngsters, mocking him and his beliefs. In a scornful manner, they screamed: “Jew! Jew! You don’t belong here...”
The advisor understood good and well what this was all about. Without getting upset, he reached into his leather suitcase, took out a slew of gold coins, and instructed the driver to hand them over to the youngsters. They took the money and happily quieted their protest. The Yid finally arrived at the meeting and was greeted with majestic honor as well.
During the meeting, one of the kings sparked up a conversation with the Yid and said, “I heard how some of my citizens were mocking you on your way in. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. I really should punish them for such behavior and disrespect, but I’m sure you understand that such things are out of my control.”
Nodding his head in a gesture of approval, the Yid understood right away what was going on. This king himself was behind the boys’ earlier antics; he’d set them up so that he could lodge some type of protest over the Yid’s involvement without having to do it himself.
“Don’t be sorry,” replied the Yid. “Not only did they not hurt my feelings, but they actually gave me the greatest present I was yet to get. I was so thankful for that mock that I even threw them some gold coins. And if I’d have more money on me, I would have given them that too. They gave me something nobody’d ever given me.”
The king was shocked by the Yid’s response. “What’s that?” questioned the king.
“Let me tell you a story.”
