Funeral Fable.

Maria lives in a village in South America with no water. Everyday she must walk 5 miles to the spring to fetch water. She carries her two water pots, Santos and Pueblo, suspended from a yoke across her shoulders. As she nears home her burden becomes lighter, because Pueblo is a cracked pot and water leaks out of him. By the time Maria reaches the village, Pueblo is only half full.

Pueblo is a very unhappy pot. He says to Maria, "I am so sorry that I cannot serve you as Santos serves you. You walk all that way to fetch water, but when we return I only bring half as much water as Santos brings."

Maria consols him, "Look at the path. You will see that all along the path are beautiful flowers that cheer me as I make the long journey. But the flowers are only on one side, the side that you water."

"Pueblo," she continued, "I know you for what you are and I decided to use you. I brought seeds and dropped them on the gound that you had watered. So even though you are not perfect and leak a little, I was able to use you to bring cheer and happiness to all who walk along this path."