The Wet Shoes of a Very Hurried Teacher

Master Albin was the beloved teacher of a bright coastal town. The town sat on a warm hillside with green olive groves and stone docks. Every evening, families gathered in the plaza. There, Master Albin taught the children under a shady olive tree. He was very kind, but famous for his silly ideas. People said he was a wise man who forgot how to be simple.

One morning, Master Albin had an urgent task. He had to deliver the children’s new reading papers across the river. The papers were written with bright blue ink. If the river touched them, the ink would wash away and the lessons would be lost.

Albin looked at the rising sun. “Oh no!” he cried. “The school bell will ring soon. I must hurry!” He ran to the river crossing. Usually, Albin walked to the safe stone bridge. It was dry but far down the river. Right in front of him was a shortcut: a line of wet stepping stones across the stream.

“If I walk to the bridge, I will be late,” Albin thought. “But the stepping stones take only a minute.” He looked at the rushing river, then at his papers. He wanted to keep them dry, but he also wanted to be fast.

“I must protect these papers,” Albin said. “If I fall, my wool coat and shoes will get wet and take days to dry. But if I leave them on this side, they will stay safe. If I slip, only my shirt and the papers get wet. That is a better plan!”

Albin took off his coat and shoes and placed them on the grass. Holding the papers high, he stepped onto the first wet rock. It was very slippery. He wobbled, then stepped to the second rock. His foot slid on the wet moss. Splash! Albin fell into the river. The papers flew out of his hands and floated away, their blue ink melting into the stream.

Albin crawled onto the far bank, dripping wet and shivering. He looked back across the river. On the other side, his coat and shoes sat perfectly dry in the sun. Just then, the children walked down the path and saw their wet, shoeless teacher.

“Master Albin!” said a boy named Leo. “What about our reading lessons? And why are your shoes on the other side?” Albin smiled, though his teeth chattered. “Do not worry, children! I took a shortcut to save time, but I was responsible. I kept my coat and shoes dry on the other bank.”

Leo shook his head. “But teacher, now you are wet, our lessons are gone, and you must cross the rocks again to get your shoes!” Albin looked at his dry shoes. He sighed and said, “Yes, but if I had worn them, they would be wet too. A teacher can teach without papers, but how can a teacher walk to get his shoes without dry feet?”

The children could not help but laugh. They knew that if Albin had walked to the safe stone bridge, everything would be dry and ready.

Moral: True responsibility means taking the safe and proper path, rather than risking everything on a foolish shortcut.