THE STORY OF THE THREE DEAF

Once upon a time, in a remote village, there lived an extraordinary woman. She possessed a unique quality - she was deaf to the world's sounds, completely impervious to its whispers. Every morning, she would carry her child on her back and make her way to the vast peanut field that she tended with great care. Her peanut field was a magnificent expanse that stretched as far as the eye could see.

One serene morning, while she was diligently toiling in her field, a gentleman appeared. He was equally afflicted with profound deafness, incapable of hearing the world's secrets. This gentleman had an unusual dilemma: he had lost his flock of sheep. As fate would have it, their tracks had led him to this woman's bountiful peanut field.

He approached the lady and, with great sincerity, said, "Madam, I'm in search of my sheep, and their trails have led me to your remarkable field. Could you lend me your assistance in finding them? I can assure you, my sheep are quite distinctive, and among them, there's a wounded one. If you help me locate my sheep, I'd be more than willing to offer you the injured sheep, which could be of use to you."

However, she, having heard nothing, comprehended nothing. She merely believed that the gentleman was inquiring about the boundaries of her field. So she turned and replied, "My field ends over there."

The gentleman followed the direction indicated by the lady and, through an extraordinary stroke of luck, stumbled upon his sheep, grazing peacefully behind a dense thicket. Filled with joy, he gathered them and presented the injured sheep to the woman. But, given her complete lack of hearing and understanding, she mistakenly believed the gentleman was accusing her of harming the sheep. In her irritation, she retorted, "Sir, I have not harmed your sheep. Accuse anyone you like, but not me. In fact, I've never even seen any sheep."

Observing the woman's growing anger, the gentleman surmised that she desired a larger sheep instead of the injured one. Thus, he, too, became incensed, declaring, "Madam, this is the sheep I promised you. There's no way I will give you my largest sheep."

Their dispute escalated to such a point that they eventually found themselves in a village courtroom.

This court, set in an ancient African village, convened beneath the cooling shade of a majestic tree, often a venerable baobab. The judge, also the village chief, presided, surrounded by the dignitaries known as the elders.

The lady and the gentleman continued their quarrel as they entered the court. After the customary pleasantries, she began her narration: "This gentleman found me in my field and asked me where my field ended. I pointed it out and resumed my work. He left and returned a while later with a wounded sheep, falsely accusing me of injuring it. I swear, I have never laid eyes on any sheep. That's why we are here, Your Honor."

Then, it was the gentleman's turn to speak: "I was searching for my sheep, and their tracks led me to this lady's field. I told her that if she assisted me in finding my sheep, I'd give her one of them, specifically the injured one. She showed me my sheep, and I handed her the wounded sheep. However, she now desires a larger one. Do you think I should give her my biggest sheep, especially so close to the sheep festival?"

The judge stood up, a man as deaf as a post, utterly impervious to the world's clamor. Upon seeing the child on the woman's back, he assumed it was merely a domestic dispute. He addressed the gentleman: "Sir, this child is yours. Look at how striking the resemblance is. It seems to me that you might not be the best husband. As for you, Madam, minor squabbles like this do not require public airing. Return home, I hope you can reconcile."

Upon hearing this judgment, the entire assembly erupted into laughter. The infectious laughter even reached the judge, the lady, and the gentleman. What did they do? They laughed heartily in response, despite understanding nothing.

The fable leaves us pondering: Who among these three individuals is the most deaf to the world's subtleties?