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Shortening the Road 

a traditional irish tale

The Goban and his son were walking the road together one day, and the Goban said to the son, “Shorten the road for me.” So the son began to walk fast, thinking that would do it, but the Goban sent him back home.  the son didn’t understand what to do.

The next day they were walking, and the Goban said to his son, "shorten the road for me."  So, this time he began to run ahead, and again the Goban sent him home.  the son was not pleased with himself.

When he arrived home, the second time, and told the wife he was sent home the second time, she began to think, and she said, “When he bids you shorten the road, it is that he wants you to be telling him  stories.” For that is what the Goban meant, but it took the daughter-in-law to understand it.  And it is what I was saying to the other woman, that if one of ourselves w as making a journey, if we had another along with us, it would not seem to be one half as long as if we wouldn’t be alone.  And if this is so with us, it is much more with a stranger, and so I went up the hill with you to shorten the road, telling you that story.