The Tower

The Tower

Richard Paul Evans

This fable set in China was chosen by our second grade teacher, Mr. Sprau who has an eye for literature that builds character. It was read with Amber on the Mountain (see blog post March 13) for a series of morning openings on the theme of helpfulness. A man seeks to be the greatest in the kingdom so he builds a high tower. He has taken the advice literally that people who "look up to him" will think he is great. However, one day a bird tells him an old woman is greater than he is. Of course, this is a challenge to him so he seeks her out. She tells him that she not only thinks he is not great, but that she pities him.

“I pity him because I think he must be miserable. He spends his life where it is cold and friendless. It is my experience that those who build such towers do not enjoy the climb or the height, but only to be higher than another. Such people must always be lonely.” He argues, but she continues, “To be great...is not to be seen by, but to truly see, others.” And finally she adds, “To be great is not to be higher than another but to lift another higher.”

Through an incident on the way back home, the man reconsiders his ways. In fact, he sees how the wood from his own high tower can help many people in his village. Along with the virtue of helpfulness, this book is noted as a book on humility in the author’s “virtues collection.”

Richard and Keri Evans created The Christmas Box House International, an organization dedicated to helping abused and neglected children. The Christmas Box House is a one-stop shelter and assessment facility to aid such children in these difficult transitions. The mission and spirit of the organization was inspired by the author's book by the same name. His website has more information. thechristmasboxhouse.org