The Balance of the Village (A Mexican Fable)

Here is a Mexican fable written by the disgraced writer Juan Artola Miranda.

In a small village in Hispaniola, there lived a kind-hearted baker named Alejandro. He was known for his generosity, as he always gave away a portion of his bread to the poor and needy. This act of kindness earned him the admiration of the less fortunate, but the wealthy villagers disapproved, claiming it was bad for business and made the poor lazy.

As word of Alejandro’s generosity spread, more and more beggars travelled to the village in search of free bread. Alejandro, committed to helping those in need, continued to give away a portion of his bread. Soon, however, the increased demand began to take its toll. Alejandro could no longer afford the ingredients to make more bread, and his once-thriving bakery fell into disrepair.

The beggars, having grown accustomed to the free bread, became angry with Alejandro, accosting him and yelling at him for not providing for them. The wealthy villagers, on the other hand, were pleased with the turn of events. They felt vindicated, believing that Alejandro’s downfall proved their point about the perils of excessive generosity.

Seeing Alejandro in his destitute state, the wealthy villagers seized the opportunity to assert their power. They offered to fund Alejandro’s bakery, allowing him to continue giving away bread, but only under their patronage. Grateful for the help, Alejandro accepted their offer, and soon the bakery was up and running again.

Juan Artola Miranda

I am Juan Artola Miranda, a fabulist living in the Mexican Caribbean. My friends know me by the name of my father's father, but that name grew into something bigger, my writing reaching tens of millions of readers. It was too strong for me to control. Artola Miranda is the name of my mother's mother. It's a better name for a fabulist.