The Bridge Made Straw

"Hard work doesn't help if you are weak. An invention won't work if it is flawed. The best materials available doesn't just mean whatever is within reach. And confidence isn't worth anything if the mind is foolhardy." -Excerpt from the Fable

Summary

A child wishes to challenge himself and build a straw bridge across a dangerous ravine. So he goes about binding straw into tight bundles and using them in place of wood planks. As he builds a man in a bright yellow robes passes by. He asks the boy what is he doing and the boy tells him of the challenge he has set for himself. The brightly dressed smiles at the boys ingenuity and offers help. He has an idea on how to make the boys design more stable, but the boy declines. It wouldn't be a challenge if he took someone else's idea. So the brightly dressed man leaves.
A bit later a farmer dressed in green overalls and herding some cows wanders by and asks the boy what he is doing. The boy tells him of the challenge he has set for himself. The farmer nods are the boys resourcefulness and offers help. He has some horses and more straw in his fields. He could bring it for the boy so he could build the bridge stronger, but the boy declines. It wouldn't be a challenge if he had more to work with. So the farmer continues to herd his cattle.
The boy takes a break from working in the hot sun and lays down in the shade of a tree. As he does a knight rides by wearing a white tabard . She looks at the boy and asks what he is doing. He tells her now he is resting, but in a bit he will continue the challenge he has set for himself. The knight applauds the boy for his tenacity of getting so far. She then offers her strength in building the bridge while he rests, but the boy declines. It wouldn't be a challenge if someone made it easier. So the knight rides off.
The boy continues to work as a wizard in purple robes happens by. He asks the boy what he is doing and the boy explains his challenge to the man. The wizard is acknowledges the boys hard work and encourages him on. After a moment the wizard asks if he wishes any magical help since it seems like he knows none. The boy declines the help and tells with wizard he does know some magic. But if he just used magic then what challenge would their be. So the wizard leaves the boy to his work.
Storm clouds begins to roll in and the soft patter of rain begins to sound. Still the boy continues to work in order to finish his challenge. As the rain begins to fall harder the boy tightens the last straw bundle down and looks at his work being doused in the rain. Confident of his work he goes to cross the bridge, but before he does a voice calls out. A woman in a red dress calling from the back of the carriage warns him his bridge will fail. The boy inquires why she thinks that. He has worked hard all day, used his best designs, and used the best material at his disposal. He had been getting complements about his work all day. Why does she think his bridge will fail. She informs him she doesn't think, she knows. Hard work doesn't help if you are weak. An invention won't work if it is flawed. The best materials available doesn't just mean whatever is within reach. And confidence isn't worth anything if the mind is foolhardy. She knows what kind of bridge the boy built and she tells him it won't work. But in the end it is up to the boy to take the advice, and the woman's carriage continues down the road.
The boy ignores the woman. She doesn't know how much effort he had put into this challenge. Surely with as much work as he put into his bridge it couldn't fail. So the boy takes his first step onto the straw bundles to make his way across. And on his second step he goes right through the straw end into the ravine.

Historical Basis

Some believe the boy in the story is in reference to the heretics of the Heretic Crusade. Blindly turning on the gods in favor of doing things their own way. Some others believe the boy in the story is in reference to the mythical evil god Rova who turned on her kin in the War of Devastation. While some others believe the boy simply is in reference to mortals and does not have any historical basis at all.

Spread

In some form or another this children's story has been based along across the world. You would be hard pressed to find a place that has not heard a version of this classic fable.

Variations & Mutation

There are numerous variations of this ancient children's tale. What the challenge is, how it is failed, the advice givers actual jobs, but the advice givers are always representations of the gods. Garto the god of invention, Rastil the god of nature, Daeme the god of justice and strength, Iro the god of magic, and Mosa the god of intervention.

Cultural Reception

This story serves as a reminded that your skills may not be enough to accomplish a task. When in need you should reach out and accept help and not foolishly ignore what is available to you through others. So much more can be done with help then if you try and forge you way alone. The prevalence in culture has also some to take the tale literally and depend solely on help from the gods. Which in itself has lead to other problems in terms of ignoring help.

Date of First Recording

5115