A Choice

A king calls you into his palace to present you with a gift you did nothing to deserve. The king is funny that way. He leads you down a long corridor and shows you to a room at the very end. The only thing in the room is a table, upon which sits two square boxes. The king tells you that you may have one of these boxes, but only one, for your very own.

The first box is slightly larger and flamboyantly decorated with the finest jewels in all the land. Fat diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds ornament its gleaming surface. It is set neatly upon four golden pedestals, and a shining crystal drawer knob sits perfectly in its center. If you could only have this box sitting on your mantle, you would be able to impress guests of any class!

The second box is made of wood- oak, you presume. This wooden box has been polished and made to shine in the light. It has a lid that opens upward, held together by two humble brass hinges. The clamps on the front of the lid are shiny; though not as shiny as the crystal knob. There is nothing wrong with the wooden box, but it certainly isn’t as attractive and impressive as the jeweled one next to it.

The king tells you that you may open each box to be certain of which one you want to take home. Though you have already set your mind on the jeweled box, you decide to humor the king. Your heart is racing with excitement as you close your fingers around its crystal knob and pull. The drawer slides out soundlessly. It is lined with the richest and most plush purple velvet you’ve ever seen; but inside the drawer, you find…nothing. The king says that you may fill the drawer with whatever you please, but you will always find it gone the next time you open it. No matter what you put in, the box will always remain empty.

Skeptically, you turn toward the unassuming wooden box. Slowly and carefully, you undo the clamps and lift the lid. You stand, frozen in wonder at what you discover. Out of the box flows the most beautiful song in the world. For a moment, you seem to forget about everything else. It seems that this song is made of pure silver and gold and magic.

The song has completely taken you, and you stand and just listen. Eventually, somehow you are able to direct your attention back to the king. He tells you that if you choose the wooden box, you can hear the song anytime you want: all you must do is open it. The jeweled box will gain you wealth and social status, but will always remain empty.

So tell me- which box do you choose?