The Left Foot Says, "Glory!"
A
man walked to the City of the King. His children, a boy and a girl, walked with
him. The road was long, and the entire length of it—in this direction at
least—slanted upward toward the city, which sat high on a hill.
One
day, where the road was particularly steep, the sky went dark, and it began to
rain.
"Can
we stop now, Father?" asked the boy.
"This seems like a good place to stay."
The
father answered, "It will rain often on this journey, and the city is
still miles and miles ahead." Then the father took the boy's hand in his
and said, "Say these words with me as we walk, 'The left foot says, Glory!
The right foot, Amen!'"
So
the little boy said the words with his father as they walked in step, "The
left foot says, Glory! The right foot, Amen!"
Glory!
Amen!
Glory!
Amen!
And
soon the boy no longer thought about stopping, and he felt fine with the rain
on his face.
Another
day, in a place where the road was nearly flat for a stretch, the sky cleared,
a breeze blew gently, and the sun shone bright.
"Can
we stop now, Father?" asked the girl. "This meadow under the blue sky
and bright sun would be a wonderful place to stay."
The
father answered, "The sun will shine often on this journey, and there will
be many meadows, but the city is still miles and miles ahead." Then the
father took the girl's hand in his and said, "Say these words with me as
we walk, 'The left foot says, Glory! The right foot, Amen!'"
So
the little girl said the words with her father as they walked in step,
"The left foot says, Glory! The right foot, Amen!"
Glory!
Amen!
Glory!
Amen!
And
soon the girl no longer thought about stopping, and she felt fine with the
breeze cool in her hair and the sunshine warm on her skin.
The
three walked together for many days, passing under every kind of sky and
through every kind of weather. The road was very long. Sometimes it wound,
sometimes it stretched out. It was rutty in places, and smooth as still water
in others. It rose steeply or gently, but always it rose.
One
day, as they were climbing the very steepest part of the road, the sun stood
directly over their heads and beat down on them with a fierce heat. There was
no breeze, and the dust of the road hung round them like fog.
"Children,"
said the Father. "Let's stop now. This spot of shade by the road is as
good a place to stay as any."
"But
it is summer," said the girl. "There will be many hot days like
this."
"And
our road is a long one," said the boy.
But
the father had grown older on the journey, and he sat down heavily under the
shade of an apple tree.
The
girl looked up to where the road seemed to crest at a hilltop. "Let's
look," she whispered to her brother.
The
father watched as the two walked to the top of the hill. They stood there for a
moment, their backs to him, and then turned and raced back down the hill to
where he sat.
"Father!"
shouted the girl.
"The
City!" shouted the boy.
So
the father took a deep breath and stood. Then his children both took one of his
hands in theirs.
"The
left foot says, Glory!" said the boy.
"The
right foot, Amen!" said the girl.
And
the three of them began to march in step up the last steep hill before the City
of the King. And as they came over the hilltop and on to the gates of the city,
the King himself could hear them shouting,
Glory!
Amen!
Glory!
Amen!
And
the father no longer thought about stopping, and he felt more than fine with
the King smiling down on his old face.
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