Hypatos and the Magic Olives
The people of Ioannia are in a famine. Everyone in the town is starving. There has been a long drought, with no sign of rain. And with not much water, the crops are not growing. But, in one little farm, just out of town, Hypatos, the farmer has a flourishing wheat field. Hypatos knew about the drought, and had stored a great amount of water for the summer drought. But that water was quite close to running out.
Someone found Hypatos’ wheat field and asked him to share it to the town. He right out said no to the man, and shooed him away. Word got around about the last fertile wheat field in the area, and soon the town officials were knocking at Hypatos’ door, yet again asking him to share some wheat.
Demeter came to Hypatos in a dream, and told him that he should share his wheat, or face a great consequence. The next day, Hypatos got up, remembered his dream, and filled a sack of wheat to take to the town. Demeter was not happy. She expected Hypatos to share more wheat. While he was in town, she sent a great wind storm, which destroyed his precious wheat field.
When he arrived back at his house, he saw his crushed wheat field and started to sob. That night, Hypatos prayed to Demeter, asking her what he had done wrong, and how he could right it.
Demeter came to Hypatos in a dream again that night, and told him that he should tell the town leaders what happened, and if there was anything he could do for them. The next day, Hypatos did just that.
It turns out, that the man, who had first inquired about the wheat, had heard of a rich family in
After a day of searching, he finally found the competition. He went up to the person at the gate to the field, which bore a sign announcing the competition, and inquired about competing. The guard said he would add his name to the list, and to wait in town for a few days for the fights to start.
The next day, Hypatos went back into town to purchase some better clothes and a spear for the fight. He reported to the field that was the arena early the next morning. He saw his opponent. He thought it would be easy to beat him, and it was. The man was down after only three minutes.
The next person was much harder. They fought for over an hour until the man was dead. The next fight was the hardest yet. A large, muscular man in full armor with a sharp sword was his next opponent. Hypatos took a few minutes to sharpen his spear. The fight started. Both men had many close calls, but from dawn to dusk, they fought. The sun came up the next day, and yet neither man had won. Finally after a full two days of fighting, there was a victor.
Strutting out of the fog that covered the vast field was Hypatos, very tired, but very much happy, and thankful. The family who had set up the competition gave Hypatos the prize. He was presented with a crown of silver, a new set of the finest clothes, and of course, the prize he came to win, the sack of magic olives.
The family told Hypatos what to do with the olives. They told him to plant them in a field as soon as he arrived back at his farm. They said the only thing he would have to do to keep the plants are alive, is to harvest the fruit. The rain would come when the plants would need it and the ground would stay fertile. Storms would go right around his grove of olive trees. Hypatos ran home as fast as he could, through town knocking on doors, and announcing “I am the winner! I am the winner.”
All the townsfolk ran with him to his farm to plant the olives. When that was done, the trees sprouted up and grew right before their eyes. Hypatos picked the first olive and ate it. Everyone cheered! He proudly announced that his grove would be open to everyone. All the people of Ioannia lived in peace and harmony.
