The Jewel

In a remote realm of perfection, there was a just monarch who had a
wife and a wonderful son and a daughter. They all lived together in
happiness.

One day the father called his children before him and said:

"The time has come, as it does for all. You are to go down, an
infinite distance, to another land. You shall seek and find and
bring back a precious jewel."

The travellers were conducted in disguise to a strange land, whose
inhabitants almost all lived a dark existence. Such was the affect
of this place that the two lost touch with each other, wandering as
if asleep.

From time to time they saw phantoms, similitudes of their country and
of the jewel, but such was their condition that those things only
increased the depth of their reveries, which they now began to take
for reality.

When news of his children's plight reached the king, he sent word by
a trusted servant, a wise man:

"Remember your mission, awaken from your dream, and remain together."

With this message they roused themselves, and with this help of their
rescuing guide they dared the monstrous perils which surrounded the
jewel, and by it's magic aid returned to their realm of light, there
to remain in increased happiness for evermore.

From "Thinkers of the East" by Idries Shah