The road became more like his home with every passing day

　　as if the feet that carried him already knew the way

　　and as he followed such a vague nostalgia further on

　　he started feeling closer to the road he walked upon

　　The place he walked was beautiful and full of life and song

　　the fish in rivers overflowed and game was big and strong

　　he felt he lived in luxury, enjoying every feast

　　thankful to world around, and every hunted beast

　　So happy to be living, he continued without aim

　　discovering new beauty as a child would play a game

　　one evening just as many times before, the path he took

　　led him to a quiet village where he stopped to look

　　He greeted those he met along the quiet village road

　　so many came to see him that his walking quickly slowed

　　one man in particular insisted that he rest

　　bragging of the bread with which his family was blessed

　　The young man was familiar in a confusing way

　　the pilgrim thought he`d seen him once, but where, he couldn`t say

　　he led the pilgrim to his humble house of wood and straw

　　and once inside the pilgrim questioned everything he saw

　　In his life the pilgrim had seen fires of every kind

　　maybe more than any person you might ever find

　　but in that little one room house a little hearth of stone

　　burned with more intensity than he had ever known

　　Every stone was just where it had been for countless years

　　where once he`d sat for countless evenings dreaming through his tearsThis tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

　　the pilgrim almost didn`t hear a word the young man said

　　overwhelmed and speechless he could only scratch his head

　　The man before him, standing by the fireplace burning bright

　　the image of the pilgrim`s father smiling by its light

　　he introduced his family, and quickly served a meal

　　boasting there was not a sickness his food couldn`t heal

　　The pilgrim and the family sang old songs as they ate

　　the pilgrim ate so much it made the young man celebrate

　　his wife just laughed at how he loved to brag about his food

　　hoping that the pilgrim didn`t find her husband rude

　　"It`s funny that you know so many songs we like to sing

　　did you hear them on the road while out adventuring"

　　the pilgrim bowed his head and grinned, then quietly replied

　　"such amazing songs have surely travelled far and wide"

　　The pilgrim couldn`t offer any more than honest praise

　　"I`ve never eaten finer food than this in all my days

　　the fields you work are truly blessed by years of work and toil

　　no one in the world has cultivated finer soil"

　　The children did understand the pilgrim`s honest praise

　　but laughed and sang with him for many more hours anyways

　　later on they settled down and gathered by the fire

　　the children asked for stories but they soon began to tire

　　"I`ve travelled all around this world and seen a lot of pain

　　I`ve seen a lot of wonders too, enough to entertain

　　but I can say I`ve never seen as rich a family

　　as one who lives and works together, healthy, proud, and free"

　　The children soon went off to bed, and very quickly slept

　　having heard such compliments the father only wept

　　Their mother laughed and poured some drinks before they went to bed

　　The pilgrim said he`d sleep as well but watched the fire instead

　　His family, it seemed, had lived a peaceful, happy life

　　after he had left, at least one brother found a wife

　　life had been so easy in the village for so long

　　the fire was just as warm and they all sang the same old song

　　He knew that if he`d stayed he never would have understood

　　staying would have done the village much more harm than good

　　an immature ungrateful child whose feet could never rest

　　leaving them to live in peace was surely for the best

　　The fire was only smouldering before the morning light

　　before they all awoke the pilgrim quietly took flight

　　taking in the scenery of home one final time

　　then looking to the mountains in the distance he could climb

　　Before he left, he thought it best to see his parents` grave

　　and show them that their foolish boy had grown up strong and brave

　　he came to where the plots were marked by letters carved in stone

　　where lay the kindest family the world had ever known

　　He walked toward the graves with an apologetic air

　　he wondered if they`d be annoyed to see him standing there

　　but then he read the words inscribed beneath his father`s name

　　"wherever in the world you go, we love you all the same"

　　~