It was Kynthos's turn to secure the hen house for the night. He had done it many times before—sliding the heavy wooden latch perfectly into place.
But today, an older boy from the village had come by to play.
"Why do you lock them up so tight?" the boy asked, watching Kynthos slide the bolt.
"Grandfather says it keeps them safe," Kynthos replied.
The older boy laughed. It wasn't a mean laugh, just a dismissive one.
"Safe? They're trapped! If you leave the door cracked, they can sneak out and eat the plumpest worms while it's dark. They must be so hungry locked in there all night."
Kynthos hesitated. He liked the chickens. He didn't want them to be hungry.
"It seems kinder to leave it open," the boy added, patting Kynthos on the shoulder.
The advice sounded so nice. It sounded thoughtful.
So, when the older boy left, Kynthos quietly pulled the heavy wooden latch back and left the door resting open just a crack.
He went to sleep feeling quite proud of his kindness.
The next morning, Kynthos woke up early to see the fat chickens eating their worms.
He ran out to the yard, but Steve and Grandfather were already there.
The hen house door was wide open, swinging gently in the morning breeze.
There were no chickens. Only a scatter of white and brown feathers, and the distinct, lingering scent of a fox.
Kynthos burst into tears.
"I didn't mean to!" he sobbed. "My friend said they would be hungry! He said it was kinder to let them eat worms!"
Steve looked furious, but Grandfather put a hand on Steve's shoulder to calm him, then knelt down in the dirt beside Kynthos.
"Your friend told you what sounded nice, Kynthos," Grandfather said quietly.
"But it wasn't true!" Kynthos cried.
"No, it was not. And that is a hard lesson," Grandfather replied. "Not everyone is a trustworthy source of information. Some people speak foolishness with a smile. They give advice without bearing the cost of being wrong."
Grandfather handed Kynthos a solitary white feather from the dirt.
"Discernment means judging the wisdom of the advice, not just how nice it sounds to your ears."
