Once upon a time, in a vast and bountiful land, there lived two neighbours: a towering, boisterous fellow named Sam and his quiet but sturdy friend, Cal. They had grown up side by side, sharing the same rivers, forests, and mountains. Though Sam was bigger and louder, and Cal more patient and reserved, they were the best of friends—at least, most of the time.

Sam was a restless soul, always looking to prove his strength. He built great castles, sailed mighty ships, and declared himself the strongest in the land. Cal, meanwhile, enjoyed his own space, tending to his gardens, helping those in need, and making sure things were fair and peaceful.

For a long time, they got along well. But as the years passed, Sam began to change. He became impatient and greedy, always demanding more—more gold, more land, more power. Whenever he saw something he wanted, he would take it, convinced that might made right.

Cal, ever the loyal friend, tried to remind Sam of the days when they had worked together, side by side. “Sam, my friend, why do you take from others when you already have so much?” he would ask.

But Sam would scoff. “Because I can, Cal! The world is a place for the strong, and I am the strongest.”

Then, one day, Sam turned his eyes to Cal’s fields.

“Your crops grow well, better than mine,” Sam said. “It’s only fair that I take some.”

Cal frowned. “We have always traded fairly, Sam. You have much to offer, and so do I.”

But Sam was no longer interested in fairness. He started tossing boulders into Cal’s rivers, making it harder for him to fish. He sent his merchants to demand unfair trades, always taking more than he gave. He mocked Cal for not being as rich, as fast, as strong.

And when Cal spoke up, Sam would laugh. “What will you do about it, old friend? I am bigger than you. I could crush you if I wanted.”

But Cal, though smaller, was not weak. He did not fight fire with fire. Instead, he built stronger bridges with other friends. He made his home warmer, his rules fairer, his people happier. He did not bow to Sam’s bullying, but neither did he let himself become like him.

And over time, others saw what was happening. Some still feared Sam, but they respected Cal. They admired his patience, his quiet strength, his refusal to turn cruel in the face of cruelty.

Sam, though still mighty, began to feel a strange emptiness. He had won every fight, taken whatever he pleased, but he was lonelier than before.

One day, Sam sat by the river and watched as Cal’s people laughed and sang. The land was peaceful. No one was afraid.

For the first time in many years, Sam felt small.

And perhaps, just perhaps, he wondered if being the strongest wasn’t the same as being the greatest.