There was once a man who lived in a cave. There was a pool outside that he could fish from. There were blueberry bushes outside that he could pick from. But instead he just ate mushrooms in the cave. But instead he just ate snails in the cave.
One day two boys came over to the man who lived in a cave. It was bright and sunny outside.
"Hello!" The boys called out to the man who lived in a cave.
"What?" He replied disgruntled.
"Why do you live in a cave?" the two boys asked.
"Why not? This is where my parents lived." the man said.
"Look out here!" the boys said, "There are plants and animals out here! There is sunshine out here. Why don't you come out of the cave and follow us?"
"I don't believe in the Sun. And I already have my own plants and animals here in the cave." the man said pointing to his mushrooms and snails.
The two boys stood puzzled at the entrance of the cave.
"You don't believe in the sun?" they asked.
"No." the man replied.
"Have you ever felt the warmth of the sun?" the younger boy asked.
"No." the man replied.
"Have you ever left this cave?" the older boy asked.
"No." the man replied.
The two boys were in shock.
This man had lived his whole life in darkness.
"Let’s go! We've seen the sun! We've felt its warmth! Follow us! We'll help you find the sun!" the older boy said excitedly.
"No. I wont leave this cave!" the man said, "This is where my parents lived. This is where my grandparents lived. I will not leave this cave."
"Why not? There is sunshine and plants and animals out here!" the younger boy said.
"I do not believe in the sun. And I already have my own plants and animals!" the man said pointing to his mushrooms and snails.
"Why don't you believe in the sun?" the younger boy asked.
"I've never seen the sun. I've never felt its warmth. Why should I believe in the sun?" the man said.
"Have you ever tried to look for the sun?" the older boy asked.
"No. Why would I look for what I don't believe in?" the man replied.
"But its real!" the younger boy said, "I know its real! I've seen it! I've felt it!"
"I don't believe in the sun." the man said solemnly .
"How about you walk over here. You can look outside and see for yourself?" the older boy said.
"I'm too busy to walk over there." the man said tending to his mushrooms and snails.
"Please? It will only take you a second!" the younger boy said pleading with the man.
"Oh fine." the man said grumbling as he moved towards the cave's entrance. The man peeked his head out of the cave for a second or two and then grudgingly went back into the cave.
"Well? What was it like to look out of the cave?" the younger boy asked excited for his response.
"I saw a few plants and animals, but I didn't see the sun." the man said.
"Did you look up?" the older boy asked quizzically.
"No."
"You've got to try it again then!" the older said.
"I'm too buzy for that!" the man grumbled as he began tending to his mushrooms and snails.
"Please? It will only take you a second!" the younger boy pleaded.
"Oh fine!" the man grumbled as he again moved to the cave's entrance.
He peeked his head out for a second or two, looked upwards and then grudgingly headed back into the cave.
"Well? Did you see the sun?" the older boy asked.
"No, I did not see the sun."
"Well, what did you see?" the younger boy asked puzzled.
"I saw some plants and animals. When I looked up I saw some dark clouds. But I did not see the sun." the man said.
The two boys sat puzzled for awhile. Looking around they finally saw a hill outside.
"Hello! Man who lives in a cave! Look over there! There is a hill! The hill is full of sunshine! Over here it is cloudy. We must go over there to see the sun!" the boys said.
"I will not go over there. I have been here in this cave all my life. I will not go over there."
"But is not sunshine better than darkness?" the older asked.
"I don't believe in the sun."
"Please? Just come with us!" the younger pleaded.
"Oh fine." the man grumbled as he hobbled out of the cave following the two young boys. The man saw trees and bushes, rabbits and foxes. The man saw rivers and streams, bridges and hedges.
"Here is the hill!" the younger boy said as he ran up.
The man grudgingly hobbled up the hill when he began to feel something different.
"What is this feeling?" the man said looking at his arms in amazement.
"Its sunshine!" the boys said happily.
"But I don't believe in the sun." the man said confused.
"Look up!" the boys yelled as the clouds began to part.
A brilliant blast of light hit the man's eyes as he looked up into the sun.
A piercing power of energy hit the man's mind as he looked up into the sun. Ten times brighter than anything he could have imagined. Ten times more real than anything he could have imagined.
The man covered his eyes with his hands. For it was far too bright for his cave darkened eyes. He fell to his knees. For it was far too real for his doubtful heart to explain.
And on his knees he cried. While covering his eyes he cried.
The man who lived in a cave cried and cried and cried.
At last he looked up in amazement.
"I know there is a sun." he said softly.
He looked to the boys with a soft smile.
"I know there is a sun." He said to them.
He slowly stood up and with his hands raised to the heavens he yelled, "I KNOW THERE IS A SUN!"
From that day on he was no longer known as "The man who lives in a cave", but rather, "The man who lives on a hill".
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