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Finding Happiness In 'The Happy Man's Shirt'

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Finding Happiness In 'The Happy Man's Shirt'
True happiness is only found in contentment within the circumstances. In the Italian tale “The Happy Man’s Shirt” illustrates how finding happiness is easier said rather than done. In the Italian tale, the king goes looking for a man who is perfectly happy with everything surrounding him, but comes to realize even if someone has all they could wish for they still may not be happy. When a priest was taken to the king they had a conversation about happiness: “are you happy?’ asked the king.” The bishop replied, “Yes indeed, Majesty.” However the king was not satisfied with that answer. “Fine. How would you like to be my bishop?” the priest joyfully answered, “Oh, Majesty, if only it were so!” From that answer the king knew the priest was not the happiest man to help his son: “Away with you! Get out of my sight! I’m seeking a man who’s happy just as he is, not one who’s trying to better his lot” (“The Happy Man’s Shirt” 1). The king knew the …show more content…
The king then found a new man who he believed was happy through and through, “He had a wife as good as she was beautiful and a whole slew of children. He had conquered all his enemies, and his country was at peace. Again hopeful, the king immediately sent ambassadors to him to ask for his shirt. The neighboring king received the ambassadors and said, ‘Yes, indeed, I have everything anybody could possibly want. But at the same time I worry because I’ll have to die one day and leave it all. I can’t sleep at night for worrying about that!’ The ambassadors thought it wiser to go home without this man’s shirt” (“The Happy Man’s Shirt” 1). Although this king had everything anyone could possibly want he lived in fear of losing it. Even though he had every reason for being happy based on his circumstances he was not happy. The king was not content with his life because he feared it changing; this man was no more happy than the
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