One day, God spoke to Gabriel, and he said, “Brother! Today I am giving life to humanity, so celebrate! Bring them your favourite gifts from heaven. You may send a small number of them down to earth, by your discretion.”

Overjoyed, Gabriel told his wife, Charmenie. Then he marched to the top of the hill, telling everyone he saw along the way that God was giving life to humanity. At the top of the hill, he found the house of the old widow, with whom he disclosed the task that God had given him.

“Grandmother,” said Gabriel, “God has given me permission to grant gifts to humanity, on this, the day of their birth. Please, I would ask that you lend me my three favourite gifts you gave me when I was a child, so that I may pass them along to earth”.

“Aha,” said the widow, “I am honoured that you’ve come to me. Which three are these gifts?”

“First, I would ask that you give them Knowledge of truth, that they may see the wonders of God’s universe. Second, I ask that you grant them Satisfaction, that they may experience love and joy, and the extent of their dignity will be known to them in full. Lastly, I ask that you grant them music, that they may dance under the stars as joyfully as we dance among them.”

“Gabriel!” said the widow, “you spoil them! These three gifts are far too splendid to be given away so freely. What if you granted them Galostine, or Fisianthrough instead?”

“Grandmother,” Gabriel insisted, “I’m sure God will be happy if we give them something special on their first day. I came to you specifically because of how grateful I am that you showed these three things to me. I know it’s a lot to give, but in my heart I wish nothing more than to share your beautiful gifts with them.”

“Oh Gabriel. Piteous son. Flattery will do nothing to change my mind. But you are my favourite grandson, so I will make you a compromise.”

“Thank you! Tell me what it is.”

The widow took a large clay jug from her wall, and used it to fill a small flask.

“Alright. Firstly, Humanity will be able to encounter the truth, directly if they listen closely enough, however they cannot share the truth with each other, as we do in heaven.”

Gabriel took the flask, and she took a second jug and filled another flask.

“Secondly, each member of Humanity can have the satisfaction of gaining whatever their heart desires, but only after their desires have grown stale, and they yearn for them less, so it will be without joyousness that their goals are achieved.”

Then, with a third jug, she filled a third flask.

“And with music, Gabriel, Humanity will sense the rhythm, and the chords of the cosmos with vibrations in their bodies, but they will never actually play or hear any songs, as we do in heaven.”

Gabriel was grateful for the widow’s compromise so he took it upon himself to mask his disappointment as he accepted the flasks, bade her adieu, and returned down the hill.

Instead of taking the gifts right down to earth, he stopped at home, to tell Charmiene what had happened.

“How cruel,” said she, when Gabriel showed her what was in the flasks, “that widow can never be reasoned with, can she?”

“I suppose not,” agreed Gabriel, “but I guess it’s better than nothing. I will take these down to earth, and make what celebration of it that I can.”

Charmenie considered this, deeply saddened by the look on her husband’s face.

“No. Gabriel. Listen to me. Knowledge and happiness, Humanity can live without these things. But without any music, Humanity will be lost. I will go to the hut of your grandmother, and I’ll take her to pick some fruit. While we are gone, climb through her window, and steal the jug of music, before taking it down to Humanity.”

Gabriel’s face lit up! And together the husband and wife deceived the widow, exactly according to Charmenie’s plan, whereupon Gabriel returned the contents of the third flask into the jug of music, and took the whole jug with the other two flasks down to earth. He considered taking the jugs of truth, and satisfaction as well, but left them, out of respect for his Grandmother.

When Gabriel returned to heaven, God thanked him, and Gabriel and Charmenie celebrated, laughing about their mischievousness, and drinking sweet wine.