A Parable About Pain

Long ago there was a plains village.
A number of huts clustered around a central cooking fire.
In one of the huts there laid a boy with a demon inside him.
Most of the time the boy laid there still and was cared for by the village.
Sometimes he thrashed about.
Sometimes he would get up during the night and cause trouble.
He would light huts on fire.
Or release tethered horses.
Or spoil food.
Or trample crops.
Or start fights with other boys.
And still the village took care of the boy.
They knew it was not the boy but the demon that did these things.
Time passed.
The boy became a young man. He became stronger.
The nights he would get up from his cot and cause trouble increased in number.
Still the village cared for the young man but fear and tension grew.
One night when the boy was sleeping the village held in a meeting.
There were discussing whether or not to send the young man out of the village.
The night was dark and the moon was full and red.
The fire light danced along the faces of the villagers. Worry and sadness in each one.
Out of the darkness walked an old man, bent, walking with a stick.
The old man smiled with much joy. "You have a demon in your village."
"Yes, there has been a demon in our village for a long time." the villagers replied. "We do not know what to do."
"You are in luck" the old man replied still smiling radiating joy and peace.
He hobbled into the young mans hut.
The next morning the young man walked out of the hut clear eyed for the first time since he was a boy.
The demon was gone.
Time passed.
The young man was a great asset to the village.
He had a green thumb.
He was a great rider and hunter.
He was kind.
But something lingered.
There was something the villagers could not quite banish.
They feared the demon might return.