Between stormy mountains
And across rain-drenched valleys
There lies a small village
In puddles and gloom
And in a dark little house
In a dingy old alley
There lives
A small man
Who just sits in his room.
He sits all alone
Watching out through the window
At small passers by
While he listens to jazz
And feels blue and quiet
And so uninspired
All thanks to the
Suitcase of Troubles he has.
His Suitcase of Troubles
Is heavy with worry
He fears it could drive him
To madness quite soon
He lugs it around
But its painful to carry
And he feels so alone
With his luggage of doom
The man and the Suitcase
Are always together
It follows him glumly
Whereever he goes
At work, at the market,
Whatever the weather
Its hurting his fingers
It falls on his toes
"Why me?" He cries out
To the walls in frustration
"Am I really destined
To forever be sad?
Why do I deserve this
Suitcase of Troubles
While the rest of the nation
Seems so joyful and glad?"
He went to the mayor
Of the village and asked him
He saw many doctors
(a dozen at least)
He called on professors
Politicians, magicians,
The village Headmaster
And even the priest
But no one could help him
Get rid of his Suitcase
It seemed that his troubles
Were with him for good
Until on one evening
His front door creaked open
To the drizzly alley
Where a little girl stood
He asked what she wanted,
And where were her parents?
"You're the man with the
Suitcase of Troubles?" she said
Then, after he nodded
Without the man's consent
She ran in the house
And jumped on his bed
"I've something to tell you!"
The girl declared grinning
"Things aren't half as horrid
As you once thought they were!
You believe its the end
But its just the beginning!
I've had a Suitcase of Troubles
Just like yours before"
She explained that his baggage
Was a temporal burden
Which follows him only
For as long as it takes
So the previous owner
Of the Suitcase of Troubles
Is finally happy;
He's having a break.
The little girl said
"When it's time for another
To take on the luggage
You just have to wait
The Suitcase of Troubles
Disappears with your worries
You'll rejoice and the problems
Are gone from your plate."
"After you, there'll be others
Who carry the Suitcase,
Relieving a stranger,
Then passing it on
Like this the world knows
There is never a danger
Of one being unlucky or sad
For too long."
The little girl left,
And the little man thanked her
He lifted his Suitcase of Troubles
With pride
"From terrible misery
I'm saving a stranger,
What a wonderful service
You chose me to provide!"
He would live with his suitcase
A little while longer
Before it would journey to another man's arm
Each day it felt lighter,
While the man felt much stronger
And the Suitcase of Troubles
Had done him no harm.
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