The Two Coins

Winter was coming.

The little phoenix had two coins.

She and her mother went to the market.

The market was full of wonderful things.

Sparkling stones.
Colored ribbons.
Candied seeds.
A small wooden flute that played three different songs.
A soft red blanket woven by the rabbits.

The little phoenix wanted all of them.

"I want the stone!" she said.
"I want the ribbon!"
"I want the candy!"
"I want the flute!"
"And I want the blanket!"

Her mother smiled.

"You have two coins. The market has five things. Which two should we choose?"

The little phoenix thought.

She thought hard.

Her mother helped her think.

"Which of these," her mother said, "will keep you warm tonight when the snow falls?"

The little phoenix looked at the sparkling stone. No.
She looked at the colored ribbon. No.
She looked at the candied seeds. No.
She looked at the wooden flute. No.

She looked at the soft red blanket.

"This one," she said.

"Yes," said her mother. "That one is a need. A need is something that takes care of you."

"Now," said her mother, "you have one coin left. The other things are not needs. They are wants. Wants are nice. Wants are happy. Wants are not bad. But wants come after needs. Always. Which want do you choose?"

The little phoenix looked again.

The stone was pretty, but it just sat there.
The ribbon was pretty, but it would tear.
The candy was sweet, but it would be gone in a minute.

The flute would play her songs all winter.

"The flute," she said.

"A good choice," said her mother.

That night, the snow came.

The little phoenix sat by the fire, wrapped in her soft red blanket, and played her wooden flute.

She was warm.

She was happy.

She had chosen well.

Needs come first.
Then wants.
Both are real. Both are good.
But the blanket comes before the ribbon, every time.