An excerpt from Stories of Falling Toward Grace
by Carlton Allen

Years ago in the hills of North Carolina lived a gentle old man named Seth. Seth was a lover of music and an accomplished craftsman, a skill that led him to become a maker of dulcimers. People throughout the hills owned Seth's instruments, which were noted for the gracefulness of their design and the haunting beauty of their sound.

Seth lived alone high on a hill, somewhat isolated from others. He had always preferred the sound of the mockingbirds to that of people. In fact, Seth's primary contact with the outside world were his helpers, Matthew and Jonas, two teen-aged boys who went to Seth's cabin twice a week to help with chores and bring mail and groceries from the village in the valley below.

Matthew secured the job for the two boys. As long as he could remember, Matthew's grandmother had played one of Seth's dulcimers, one of the first that Seth had made. Matthew always enjoyed winter evenings by the fire when his grandmother would sit in her rocker, gently caressing the strings as the deep grained wood of the instrument glowed warmly with the light of the fire. Sometimes she would sing hymns; other times she would softly hum.

Over the years Matthew developed a fascination for Seth's instruments, so when he heard that the old man was looking for help he went to see him. The job was more than one boy his age could do, so Matthew talked his best friend, Jonas, into joining him even though Jonas preferred to spend his time hunting and fishing.

Matthew always saw to it that Jonas did the outside work, which suited Jonas fine. Matthew had the task of cleaning Seth's work area, where the dulcimers were. Matthew took great care in cleaning the completed instruments and handling the ones Seth was still forming.

The diligence with which each boy performed his assigned tasks impressed Seth from the beginning, and soon he developed a deep affection for his two helpers. The work the boys did was invaluable to the craftsman, given his age and condition, and certainly allowed him more time to craft his instruments; but Seth was not able to pay them what he would have liked. Because he took so much time in perfecting each instrument and yet refused to ask more than a modest sum for each, Seth was not a man of wealth. These thoughts burdened the kind gentleman for a couple of years before he finally seized upon an idea that would allow him to show his appreciation to the boys.

Matthew wondered why a padlock suddenly appeared on one of Seth's cabinets. For months, each time he started to clean, the cabinet was secured, and Seth gave no indication that it ought to be opened. Matthew wondered, but had been raised to respect the privacy of others and thus never pursued the matter.

Then one day, as the boys entered the cabin, Seth met them with a sense of urgency and excitement in his voice. Quickly he led them to his work area where they spotted two beautiful matched dulcimers on a table. They were Seth's gifts to the boys. Matthew was awed by the gesture. The beautifully intricate details of the carving had obviously taken hours of painstaking work. Each instrument shone with a dark, rich luster that highlighted the grain of the wood. Delicately smooth to the touch and yet solidly put together, Matthew realized the dulcimers were even more beautiful than his grandmother's.

Though touched by the old man's loving gift, Jonas was not as awe-struck as Matthew. Quickly and awkwardly, he strummed the strings a couple of times, graciously thanked Seth, and left to begin his work. After a few minutes of carefully examining his gift and softly playing part of a simple tune, Matthew stammered his heart-felt gratitude and gently set aside the dulcimer to begin his work which was frequently interrupted that day as he found himself pausing to stare at his new treasure.

The weeks and months ahead were not easy ones for Matthew. Matthew watched as Jonas at first simply fooled around with the dulcimer he had been given, awkwardly and carelessly striking at the strings. When Jonas was finally able to play a few tunes, he would often bring the beautifully crafted instrument to school where, at recess, he would play the tunes for others as they laughed and sang. Within a year or so, Jonas' dulcimer though the tone was still good had lost most of its luster, the wood marred with nicks and scratches, and some of the carving detail beginning to wear away. Matthew often found himself cringing at the way his friend handled the dulcimer.

The most difficult day came one spring afternoon when Matthew heard Jonas' father mention that Seth was coming over that night to ask Jonas if he would like to become the old man's apprentice and learn the craft of making dulcimers. The news stunned Matthew at first. He had never considered that Seth would want to take on an apprentice. Then, when the idea began to sink in, he felt crushed that the craftsman would have chosen Jonas over him. His love for the instruments ran deep, and he had always cared for them so well.

Matthew raced to Seth's cabin where he poured out his anguish to the old man, reminding him of the care he had given Seth's instruments and describing the condition of Jonas' dulcimer. Matthew continued by telling the craftsman how he cared for the dulcimer that was his how he spent time each week polishing the wood, built a stand for it, and lovingly displayed it on a table at his house. He told how he played the instrument only on special occasions, always taking great care not to damage it, and how he avoided taking it away from the house lest it should be damaged.

The astonishment that first registered on Seth's face gradually softened to a gentle look of obvious compassion as he softly but firmly replied, My son, I have not been unaware of your love for the dulcimers, nor have I been blind to Jonas' attitude toward them. Nevertheless, I believe Jonas has developed a greater and more appropriate appreciation for his gift.

You see, I build the instruments not simply for the beauty of their appearance nor simply to make a living, but rather so that the music they produce can enrich the lives of others. I do take pride in my ability as a carver and finisher of wood, but that means very little if the instrument is not properly used. Jonas, because he understands this, will make a good craftsman.

Matthew, my son, Jonas has shared his gift with others; you have carefully preserved yours. I can teach Jonas how to care for a dulcimer, but I cannot teach you how to share your gift; that is something you must develop on your own.

Carlton Allen is the author of "Stories of Falling Toward Grace." To order, go to the online bookpage or call 1-800-747-3016.