"Three Words of Wisdom"

What Your Third Grader Needs to Know

Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr.
 John Holdren

Grade:

3-5

ISBN-13:

‎978-0553394665

Publisher:

Bantam (2015)

This folktale from the Southwestern border territory tells the story of three poor men who go out in search of jobs. On the road they meet a mysterious old man with heaps of gold who offers his wisdom or to share in his gold. Starved and thinking of their families, two of the men ask for gold, while the third asks for wisdom. The wisdom given deals with deliberation, good judgment, perseverance, humility, and respect. Although the two men who take the gold mock him, the third man is greatly rewarded for following the wisdom he received.