Once upon a time in a far away land, lived two brothers. They were likable, but undisciplined, with a wild streak in them. Their mischievous behaviour turned serious when they began stealing sheep from the local farmers. In time, the thieves were caught. The local farmers decided their fate: the two brothers would be branded on the forehead with the letters ‘ST’ for "Sheep Thief". This sign they would carry with them forever.

One brother was so embarrassed by this and he ran away, never to be seen again. The other brother, filled with remorse, chose to stay and tried to make amends to the villagers he had wronged. Whenever there was a sickness, he came forward to care for the ill and whenever there was work needing to be done, he came to help. He never accepted any reward for his good deeds, and lived his life for others.

Many years later, a traveller came through the village. Sitting at a cafe eating lunch, the traveller saw an old man with a strange brand on his forehead seated nearby. The stranger noticed that all the villagers who passed the old man stopped to share a kind word; children stopped their play to give and receive a warm hug. Curious, the stranger asked the cafe owner, "what does that strange brand on the old man’s forehead stand for?" "I don’t know. It happened so long ago..." the cafe owner replied. Then, pausing briefly for a moment of reflection, he continued: "....But I think it stands for ‘Saint’."

* * *

If there be any truer measure of a man

than by what he does,

it must be by what he gives.

—Robert South