Doctor Knowall

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a poor but clever farmer named Bert. Bert worked hard every day, taking care of his fields and animals, but he always dreamed of adventure and learning new things.

One evening, as Bert was relaxing by the fire, he heard two travelers talking at the village inn. They were talking about a famous doctor named Doctor Knowall, who was very wise and could solve any problem.

Bert thought, “If only I could become as wise as Doctor Knowall, I could help people and have an exciting life.” Inspired by this idea, he decided to take a chance. The next day, he sold his cow to buy a big, fancy book, a long robe, and a tall hat, just like the ones the doctor wore.

Bert dressed in his new outfit and hung a sign outside his house that read, “Doctor Knowall – Wisdom and Help for All.” At first, the villagers were doubtful, but they were also curious. Soon, people started coming to Bert with their problems, hoping that the new “doctor” could help them.

One day, a rich man arrived at Bert’s door. The man looked worried and said, “Doctor Knowall, I need your help. A thief has stolen a precious treasure from my house. It was a golden box filled with jewels. Can you help me find it?”

Bert, not really knowing how to solve the problem, asked for a little time to think. He invited the man to stay for dinner, hoping that an idea would come to him. As they ate, Bert’s wife brought in a large pot of stew and set it on the table.

Just as the man was about to serve himself, Bert whispered to his wife, “This will be the first bite.” He meant it as a comment about the stew, but the man’s eyes widened in shock. He thought Bert was talking about the thief, and he quickly said, “How did you know I was the first to take a bite of the stolen treasure?”

Bert realized that the man had accidentally revealed himself as the thief! Trying to stay calm, Bert nodded wisely and said, “I know many things, good sir. Return the stolen treasure, and all will be forgiven.”

The man, now frightened by Bert’s seeming knowledge, quickly agreed and promised to return the golden box and jewels. The next day, the man returned the treasure to its rightful owner and left the village in shame.

Word of Doctor Knowall’s success spread quickly, and soon people from nearby villages came to seek his advice. Bert continued to help them with his cleverness and a bit of luck, always managing to find solutions to their problems.

One day, the king himself heard about Doctor Knowall and invited Bert to the royal palace. The king had a tricky question that no one could solve, and he hoped that Doctor Knowall could help. The question was about a secret door in the palace that had been locked for centuries, with no key or clue on how to open it.

Bert thought long and hard about the question. He wandered through the palace, studying the door and its surroundings. Finally, he noticed a series of strange marks or pictures carved into the walls. Using his clever mind, he realized that the marks formed a design that, when followed correctly, would reveal the secret to unlocking the door.

Bert carefully traced the design, and to everyone’s amazement, the door slowly creaked open. Inside, they found a hidden room filled with ancient treasures and forgotten knowledge. The king was overjoyed and declared Doctor Knowall the wisest man in the kingdom.

Bert, now truly Doctor Knowall, continued to live a life filled with adventure and knowledge. He helped people far and wide, always using his cleverness and kindness to solve their problems.

And so, Doctor Knowall lived happily ever after, proving that with a little courage and a lot of wit, anyone can achieve their dreams.

The end.

Follow-up questions:

• What did Bert do to become Doctor Knowall?
• How did Bert find out who the thief was?
• What was the tricky question the king needed help with, and how did Bert solve it?