The Spoon of Neville

Sometimes the idea of a spoon is more important than the spoon itself.

There are many tales of magical items, powerful artifacts, and mythological tools of great renown, but sometimes a simple and unassuming item can hold the most sway over the fortunes of a simple and unassuming person. This story is commonly told to children by their parents, and more than one youngster has, not quite understanding, gone looking for the Spoon of Neville.
Neville was the son of a poor farmer, and though his family had a cottage and a small plot of workable land there was barely enough food to keep them sustained. Neville tried to work hard and stay content, but this was difficult, and on cold days he found himself angry that his position was such a low one while others, who did not work every day, had plenty of food and large, warm homes.
It was on one such day that an old gnomish cleric knocked on the family's cottage door. It was early, and Neville's father was stirring porridge while his mother gathered herbs from the garden patch outside. He opened the door, and saw a small, travelworn figure holding a small satchel. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but I'd be very grateful for a seat by your fire to rest my feet for and hour or two." Neville had been taught by his parents that courtesy was a matter of pride, and so he welcomed the gnome into the small front room and brought him a stool to sit by the fireplace. Not wanting to be rude, he offered the aged traveller a bowl of the porridge. "That is very kind," the cleric said, "but not necessary. Eat up, and perhaps I will rest a bit longer and join you for lunch later today. I even brought along a special spoon." Neville ate his serving of porridge, and went out with his father to work on their plot of land.
A few hours passed, and they returned to the house for a drink of water and a small bite to eat. As they approached, Neville saw the gnome sitting in the shade with his back against a tree. "Come and join us!" he called. "We've got some bread, and a bit of fruit as well." "You are very kind," the old cleric said, "but I have done nothing but rest today, and do not want to take what food you have. Perhaps later tonight I will share some of your supper. I will put my special spoon to good use." "What an odd fellow," Neville thought to himself. Hungry as he was, he ate the bread and fruit quickly before heading back out to the field.
That evening upon returning to the house, Neville found the cleric sitting by the fire as his mother stirred a large iron pot. She'd caught a few fish that afternoon and had cooked them into a stew with potatoes and herbs, filling house with a delicious aroma. "You can't possible turn down a bowl of stew now," Neville told the cleric. The old gnome smiled. "I could," he said, "but I won't. That would be foolish of me. I don't need much however, just a ladle or two of the broth." As the four sat around the small hearth with their bowls of fish stew, and the cleric with his broth, the old gnome pulled a worn wooden spoon from his satchel. "Is that the spoon you were talking about before?" Neville asked. "Indeed. It makes each meal I eat taste better than the last." "How does it do that?" the boy wanted to know. "You all worked hard to earn the food you eat each day and have been very generous to invite me to join you. I don't need much, and would not forgive myself if I took more than I need," the cleric explained. "This broth is quite good, but still would not have been as delicious if I hadn't been hungry when I sat down to eat. Things are always more wonderful when you wait patiently for them. A hard fought victory is more satisfying than a simple result." "So it's really just a wooden spoon!" Neville laughed. "Indeed", the gnome said with a smile, "but the idea is what counts. And besides, when you eat as much broth as I do you must make it interesting."
We don't know what became of the old gnomish cleric, or Neville and his parents, but we hope he lived a generous life and had time to enjoy the things for which he may have patiently waited. In the end, sometimes the idea of the spoon is more important than the spoon itself.