A certain good woman one day said something that hurt her best friend of many years. She regretted immediately and would have done anything to have taken the words back. What she said hurt the friend so much that this good woman was herself hurt for the pain she caused. In an effort to undo¹ what she had done, she went to an older, wise woman in the village, explained her situation, and asked for advice.

 

Listening to her, the older woman sensed the younger woman's distress² and knew she must help her. She also knew she could never alleviate³（减轻，缓和） the pain , but she could teach. She knew the outcome⁴ would depend solely⁵ on the character of the younger woman. She said, "Tonight, take your best feather pillows and put single feather on the doorstep of each house in the town before the sun rises."

 

The young woman hurried home to prepare for her chore, even though the feather pillows were very dear to her. All night long, she labored⁶ alone in the cold. Finally the sky was getting light, she placed the last feather on the steps of the last house. Just as the sun rose, she returned to the older woman.

 

"Now", said the wise woman, "Go back and refill your pillows with the feather you have put on the steps, then everything will be as it was before."

 

"You know that's impossible! The wind blew away each feather as fast as I placed them on the doorsteps!" the young woman was surprised.

 

"That's true," said the older woman. "Never forget. Each of your words is like a feather in the wind. Once spoken, no amount of effort, regardless how heartfelt or sincere, can never return them to your mouth. Choose your words well and guard them most of all the presence of those of you love."

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