{"id":48035,"date":"2025-05-24T06:01:16","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T10:01:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=48035"},"modified":"2026-03-16T08:02:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T12:02:43","slug":"fools-and-wisemen-by-ah83","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=48035","title":{"rendered":"Fools and Wisemen (by AH83)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Summary: Young Hoss and Adam learn some lessons about wisdom. \nRating: G, Word Count: 1016<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Fools and Wisemen<\/strong><\/p>\n
Adam was reading a book at lunch time when he heard yelling at the other end of the school yard. He put his book down to see what was going on. As he approached he saw three boys piled on another boy. Adam couldn\u2019t tell who the boy was until he got closer and saw it was his nine-year-old brother, Hoss. Adam pulled the boys off Hoss and threw them back.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet off him!\u201d Adam yelled.<\/p>\n
He looked at Hoss and saw his nose was bleeding and a black eye was starting to form.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did you beat up on him?\u201d Adam demanded.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a dumb ox. He\u2019s bigger\u2019n everyone else. We figured he could fight. He\u2019s nothing but a dumb ox and a sissy!\u201d Josh Greene said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you\u2019re going to beat him up because he\u2019s a dummy? You just thought it would be fun to hurt him? He\u2019s nine years old! Just leave him alone or you\u2019ll have me to deal with,\u201d Adam threatened.<\/p>\n
The bell rang signaling the end of lunch. The boys went in leaving Adam and Hoss alone. Adam helped Hoss up and led him to the water pump. He pulled out his handkerchief, got it wet and dabbed it on Hoss\u2019 face.<\/p>\n
\u201cHoss, why did they really hit you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was tossing a ball with Bobby when those boys took my ball and tossed it between each other. I tried to get it back from them but they wouldn\u2019t give it back. I shoved one of them and they got mad and hit me. I tried to fight back but that\u2019s when they jumped on me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam\u2019s jaw clenched in anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go inside and talk to the teacher about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later that evening Adam was losing an argument with his father. \u201cBut Pa, Hoss needs to learn to fight and be able to stand up for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAdam, I told you he\u2019s too young,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n
Adam couldn\u2019t believe his father wouldn\u2019t let him teach Hoss to stand up for himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you saying it\u2019s all right for those boys to pick on him? The teacher didn\u2019t do a thing when we told him! He asked the boys about it and they denied hurting Hoss. The teacher said because he didn\u2019t see anything he couldn\u2019t get after them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAdam, your father is right. Hoss shouldn\u2019t have to fight,\u201d Marie added from the floor where she was playing with three-year-old Joe.<\/p>\n
Adam spun around and glared at Marie. \u201cYou don\u2019t know what\u2019s good for Hoss. You stay out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAdam Cartwright, you apologize to Marie and get outside to your chores before I take a belt to you,\u201d Ben said angrily.<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t!\u201d Adam yelled and stormed out of the house.<\/p>\n
Hoss was out in the barn doing his homework when he saw Adam stomping in muttering angrily to himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam jumped not realizing anyone was in the barn.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, Adam, there\u2019s something wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss set his book down as Adam walked over to him and sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cPa won\u2019t let me teach you how to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not just do it in secret?\u201d Hoss suggested.<\/p>\n
Adam looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a supposed dumb ox, you\u2019re pretty smart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know you\u2019re not really a dumb ox right? You\u2019re smart, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, but nobody knows that because I\u2019m big. They see big and think I\u2019m dumb. I know I\u2019m only nine and don\u2019t know a lot yet but it\u2019s not fair, Adam. Why should people assume that by the way a person looks they\u2019re dumb or smart? They see you and think you\u2019re smart. They see me and think I\u2019m dumb. Why can\u2019t I just be me and not get picked on?\u201d Hoss shook his head sadly.<\/p>\n
Adam sighed trying to think of a reply. \u201cA fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss wrinkled his nose in confusion. \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam chuckled then grew serious. \u201cHoss, they\u2019re fools. All of them. Fools think they\u2019re so dang smart, but a wise man is smart enough to know he\u2019s still got a lot to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss sat and thought about it. Adam watched his younger brother knowing the wheels were turning in his head. \nHoss looked at his older brother. \u201cAre you saying I\u2019m a wise man?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I am. Hoss, you\u2019re still learning and will be a smart and wise man one day. You\u2019ll surprise people. I know fighting doesn\u2019t solve problems but you do need to learn to fight and stand up for yourself. They are bullies and need to be stopped,\u201d Adam explained.<\/p>\n
Hoss admired his fifteen-year-old brother. He wanted to be smart like Adam. He knew what Adam told him was true. Adam would never lie to him.<\/p>\n
A month had gone by after Adam had secretly taught Hoss to fight. Hoss was again playing with Bobby in the school yard when the bullies came up to him. Adam looked up from his book and saw Josh and his cronies walking up to Hoss. He wanted to stop the boys but knew Hoss had to deal with it. He couldn\u2019t hear what was being said and it drove him nuts. He knew that if he walked anywhere near his brother, the boys would tease Hoss. A few minutes later, Josh walked away. Adam swore he detected a lone tear on Josh\u2019s cheek. What did Hoss say to make the school bully cry?<\/p>\n
Adam walked up to Hoss after witnessing what happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss turned to his brother.<\/p>\n
\u201cJosh wanted to fight and I told him I didn\u2019t want to. He teased me calling me horse and other names. He asked if I was going to get you to fight for me. I said I wasn\u2019t and I asked why he wanted to fight me. He said he\u2019s jealous because I\u2019m smarter than him. I\u2019m nine and he\u2019s twelve and he said I\u2019m smarter than him! I was surprised. I told him I didn\u2019t know if I could help him with school work but that we could be friends. That\u2019s when he cried and said he might.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHoss, you are wise beyond your years. Pa would be proud. I know I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam put his arm around his brother and they went in the school house.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
Posted in Observance of Brother’s Day 2026<\/p>\n
From the Brandsters.\u00a0 The story was originally written and published on the Bonanza Trail Riders site.\u00a0 Brand is happy to offer this story a new home.<\/span><\/p>\n