The Brazen Cups

There were two brazen cups in the dining hall of a kingdom.

The Brass Cup sat amongst the other brass cups on the dining table.

The Bejeweled Cup sat on a mantlepiece, looking over the dining hall.

One day, The Brass Cup overheard The Bejeweled Cup proclaiming his worth:

The Bejeweled Cup:

I am the epitome of inspiration! Both kings and peasants alike look upon me with adoration.

The Brass Cup:

That may be true, but I nourish both kings and peasants.

The Bejeweled Cup:

That may be true, though you nourish the king in the comeliest of times.

The Brass Cup:

Ah, and you do not nourish but in the haughtiest of times.

…

Some time passed, and word spread of a siege about to commence on the kingdom

…

The Bejeweled Cup broke the silence:

Have you heard, Brass? We are to be ransacked! Our men will surely think of me as the reason to protect our kingdom.

The Brass Cup:

I have heard… our men are more like to long for the pleasantries of last night in this dining hall. You were but a peripheral twinkle, dulled by the spirit I provided these fine men.

The Bejeweled Cup:

They will surely protect me…

The kingdom was ransacked, and The Bejeweled Cup was lifted from the mantlepiece. The Brass Cup was left - in a thought of how a change must needs come, and his purpose was to nourish, regardless of the parched mouth’s affiliation. The Bejeweled Cup realized something similar about how the very motivation he represented was that which separated him from his fellow cups.