The Return of the Prodigal Son
TABLE GAME "The Return of the Prodigal Son"
Things Needed:
play field, a die, counters.
How to Play.
Players throw a die on their turn and make the corresponding steps with their pieces, moving from circle to circle with the following exceptions: if a piece lands on circle 2, the player moves it one step back; if a piece lands on circle 3, the player moves it three steps back; if it lands on circle 4, the player misses a turn; if it lands on circle 5, the player should throw the die again (extra turn); if a counter lands on circle 6, the player should move his piece straight to the first circle.
There was a man who had two sons. One day the younger son came to his father demanding, "Father, give me my share of the estate. I want to use it for myself". "You are so young, my son," his father said. "I never thought you were going to leave us so soon". "Father, I want to be my own master," the stubborn son kept saying. What could the father do then? So he gave his younger son his part of the inheritance.
Not long after that, the younger son set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had no money left, his "friends" who liked to live on other people's wealth, left the poor guy on his own.
He began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. The poor guy felt such hunger that he longed to fill his stomach with the cornhusks that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
"How could I come to this! How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father. I will ask him to make me one of his hired men, for I am no longer worthy to be called his son". So he got up and went to his father.
During all that time the loving father had been waiting for his younger son's return. And one day he was watching the road closely, hoping that he would see his son. And all of a sudden, while the son was a long way off, his father saw him and ran to him! His son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son..." "My son, I have been waiting for you so long! I am so happy that I can put my arms around you again!" the happy father replied, hugging his son. "Welcome back home! Servants, quick! Bring the best robe for my son! Let's have a feast and celebrate. I am so happy, for my son is found! He will stay with me forever".