The thought came to a certain king that he would never fail if he knew three things. These three things were
- What is the best time to do each thing?
- Who are the most important people to work with?
- What is the most important thing to do at all times?
And this thought having occurred to him, he had it proclaimed throughout his kingdom that he would give a great reward to any one who would teach him what was the right time for every action, and who were the most necessary people, and how he might know what was the most important thing to do.
Many
educated men attempted to answer the king's questions, but they all
came up with different answers.
The king decided that he needed to ask a
wise hermit in a nearby village.
The hermit would only see common folk,
however, so the king disguised himself as a peasant and left his guards
behind to see the hermit.
The hermit was digging flower beds when the
king arrived.
The king asked his questions, but the hermit went on
digging rather laboriously.
The king offered to dig for him for a while.
After digging for some time, the king again asked his questions.
Before
the hermit could answer, a man emerged from the woods.
He was bleeding
from a terrible stomach wound.
The king tended to him, and they stayed
the night in the hermit's hut.
By the next day the wounded man was doing
better, but was incredulous at the help he had received.
The man
confessed that he knew who the king was, and that the king had executed
his brother and seized his property.
He had come to kill the king, but
the guards wounded him in the stomach.
The man pledged allegiance to the
king, and he went on his way.
The King approached him, and said: "For the last time, I pray you to answer my questions, wise man."
"You have already
been answered!" said the hermit, still crouching on his thin legs, and
looking up at the King, who stood before him.
"How answered? What do you mean?" asked the King.
"Do
you not see," replied the hermit.
"If you had not pitied my weakness
yesterday, and had not dug those beds for me, but had gone your way,
that man would have attacked you, and you would have repented of not
having stayed with me."
"So the most important time was when you were
digging the beds; and I was the most important man; and to do me good
was your most important business."
"Afterwards when that man ran to us,
the most important time was when you were attending to him, for if you
had not bound up his wounds he would have died without having made peace
with you. So he was the most important man, and what you did for him
was your most important business."
Remember then: There
is only one time that is important -- Now! It is the most important time
because it is the only time when we have any power. The most necessary man is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with any one else; and the most important affair is, to do him good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!"
