A man send his son to learn the secret of happiness from the wisest man.the young man wandered through the desert for forty days until he reached a beautiful castle at the top of the mountain.There lived a sage that the young man was looking for.
However, instead of finding a holy man our hero entered a room and saw a great deal of activities;merchants coming and going, people chatting in the corner, a sweet orchestra playing soft melodies and there was a table
laden with the most delectable dishes from the world.
The wise man talked with every body, the young man had to wait for 2 hours, until it was time for his audience.
With considerable patience, the sage listened attentively to the reason for boys visit , but told him that the moment he don't have time to explain the reason for happiness.
He suggested young man take a stroll around his place and come back in two hours' time.
" How ever, I want to ask you for a favor",he added,handling the boy a tea spoon, in which he poured two drop of oil."while you walk ,carry the spoon and don't let the oil spill".
the young man began to climb up and down the palace staircases, always keeping eye fix on the spoon. at the end of two hours he returned to the presence of the wise man.
"SO".Asked the sage"did you see the parsian tapestries hanging in my dinning room?did you see the garden that the masters of gardener took ten year to create?did you notice beautiful parchments in my library?"
Embarrassed,the young man confessed that he had seen nothing. his only concern was not to spill the drops of oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.
"so."go back and see the wonders of my world"; said the wise man."you cant trust a man if you don't know his house."
Now more at ease,the young man took the spoon and strolled again through to the palace, this time paying attention to all the works of art that hung from the celling and walls .He saw the gardens, mountains all round the palace, the delicacy of flowers,the taste with which each work of art was placed on its niche.Returning to the sage, he reported in details that he had seen.
" But where are the two drops of oil that I entrusted to you?"- asked the sage.
Looking down at the spoon, the young man realized that he had spilled the oil.
"WELL, That is the only advice i have to give you",said the sage of sages."the secret of happiness lies at looking at the wonders of the world and never forgetting the two drops of oil in the spoon."
