In a far land, there was a boy, who wanted to have a knowledge, but wasn’t sure how to acquire it. So one day, he went to the Grand Master, who was a very smart guy and asked him “How do I gain the knowledge you have?” “I will tell you, but first you must bring me a carpet” answered the Master.
The boy not wasting any time rushed to the nearest carpet-maker. “Dear carpet-maker, I am seeking some knowledge from the Grand Master, but I must give him a carpet first” said the boy. “What about me?” retorted the carpet-maker. “Do you know what I need to make a carpet?” not waiting for an answer, the carpet-maker added “I need a thread to weave a carpet.”
The boy rushed to find a spinner-woman. “Dear spinner woman, I am seeking some knowledge from the Grand Master, but I must get a thread to make a carpet first” said the boy. “What about me?” snapped the spinner-woman. “Do you know what I need to make a thread?” not caring for an answer, the spinner-woman added “I need a goat hair to make a thread.”
Without any delay, the boy hurried to a goat-keeper. “Dear goat-keeper, I am seeking some knowledge from the Grand Master, but first I must get a goat hair to make a thread for a carpet” said the boy. “What about me?” shouted the goat-keeper “You need knowledge, I need goats!”
Without any further a due, the boy left to find a goat-seller. He spotted somebody, who didn’t seem to be able to keep all the goats in one place. “If I help you to put all goats in one place, will you give me one goat?” the boy asked. “What do you need a goat for?” asked the goat-seller. The boy explained his hunger for knowledge and all the tasks he had to perform to get the knowledge from the Master. “Find a carpenter. Maybe he’ll help you, so you can help me” said the goat-seller.
The boy wasn’t rushing any longer. “Everybody needs something” he muttered to himself. As soon as the boy saw the carpenter, he told him the story and everybody’s needs. “I have a need, too” yelled the carpenter “I need a wife.”
Now the boy was dragging his legs, knocking at all doors. After many doors shut in his face, he met a matchmaker. “I know a girl that could be a good match for the carpenter” said the matchmaker “If you want the name, I want the knowledge.” “Perfect” said the boy “We’re looking for the same thing.” He told her what they needed to get in order to gain the knowledge. “Forget it” screamed the matchmaker “I don’t need it that badly.”
The boy continued his journey farther and farther away from his village. He almost lost all of his hope, when he saw a merchant at a market-place, who seemed to be troubled. “Can I be of any help” asked the boy. “I have a beautiful daughter, but she won’t stop ranting” said the merchant. The boy approached the girl, who whispered “I love a carpenter, but my father wants me to love a merchant.”
Now it all came together. The boy took the girl to the carpenter, who gave him wood to make enclosure for goats. The goat-seller in return gave him a goat, which he took to the goat-keeper. With the goat hair, the boy went to the spinner-woman. She spun a thread for a carpet-maker, who made a carpet for the Grand Master. The happy boy rushed to the Master, handed the carpet and asked “Can I have your knowledge now?” “But you already have it” answered the Master. The Master’s message was that the gift is more precious, when we give it rather than when we receive it. And the knowledge comes, when we least expect it.
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