“What is your value?”
Once, a young man approached a Master and said: “I have come to you because I feel so miserable and worthless that I don’t want to live anymore. Everyone around me insists that I am a failure, a clumsy loser. Please, Master, help me!”
Glancing briefly at the young man, the Master hurriedly replied, “I’m sorry, but I am very busy at the moment and cannot help you. I have an urgent need to resolve an important matter.” After a moment of thought, he added, “However, if you agree to help me with my issue, I will be happy to assist you with yours”.
“With… with pleasure, Master”, the young man murmured, bitter to realize that once again he was being set aside.
“Good”, said the Master, taking off a small ring with a stunning gem from his left little finger. “Take this horse and make your way to the market square. I have an urgent need to sell this ring to settle a debt. Do your best to fetch the highest price for it, and under no circumstances should you accept an offer lower than a gold coin. Ride swiftly and return promptly”.
With the ring in his possession, the young man set off at a gallop. Upon arriving at the market square, he began presenting the ring to the various merchants, initially garnering interest in his goods.
However, as soon as they heard the mention of a gold coin, their interest in the ring vanished. Some openly mocked him, while others simply walked away. Only one elderly merchant offered a kind explanation, stating that a gold coin was too high a price for such a ring. He could consider a copper coin or, at most, a silver one.
Hearing the old man’s words, the young man felt deeply disappointed. He remembered the Master’s instruction not to agree to anything less than a gold coin. After going around the entire market and offering the ring to a hundred people, the young man mounted his horse and returned. He entered the Master’s presence, greatly disheartened by his failure.
“Master, I was not able to accomplish your task,” he said sadly. “At best, I could have obtained a couple of silver coins for the ring, but you ordered me not to settle for anything less than a gold coin. Yet, the ring is not worth that much”.
“You have just spoken very important words, my son,” replied the Master. “Before attempting to sell the ring, it would have been wise to determine its true value. And who is better suited for that task than a jeweler? Ride to the jeweler and ask him how much he would offer for the ring. But regardless of his offer, do not sell the ring and return to me”.
The young man mounted his horse again and set off for the jeweler. The jeweler carefully examined the ring through a magnifying glass, then weighed it on small scales. Finally, he turned to the young man and said, “Tell the Master that I cannot offer more than fifty-eight gold coins at the moment. However, if he gives me some time, I can buy the ring for seventy coins, considering the urgency of the transaction”.
“Seventy coins?!” the young man exclaimed with joy, thanking the jeweler and racing back at full speed.
“Sit here”, the Master said, listening to the young man excitedly recounting his journey. “And know, my son, that you are like that very ring – precious and unique! Only a true expert can appraise your worth. So why do you wander around the marketplace, expecting the first passerby to recognize it?”