The Dragon and the Merchant
Long ago, on a tall mountain, lived one of the last of the wise dragons. Every day, this wise dragon would leave its cave and head down the mountain to a particular clearing about halfway down the mountain. There, people from around the land could come and ask the dragon questions, and she would give them her wisdom. From time-to-time people would even stay on the mountain and train as an apprentice of the wise dragon.
One day, a young man came to the wise dragon early in the morning before the crowds of people started to arrive. He approached the dragon and bowed deeply. Then spoke. “Great dragon I am Kaheal. You may not remember me, as it has been many years. Once, long ago, I came here with my mother, as I was just about to start my training, and you helped me face my fears, and I have lived by the wise words you gave me that day Through-out my school days. Now, tomorrow I leave the house of learning to make my way as a merchant.”
The wise dragon responded with, “It is nice to see you again, Kaheal, I am glad you have done so well for yourself. I am always fascinated by how fast you humans grow. How may I help the young man who once trembled before me as a small boy?”
Kaheal began his question by explaining, “In the learning house, I did train for many years, first as a tailor, and then later as a blacksmith. Last night, I walked the great city, thinking about what business I should try and open after I graduate tomorrow. As I walked the streets, I noticed ten different tailor shops, some doing well, and others looked more like they would close for good any day now. There were even more blacksmith shops then tailor shops, some specializing in tools
and some just for the working of gold or silver. I do not see the point in opening
another one of these shops and competing for the coins they now earn.” Kaheal paused for a moment then went on, “Beyond that, I want to do something that
will be of some good but also allow me to make coins for myself. As hard as I try to think of what I should do, I cannot see it.”
The wise dragon contemplated what the young man had said and asked. Then after some time, spoke, saying. “It is true there are many tailors and blacksmiths within the city. Most of all, it is honorable that you wish to do good with your work.
It is also wise that you wish to earn, while doing good works.”
The dragon then paused and turned its head from side to side, as if it were checking that no one else was listening. Then went on to say, “Because of this, I will tell one of the secrets to making profit while doing good work. The tailor, the blacksmith, and most crafter within the city must first buy the supplies
to make their art. They must then sell the crafts at a higher price than what it cost to make it. This difference between cost and sale is how they make profit.”
The dragon then leaned her head down close to Kaheal and whispered, “Now, here is the secret to finding work that does good and earns a profit for you. Just outside your city wall, there is a place to get free supplies to craft and make. If you find a way to make profit from these free supplies, all that you sell at any price will be profit. As it cost you nothing but your time to make it.”
The young man was eager to start, so he begged, “Where is this hidden market of which I can buy supplies without spending coin? Tell me, and I shall make my way there this day, to begin.”
“It is just outside the west wall of your city. Go now, see what supplies call out to you and what crafts you can make to sell. While you are there, keep your eyes and your mind open to the many hidden, potential products you could make.”
The young man went at once. As he walked, he imagined what type of hidden market he would find. He wondered if the merchants there gave away their supplies by order of the king for those lucky enough to find it. Perhaps the
merchants where there by suggestion of the dragon, giving away all they had in
hopes of finding enlightenment and wisdom. When he left the city out of the west
gate and begin looking for the hidden marketplace, he passed first by a group of the king’s slaves unloading a cart full of horse droppings that they gathered from the city streets. As the young merchant passed the men, he thought to himself, these slaves must have to do this every day to keep the city clean. He could see the slaves, dumping the waste on a pile, so huge it reached for the sky. Towering almost as high as the city wall itself, and behind that mountain of waste where five more just as high. A few minutes later, he found himself standing before a huge pit
at least a mile wide and even longer than its width. The pit was full of trash that had been tossed out by those who lived inside the city. The young man spent three days searching around the edge of the pit and around the area before giving up on finding the hidden market, returning on the fourth day to the wise dragon on the mountain.
When he approached the dragon, she spoke first. “It is good to see you again Kaheal, what business have you decided on?”
Kaheal looked ashamed and lowered his head as he spoke. “I am afraid, I was unable to find the hidden market you spoke of and thus have no more
a business plan, than when I last saw you.”
“Could not find it? It is not hidden and quite large, how could you not find it?” asked the wise dragon.
“All I found was the city’s dump where they throw out the trash, great dragon,”
Answered Kaheal.
“Then you did find it, young merchant!” Replied the dragon, and then went on. “All within that place is profit for you. It is as if the people of the city have left you coppers and silver, just in piles in a pit outside the city. All you need to do is to find a way to use their waste.”
Kaheal thought about this for a moment, then said, “It is true that the farmers of the
field do pay for cow and sheep droppings, to enrich the soil in which they plant. I also saw much scrap and torn leather within the pit of which I could clean and
make into small coin bags.”
The dragon smiled and said, “Now you are looking with an open mind, and as you will pay nothing for these supplies, you can sell what you make cheaper
than others who sell the same products. The piles discarded there, grow every-day.
If nothing changes, one day the piles will be as big as the city itself, and the smell
will cover the city. This is how you will be doing good works for all, especially me, for the smells of the pit and piles already wafts its way to my cave on the top of this mountain. Remember, Kaheal, as you go forth from here, there is no such thing as waste. Only stuff in the wrong place. If you keep this in mind, you will always find profit where others are not looking”
THE END
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