the taoists tell a story:
May. 4th, 2001 07:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
saint_monkeythere was a powerful king plagued by a thief.
he could not buy a fine thing and place it in his castle, without it being stolen the next evening.
he hired the best guards he could, but the thievery always continued despite his best efforts.
one night the king awoke to find the thief in his chambers, and captured the man himself.
his counsellors wanted the king to have the thief executed,
but the king retained him as his head of spies, and gave the man a rich salary that eliminated the need for any future thieving.
When a powerful enemy came and lay siege to the king's capitol, the king called in his chief of spies, and asked for advice. The thief told him not to worry, and handed him an ornate wooden box.
in the morning the king called a truce, and arranged a meeting with the enemy general.
the king gave the general the fine wooden box, and left the general alone.
when the general opened the box, he found his own pillow, (which had gone missing while he slept,) and a note that read:
"tomorrow morning, the box will contain your head."
the army withdrew that very day.
he could not buy a fine thing and place it in his castle, without it being stolen the next evening.
he hired the best guards he could, but the thievery always continued despite his best efforts.
one night the king awoke to find the thief in his chambers, and captured the man himself.
his counsellors wanted the king to have the thief executed,
but the king retained him as his head of spies, and gave the man a rich salary that eliminated the need for any future thieving.
When a powerful enemy came and lay siege to the king's capitol, the king called in his chief of spies, and asked for advice. The thief told him not to worry, and handed him an ornate wooden box.
in the morning the king called a truce, and arranged a meeting with the enemy general.
the king gave the general the fine wooden box, and left the general alone.
when the general opened the box, he found his own pillow, (which had gone missing while he slept,) and a note that read:
"tomorrow morning, the box will contain your head."
the army withdrew that very day.
