The Chinese man and the three pieces of advice.
Once a young newly wedded couple lived on a small farm. They were poor and there were not many jobs around for men to do. so one day, the husband said to his wife,
“My love, For work I have to leave our house and travel far away to get a job so that I can earn enough to give you the comfortable life that you deserve. While I am gone, I won't be in touch with you and I don't know how long I will stay away. I just want to ask one thing before I leave. That is Please wait for me to return. Don't ever betray me. Will be faithful to you even if I am gone.
The young man left and walked for many days until he reached a big city. There he looked for people who were in need of help. At last, he found an employer.
Before getting started with his work, he discussed the terms of his employment.
He said, “Let me work as long as I want and when I think I should go home, please relieve me of my duties.
I don't want to receive any salary during my work time, please save it with you, for me until the day I leave. The day I leave, please give me all money I earn during my work here."
Employer agreed. The young man was a hard worker. He never took any holiday and didn't give any reason for the complaint to his employer.
Years went by and After twenty years, one day a man came to his employer and said,
"Sir, I want to leave. I have to return home now. can I have my wages?"
Employer replied, "Sure but before you go I want to offer you something."
Man questioned, "What?"
The employer said, "Here is an offer: I will give you all your money and send you away or I can give you three pieces of advice for your life and send away but without money. The choice is yours to make.
The man asked for time to think. He thought hard for two days. He knew that he would lose all his hard-earned money if he asks for advice. At last, he decided and went to his employer.
He said, “I want three pieces of advice."
The employer reminded him that if he asks for advice then he won't be getting any money.
The man replied, “I have lived with you and learned everything from you. That is enough. I shall be able to make a good life with all the experience. I only want the 3 pieces of advice."
The employer then told him three pieces of advice:
- Never take shortcuts in your life. Shorter or unknown paths can cost your life.
- Never be too curious, for curiosity towards evil can be deadly.
- Never make decisions in moments of anger or pain because when you repent it could be too late.
After this employer handed him three loaves of bread and said,
“two are for you to eat during journey and the last one that is packed separately is for your wife. Eat it with her when you get home."
The man thanked his employer and left for his home.
On the first day of travel, he meets an old man who greeted him and asked,
"Where are you going?"
He replied, "To a distant place. I would take about 20 days to reach if I continue walking."
The old man said, “Oh, this path is too long. I know a shortcut that is safe and you will be able to arrive at your destination in five days."
Man wanted to reach home early, so he began to follow the path suggested by the old man until he remembered advice from his employer. Just then he returned to his previous and long path and followed it.
Days later he got to know that that shortcut was a way for robbers to trick people into going through that path so that they can ambush travelers there and take all their belongings.
After few more days of travel, he found an inn by the roadside. He went to the inn to rest for the night and paid for the room.
After taking a bath, he lay down asleep but during the night he woke up hearing a terrifying scream. He went toward the door to check what happened. As he was going to open the door, he remembered second advice. Therefore, he returned, lay down, and slept again.
The next day he asked the owner of the lodging if he had heard a scream at night. The owner confirmed it.
The owner asked, “Didn't you check out for what's the reason for a scream? Weren't you curious?"
The man replied, "No."
At this owner replied, "You are one of few guests who managed to leave this inn alive. We have heard that in the night, a demon shouts and scream to call the attention of wayfarers and when curious guests go outside to check, he drags them to the forest and kills them."
The man was saved again. He thanked God and continued his journey.
After many days and nights of walking, he was tired. Finally, he saw the sight of his house from far away. He was very happy to see it. It was night, he saw some light coming out of the window of his house, he was able to see his wife but then he saw that she was not alone. When he came closer he saw that there was a man with her and she was softly caressing his hair. When the man saw that scene, his heart was filled with anger and wanted to kill both of them mercilessly.
But then he remembered the third piece of advice and took a deep breath and stopped.
He decided to sleep outside the house that night. He slept in midst of bushes, determined to make a decision the next day. When he was calmer, he thought, “I will not kill my wife and his lover. I will go back to my employer and work there for the rest of my life. But before leaving I want to tell my wife that all these years I was faithful to her."
The man went to the front door and knocked. When wife opened the door, she recognized him and cried, embraced him warmly. The man tried to push her away but was not able to.
With tears in his eyes, he asked,
"Who is the man that you were with, yesterday?"
She said, "That is your son. When you left, I discovered that I was pregnant. Today, he is twenty years old."
Hearing that man cried and thanked his employer for all his advice.
Then wife called out for his son who was asleep. The man ran in and hugged his son. Then he told them all about the experience he had while he was away.
He finally told them of the employer and his 3 pieces of advice. He then put the last loaf on the table saying, “This is all that I have earned in twenty years."
The wife smiled and said, “That's enough. I am happy that now we will be able to live together."
Then for dinner, the wife broke bread and when looked inside, they found that bread contained gold coins that were much more than the right amount of payment for man's twenty years of hard work and dedication.
