The Long Search

A young man was traveling to a distant land, eagerly anticipating a meeting with a sage. He desired to learn a great secret from him. After three years at sea, he finally reached his destination.

Upon arriving at the harbor, he hired a horse-drawn carriage and took a fortnight to reach the village of the sage. However, upon his arrival, he learned that the sage, suffering from a fever, had been taken to a nearby town for treatment. The next day, the traveler hurried to the town, only to find that the sage had passed away the previous evening.

In despair, he wailed and beat his fist against his forehead, crying out, “What a pity that I should miss him by just one night and miss the chance to learn the secret!” The sage’s son took him aside and asked, “What is the secret you desired to learn from my father?”

“I was told that he knew of a medicine that could cure all diseases!” the traveler replied eagerly. The sage’s son, momentarily forgetting his mourning, laughed heartily.

“Why do you laugh?” asked the surprised traveler. “You are such a fool that I hesitate to answer your question! Had my father known such a medicine, do you think he would have died from a fever?” The traveler ceased his wailing, but lamented his fate for making the long journey for nothing.