The Shepherd’s Treasure

I

N a village in Iran there once lived a shepherd. He was very

poor. He did not have even a small cottage of his own. He

had never been to school or learnt to read and write, for

there were very few schools in those days.

Though poor and uneducated, this shepherd was very

wise. He understood people’s sorrows and troubles, and

helped them face their

problems with courage and

common sense. Many

people came to him for

advice. Soon he became

famous for his wisdom and

friendly nature. The king of

that country heard about

him, and thought of

meeting him.

Disguised as a shepherd

and riding on a mule, one

day the king came to

the cave where the wise

shepherd lived. As soon as the shepherd saw the traveller coming

towards the cave, he rose to welcome him. He took the tired

traveller inside the cave, gave him water to drink and a share of

his own meagre meal. The king rested for the night in the cave

and was greatly impressed by the shepherd’s hospitality and

wise conversation.

Though still tired, the king decided to depart the next

morning. He said, “Many thanks for your kindness to a poor

traveller. I have a long way to go. Permit me to leave.”

Looking straight into the eyes of his guest, the shepherd

replied, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for paying me the

compliment of a visit.”

The king was astonished as well as pleased. ‘He is indeed

very wise,’ he thought to himself. ‘I need people like him to

work for me.’ And the king appointed this humble shepherd

the governor of a small district.

Although he rose to power and dignity, the shepherd

remained as humble as ever. People loved and honoured

him for his wisdom, sympathy and goodness. He was kind

and just to one and all. His fame as a fair and wise governor

soon spread throughout the country.

Now the governors of other provinces grew terribly jealous

of him and began to talk to the king against him. They said,

“He is very dishonest, and keeps for himself part of the money

that he collects as tax from the people.” Why did he always

carry with him, they added, an iron chest? Perhaps he carried

in it the treasure that he had secretly collected. After all,

they said mockingly, he was an ordinary shepherd and

could behave no better.

At first the king did not pay attention to these reports,

but how long could he ignore these governors and their

endless stories about the shepherd? One thing was certain,

the king discovered. The new governor did carry an iron

chest with him all the time.

So, one day, the new governor was summoned to the

palace. He came riding on his camel, and to everyone’s

delight, the famous iron chest was there fastened securely

behind him on the camel’s back.

Now the king was angry. He thundered, “Why do you

always carry that iron chest with you? What does it contain?”

The governor smiled.

He asked his servant to

bring in the chest. How

eagerly the people standing

around waited for

the shepherd to be found

out! But how great was

their astonishment, and

even of the king himself,

when the chest was

opened! No gold or silver

or jewels but an old

blanket was all that

came out. Holding it up

proudly, the shepherd said, “This, my dear master, is my

only treasure. I always carry it with me.”

“But why do you carry such an ordinary blanket with you?

Surely, you are the governor of a district?” the king asked.

To which the shepherd replied with quiet dignity, “This

blanket is my oldest friend. It will still protect me if, at any

time, Your Majesty should wish to take away my new cloaks.”

How pleased the king was, and how embarrassed the

jealous governors became to hear the wise man’s reply! Now

they knew that the shepherd was indeed the humblest and

the wisest man in the land. The king made him the governor

of a much bigger district that very day.