ALWAYS PAY THE RIGHT PRICE
A Teaching Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
A renowned King once decided to travel throughout the length and breadth of his vast empire.
One day the King and his entourage reached a remote uninhabited area in the back of beyond in the dense forests deep in the mountains near an awe-inspiring waterfall.
The King was enamoured by the sheer pristine beauty of breathtaking place that he decided to camp there for a few days to relax and enjoy the sylvan surroundings.
A few days later the Royal Cook came to King and he pleaded before the King, “Your Highness, there is a small problem. Our stock of salt has finished. I know that you like tasty food, but what can I do – without salt the food will taste so bland that you will get angry and I am scared. Please tell me what I should do?”
“That’s a small problem,” the King said, “you do one thing. On our way up here I noticed a small village in the foothills. Take a good horse and go down to that village. I am sure you will find a shop selling salt there.”
“Yes, your Majesty,” the Cook said, and started to leave.
“Wait,” the King said, looking at the Cook, “Wear normal clothes and don’t tell them that you are the Royal Cook. Go like a commoner, bargain properly, find out the usual rate at which salt in being sold in the market and make sure that you pay the right price for the salt. Be careful that you do not pay even a paisa more than the prevailing correct price.’
The Royal Cook was a bit bewildered and asked the King, “Your Highness, you are the King Emperor of such a huge and prosperous kingdom. You possess so much wealth, so many treasures, you have more money than anyone else in the world, and yet you tell me to bargain and not to pay even one paisa more than the right price for the salt. What difference will it make to you if we paid a little bit more for the salt?”
The King gave the Cook a profound look and answered, “It is precisely the little things that grow into the injustices of the world. Little things are like drops of water that eventually fill an entire lake. The great injustices of the world begin as little things. So you must take care of the little things in life. Now go and buy the salt at the right price.”
Well, I am quite confused.
What is the exact moral of this story?
Does the story tell us that if we pay attention to small details, the big picture will take care of itself?
Well, I can’t fathom the precise message in this story.
So, Dear Reader, you tell me what you think is the moral of this story.
Meanwhile, I am going to tell this story to all those overly-paid nouveau riche young “Techies” who have no qualms in spending lavish amounts of money to buy houses. This hype in demand has sent the real estate market in a tizzy and caused property prices to skyrocket to unrealistic levels in places like Pune, where the poor infrastructure does not justify the high prices.
And suppose the real estate “bubble” bursts – like it almost happened a few years ago.
Well, a real estate downturn does not seem an impossibility, in the near future, if you look at the current gloomy economic situation, the slowdown in growth, the industrial downturn, the global meltdown, the volatile stock markets, the unstable political situation and the possibility of a looming recession.
You may have lots of money in your pocket, but when you buy something it may be worthwhile to ponder and ask yourself: “Am I getting value for my money?”
Maybe you can take a cue from the King’s advice to his Cook – that you must always pay the proper price for a commodity.
That’s why there was no “inflation” in that King’s Kingdom and prices remained in control and the commoners in the Kingdom were a happy lot.
History has taught us that extravagance and profligacy do not pay long term dividends.
That was the “materialistic” moral of the story. Now, you, Dear Reader, please tell us the “philosophical” or “spiritual” moral of the story.
Have a Happy Monday and a Great Week ahead.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Did you like this story?
I am sure you will like the 27 fiction short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-81910
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-ka
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Did you like this story?
I am sure you will like the 27 fiction short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-81910
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-ka
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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