The Pearl

A man went out into the market to find a map of a cave.
The Merchant gave him a map and the man went into the cave.
He traveled along many dark and treacherous paths because the map was wrong.

He came upon three paths: one going straight, left, and right.
He couldn’t decide which path to take, but on the straight path he saw a small glow.
He followed the glow while he walked along the dark and treacherous path.
This path was bumpy, and he kept slipping and stumbling, but he was determined to see what
the glow was.

It became brighter and brighter as he came closer, and when he came to an end of the path
he found thousands of pearls.
They were bright and beautiful and illuminating, and next to them were maps.
The man picked a pearl and grabbed the map, and he got out the cave because the map was
correct.

When he came into the market, carrying his pearl, people began to talk of him.
Some said, “So what if he has a pearl? I have bronze-like treasures.”
Others said, “I want that beautiful pearl that he is carrying.”
Others, who were jealous of this man’s pearl, tried to tempt the man into giving up his
treasure.
A rich man offered him money for the pearl, but the man refused.
A woman offered to lay with him and wanted to give him treasures, but the man refused.

Finally he told the people in the market, “Go into the cave and find your own pearl; there are
many in that place.”
He made a copy of the map that he received in the cave, and he had offered it to many.
Those that believed him and happily received the map went into the cave and found a pearl,
and they were very joyous.

The Merchant, who gave the man the wrong map, was angry and very afraid, and so he
left the market and went into another marketplace and tricked others.