+ “Because you are trying to realize your Personal Legend. And + you are at the point where you’re about to give it all up.” + “And that’s when you always appear on the scene?” + “Not always in this way, but I always appear in one form or + another. Sometimes I appear in the form of a solution, or a good + idea. At other times, at a crucial moment, I make it easier for things + to happen. There are other things I do, too, but most of the time + people don’t realize I’ve done them.” + The old man related that, the week before, he had been forced to + appear before a miner, and had taken the form of a stone. The miner + had abandoned everything to go mining for emeralds. For five years + he had been working a certain river, and had examined hundreds of + thousands of stones looking for an emerald. The miner was about to + give it all up, right at the point when, if he were to examine just one + more stone—just one more—he would find his emerald. Since the + miner had sacrificed everything to his Personal Legend, the old man + decided to become involved. He transformed himself into a stone + that rolled up to the miner’s foot. The miner, with all the anger and + frustration of his five fruitless years, picked up the stone and threw + it aside. But he had thrown it with such force that it broke the stone + it fell upon, and there, embedded in the broken stone, was the most + beautiful emerald in the world. + “People learn, early in their lives, what is their reason for being,” + said the old man, with a certain bitterness. “Maybe that’s why they + give up on it so early, too. But that’s the way it is.” + The boy reminded the old man that he had said something about + hidden treasure. + “Treasure is uncovered by the force of flowing water, and it is + buried by the same currents,” said the old man. “If you want to learn + about your own treasure, you will have to give me one-tenth of your + flock.” + “What about one-tenth of my treasure?” + The old man looked disappointed. “If you start out by promising + what you don’t even have yet, you’ll lose your desire to work + toward getting it.” + The boy told him that he had already promised to give one-tenth + of his treasure to the Gypsy. + “Gypsies are experts at getting people to do that,” sighed the old + man. “In any case, it’s good that you’ve learned that everything in + life has its price. This is what the Warriors of the Light try to teach.” + The old man returned the book to the boy. + “Tomorrow, at this same time, bring me a tenth of your flock. + And I will tell you how to find the hidden treasure. Good afternoon.” + And he vanished around the corner of the plaza. + THE BOY BEGAN AGAIN TO READ HIS BOOK, BUT HE WAS NO longer able to + concentrate. He was tense and upset, because he knew that the old + man was right. He went over to the bakery and bought a loaf of + bread, thinking about whether or not he should tell the baker what + the old man had said about him. Sometimes it’s better to leave + things as they are, he thought to himself, and decided to say nothing. + If he were to say anything, the baker would spend three days + thinking about giving it all up, even though he had gotten used to + the way things were. The boy could certainly resist causing that + kind of anxiety for the baker. So he began to wander through the + city, and found himself at the gates. There was a small building + there, with a window at which people bought tickets to Africa. And + he knew that Egypt was in Africa. +
+ + ++ “Can I help you?” asked the man behind the window. + “Maybe tomorrow,” said the boy, moving away. If he sold just + one of his sheep, he’d have enough to get to the other shore of the + strait. The idea frightened him. + “Another dreamer,” said the ticket seller to his assistant, + watching the boy walk away. “He doesn’t have enough money to + travel.” + While standing at the ticket window, the boy had remembered + his flock, and decided he should go back to being a shepherd. In two + years he had learned everything about shepherding: he knew how + to shear sheep, how to care for pregnant ewes, and how to protect + the sheep from wolves. He knew all the fields and pastures of + Andalusia. And he knew what was the fair price for every one of his + animals. + He decided to return to his friend’s stable by the longest route + possible. As he walked past the city’s castle, he interrupted his + return, and climbed the stone ramp that led to the top of the wall. + From there, he could see Africa in the distance. Someone had once + told him that it was from there that the Moors had come, to occupy + all of Spain. + He could see almost the entire city from where he sat, including + the plaza where he had talked with the old man. Curse the moment I + met that old man, he thought. He had come to the town only to find + a woman who could interpret his dream. Neither the woman nor the + old man was at all impressed by the fact that he was a shepherd. + They were solitary individuals who no longer believed in things, + and didn’t understand that shepherds become attached to their + sheep. He knew everything about each member of his flock: he + knew which ones were lame, which one was to give birth two + months from now, and which were the laziest. He knew how to + shear them, and how to slaughter them. If he ever decided to leave + them, they would suffer. + The wind began to pick up. He knew that wind: people called it + the levanter, because on it the Moors had come from the Levant at + the eastern end of the Mediterranean. + The levanter increased in intensity. Here I am, between my flock + and my treasure, the boy thought. He had to choose between + something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted + to have. There was also the merchant’s daughter, but she wasn’t as + important as his flock, because she didn’t depend on him. Maybe she + didn’t even remember him. He was sure that it made no difference + to her on which day he appeared: for her, every day was the same, + and when each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to + recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that + the sun rises. +
+ + ++ I left my father, my mother, and the town castle behind. They + have gotten used to my being away, and so have I. The sheep will get + used to my not being there, too, the boy thought. + From where he sat, he could observe the plaza. People continued + to come and go from the baker’s shop. A young couple sat on the + bench where he had talked with the old man, and they kissed. + “That baker…” he said to himself, without completing the + thought. The levanter was still getting stronger, and he felt its force + on his face. That wind had brought the Moors, yes, but it had also + brought the smell of the desert and of veiled women. It had brought + with it the sweat and the dreams of men who had once left to search + for the unknown, and for gold and adventure—and for the + Pyramids. The boy felt jealous of the freedom of the wind, and saw + that he could have the same freedom. There was nothing to hold + him back except himself. The sheep, the merchant’s daughter, and + the fields of Andalusia were only steps along the way to his Personal + Legend. + The next day, the boy met the old man at noon. He brought six + sheep with him. + “I’m surprised,” the boy said. “My friend bought all the other + sheep immediately. He said that he had always dreamed of being a + shepherd, and that it was a good omen.” + “That’s the way it always is,” said the old man. “It’s called the + principle of favorability. When you play cards the first time, you are + almost sure to win. Beginner’s luck.” + “Why is that?” + “Because there is a force that wants you to realize your Personal + Legend; it whets your appetite with a taste of success.” + Then the old man began to inspect the sheep, and he saw that + one was lame. The boy explained that it wasn’t important, since that + sheep was the most intelligent of the flock, and produced the most + wool. + “Where is the treasure?” he asked. + “It’s in Egypt, near the Pyramids.” + The boy was startled. The old woman had said the same thing. + But she hadn’t charged him anything. + “In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. + God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to + read the omens that he left for you.” + Before the boy could reply, a butterfly appeared and fluttered + between him and the old man. He remembered something his + grandfather had once told him: that butterflies were a good omen. + Like crickets, and like grasshoppers; like lizards and four-leaf + clovers. + “That’s right,” said the old man, able to read the boy’s thoughts. + “Just as your grandfather taught you. These are good omens.” + The old man opened his cape, and the boy was struck by what he + saw. The old man wore a breastplate of heavy gold, covered with + precious stones. The boy recalled the brilliance he had noticed on + the previous day. + He really was a king! He must be disguised to avoid encounters + with thieves. +
+ + ++ + “Take these,” said the old man, holding out a white stone and a + black stone that had been embedded at the center of the + breastplate. “They are called Urim and Thummim. The black + signifies ‘yes,’ and the white ‘no.’ When you are unable to read the + omens, they will help you to do so. Always ask an objective + question. + “But, if you can, try to make your own decisions. The treasure is + at the Pyramids; that you already knew. But I had to insist on the + payment of six sheep because I helped you to make your decision.” + The boy put the stones in his pouch. From then on, he would + make his own decisions. + “Don’t forget that everything you deal with is only one thing and + nothing else. And don’t forget the language of omens. And, above all, + don’t forget to follow your Personal Legend through to its + conclusion. + “But before I go, I want to tell you a little story. + “A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of + happiness from the wisest man in the world. The lad wandered + through the desert for forty days, and finally came upon a beautiful + castle, high atop a mountain. It was there that the wise man lived. + “Rather than finding a saintly man, though, our hero, on entering + the main room of the castle, saw a hive of activity: tradesmen came + and went, people were conversing in the corners, a small orchestra + was playing soft music, and there was a table covered with platters + of the most delicious food in that part of the world. The wise man + conversed with everyone, and the boy had to wait for two hours + before it was his turn to be given the man’s attention. + “The wise man listened attentively to the boy’s explanation of + why he had come, but told him that he didn’t have time just then to + explain the secret of happiness. He suggested that the boy look + around the palace and return in two hours. + “‘Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,’ said the wise + man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. ‘As you + wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil + to spill.’ + “The boy began climbing and descending the many stairways of + the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he + returned to the room where the wise man was. + “‘Well,’ asked the wise man, ‘did you see the Persian tapestries + that are hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it + took the master gardener ten years to create? Did you notice the + beautiful parchments in my library?’ + “The boy was embarrassed, and confessed that he had observed + nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise + man had entrusted to him. + “‘Then go back and observe the marvels of my world,’ said the + wise man. ‘You cannot trust a man if you don’t know his house.’ + “Relieved, the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his + exploration of the palace, this time observing all of the works of art + on the ceilings and the walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all + around him, the beauty of the flowers, and the taste with which + everything had been selected. Upon returning to the wise man, he + related in detail everything he had seen. + “‘But where are the drops of oil I entrusted to you?’ asked the + wise man. + “Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was + gone. +
+ + +