The Fable of the Carpets by Adam Acidophilus

Once upon a time, in an ancient town on the edge of a vast, hot desert, there lived a wise old carpet weaver. All day he would sit in he shadow of his workshop weaving his carpets and enlightening passers by with his illuminating proverbs.

"A man with no carpet . . . " he would say, wisely, "has very cold feet."

"A carpet may pay for itself . . . " he would add, "but it'll never do the gardening."

"Carpets and women will bear you sons," he would conclude, especially wisely. "Well, women will, anyway."

And throughout the narrow streets of the medina the wise old weaver was respected as a sage and philosopher – and, most obviously, as a carpet weaver.

Then one day the wise old carpet weaver received a commission from an esteemed sheik who lived on the other side of the desert. It was an order for ten of his finest giant carpets – and the weaver started weaving immediately.

"A man with ten carpets has many rooms," he said. "Or, at least, a very high ceiling."

And many months later – when he had completed the ten carpets – the weaver let it be known that he was seeking the services of an carrier to carry the carpets to the sheik.

That evening three camel drivers came to his door – and the first of them named his price.

"It is not very difficult to take ten carpets across the desert," he said. "I have made the journey often enough. I can deliver them in a week, and will charge you a hundred dinars."

The wise old weaver considered this offer. "Confidence is for fools," he said. "And confident people, obviously."

"Though it is, of course, quite difficult – " he began – "I do have some experience in this area . . . I could get your carpets to the sheik in a month, but I'm afraid it will cost two hundred dinars."

The wise old weaver considered this offer. "Experience?" he snorted. "The dead have experience!"

Then it was the turn of the third camel driver.

"Only a madman would cross the desert with ten carpets!" he warned. "It is a journey into unknown territory! I can attempt it if you insist – but it will take six months, and it will cost you a thousand dinars!"

The wise old carpet weaver considered this offer and – to the astonishment of all – hired the third camel driver, and paid him in advance.

The camel driver left with the carpets the next day – and he was never seen again.

Rumours reached the town that the driver had perished or absconded, or set up his own carpet business. And a message reached the town that the sheik was furious and demanding compensation.

The wise old weaver paid the sheik; he was ruined – and he never wove again.

"Why?" asked the other two camel drivers. "Why did you hire the most expensive and least experienced of the three?"

"For a very complicated philosophical reason," the old carpet weaver explained. "A reason . . . which . . . I have now forgotten."

Moral: In tests, two out of three camel drivers told the truth – which is a better average than wise old carpet weavers.