Wisdom story: Knowing what has value is the key to success – The onions parable

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a young man named Alexander. He was ambitious and determined to take charge of his life by becoming a successful businessman. As he searched for a promising opportunity to support his family, he encountered a well-traveled man who had visited many lands. The older man shared fascinating tales of his journeys, speaking of exotic places, remarkable people, and unusual customs. Then, he mentioned a country that had no onions. “No onions!” Alexander thought in disbelief. In all his life, he had never heard of such a thing. “How can anyone enjoy the true pleasure of food without onions?” he wondered. Inspired by this discovery, Alexander saw a golden opportunity. Without hesitation, he purchased a cart full of onions, packed his belongings, and set off on a journey to this distant land. After many days of travel, he finally arrived in the country without onions. As he entered the bustling city, the sight of his cart filled with onions intrigued the locals. They had never seen such a plant before. Determined to present his discovery to the rulers of the land, Alexander made his way to the palace. The guards, curious about his unusual cargo, allowed him an audience with the king. Standing before the grand throne, Alexander confidently declared, “Your Majesty, I bring you a great gift from my homeland. This humble plant is unknown in your country, yet it has the power to transform any dish into a masterpiece of flavor. Allow me to introduce your people to the wonders of the onion.”

The king, skeptical at first, examined the small, round bulbs. He had never seen anything like them before. But seeing Alexander’s confidence, he decided to give him a chance. The young man was granted the opportunity to prepare a feast using onions. Knowing that his future depended on it, Alexander put all his culinary skills to work. He chopped, sautéed, and seasoned with great care, ensuring that the flavors of the onions blended perfectly with the local dishes. That evening, a grand feast was held in the palace. Ministers, nobles, and high-ranking officials gathered for the meal. As soon as they took their first bites, murmurs of delight filled the hall. The aroma, the taste, everything was richer, more flavorful than ever before. Excitement spread through the banquet, and the king himself nodded in approval. He turned to Alexander and declared, “You have introduced a great treasure to our land. As a reward, we shall pay you the weight of these onions in gold.” Alexander could hardly believe his luck. He returned home a wealthy man, his cart now filled with gold instead of onions. On his journey back, he met a trader who was eager to hear his story.

For hours, Alexander recounted his adventure, describing the splendor of the faraway kingdom where gold was worth less than onions. Then, he added an interesting detail: “Do you know what else they don’t have? Garlic!” The trader’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Garlic is far more aromatic and flavorful than onions! If they gave you gold for onions, surely they will reward me with diamonds for garlic!” Eager to seize the opportunity, the trader purchased large sacks of garlic and set out on his journey. Just like Alexander, he was welcomed into the kingdom and brought before the king. He proudly presented his garlic and, like before, was given a chance to prepare a feast. The rich aroma of garlic filled the palace as he cooked, and when the royal guests tasted the food, they were even more delighted than they had been with the onions. The king and his ministers discussed how to reward the trader for his incredible gift. “This gift is even greater than onions,” they agreed. “Gold is not enough to express our gratitude. We must give him something even more valuable.”

The trader’s heart pounded with excitement. If onions were worth gold, what riches awaited him for introducing garlic? With great ceremony, the king declared, “We shall reward you with the most precious thing we have! We shall give you onions!” That night, the trader returned home, his cart overflowing, not with gold or diamonds, but with onions. His dreams of unimaginable wealth had turned into a lesson in humility.