ITonceoccurredtoacertainking，thatifhealwaysknewtherighttimetobegineverything；ifheknewwhoweretherightpeopletolistento，andwhomtoavoid，and，aboveall，ifhealwaysknewwhatwasthemostimportantthingtodo，hewouldneverfailinanythinghemightundertake。
Andthisthoughthavingoccurredtohim，hehaditproclaimedthroughouthiskingdomthathewouldgiveagreatrewardtoanyonewhowouldteachhimwhatwastherighttimeforeveryaction，andwhowerethemostnecessarypeople，andhowhemightknowwhatwasthemostimportantthingtodo。
AndlearnedmencametotheKing，buttheyallansweredhisquestionsdifferently。
Inreplytothefirstquestion，somesaidthattoknowtherighttimeforeveryaction，onemustdrawupinadvance，atableofdays，monthsandyears，andmustlivestrictlyaccordingtoit。Onlythus，saidthey，couldeverythingbedoneatitspropertime。Othersdeclaredthatitwasimpossibletodecidebeforehandtherighttimeforeveryaction；butthat，notlettingoneselfbeabsorbedinidlepastimes，oneshouldalwaysattendtoallthatwasgoingon，andthendowhatwasmostneedful。Others，again，saidthathoweverattentivetheKingmightbetowhatwasgoingon，itwasimpossibleforonemantodecidecorrectlytherighttimeforeveryaction，butthatheshouldhaveaCouncilofwisemen，whowouldhelphimtofixthepropertimeforeverything。
ButthenagainotherssaidthereweresomethingswhichcouldnotwaittobelaidbeforeaCouncil，butaboutwhichonehadatoncetodecidewhethertoundertakethemornot。Butinordertodecidethatonemustknowbeforehandwhatwasgoingtohappen。Itisonlymagicianswhoknowthat；and，thereforeinordertoknowtherighttimeforeveryaction，onemustconsultmagicians。