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。
Equallyvariousweretheanswerstothesecondquestion。Somesaid，thepeopletheKingmostneededwerehiscouncillors；
others，thepriests；others，thedoctors；whilesomesaidthewarriorswerethemostnecessary。
Tothethirdquestion，astowhatwasthemostimportantoccupation:
somerepliedthatthemostimportantthingintheworldwasscience。Otherssaiditwasskillinwarfare；andothers，again，thatitwasreligiousworship。
Alltheanswersbeingdifferent，theKingagreedwithnoneofthem，andgavetherewardtonone。Butstillwishingtofindtherightanswerstohisquestions，hedecidedtoconsultahermit，widelyrenownedforhiswisdom。
Thehermitlivedinawoodwhichheneverquittedandhereceivednonebutcommonfolk。SotheKingputonsimpleclothes，andbeforereachingthehermit’scelldismountedfromhishorse，and，leavinghisbodyguardbehind，wentonalone。
WhentheKingapproached，thehermitwasdiggingthegroundinfrontofhishut。SeeingtheKing，hegreetedhimandwentondigging。Thehermitwasfrailandweak，andeachtimehestuckhisspadeintothegroundandturnedalittleearth，hebreathedheavily。
TheKingwentuptohimandsaid:’Ihavecometoyou，wisehermit，toaskyoutoanswerthreequestions:HowcanIlearntodotherightthingattherighttime？WhoarethepeopleImostneed，andtowhomshouldI，therefore，paymoreattentionthantotherest？And，whataffairsarethemostimportantandneedmyfirstattention？’
ThehermitlistenedtotheKing，butanswerednothing。Hejustspatonhishandandrecommenceddigging。
’Youaretired，’saidtheKing，’letmetakethespadeandworkawhileforyou。’
’Thanks！’saidthehermit，and，givingthespadetotheKing，hesatdownontheground。
Whenhehaddugtwobeds，theKingstoppedandrepeatedhisquestions。
Thehermitagaingavenoanswer，butrose，stretchedouthishandforthespade，andsaid:
’Nowrestawhile——andletmeworkabit。’
ButtheKingdidnotgivehimthespade，andcontinuedtodig。Onehourpassed，andanother。Thesunbegantosinkbehindthetrees，andtheKingatlaststuckthespadeintotheground，andsaid:
’Icametoyou，wiseman，forananswertomyquestions。Ifyoucangivemenone，tellmeso，andIwillreturnhome。’
’Herecomessomeonerunning，’saidthehermit，’letusseewhoitis。’
TheKingturnedround，andsawabeardedmancomerunningoutofthewood。Themanheldhishandspressedagainsthisstomach，andbloodwasflowingfromunderthem。WhenhereachedtheKing，hefellfaintingonthegroundmoaningfeebly。TheKingandthehermitunfastenedtheman’sclothing。Therewasalargewoundinhisstomach。TheKingwasheditasbesthecould，andbandageditwithhishandkerchiefandwithatowelthehermithad。
Butthebloodwouldnotstopflowing，andtheKingagainandagainremovedthebandagesoakedwithwarmblood，andwashedandrebandagedthewound。Whenatlastthebloodceasedflowing，themanrevivedandaskedforsomethingtodrink。TheKingbroughtfreshwaterandgaveittohim。Meanwhilethesunhadset，andithadbecomecool。SotheKing，withthehermit’shelp，carriedthewoundedmanintothehutandlaidhimonthebed。
Lyingonthebedthemanclosedhiseyesandwasquiet；buttheKingwassotiredwithhiswalkandwiththeworkhehaddone，thathecroucheddownonthethreshold，andalsofellasleep——sosoundlythathesleptallthroughtheshortsummernight。Whenheawokeinthemorning，itwaslongbeforehecouldrememberwherehewas，orwhowasthestrangebeardedmanlyingonthebedandgazingintentlyathimwithshiningeyes。
’Forgiveme！’saidthebeardedmaninaweakvoice，whenhesawthattheKingwasawakeandwaslookingathim。
’Idonotknowyou，andhavenothingtoforgiveyoufor，’saidtheKing。
’Youdonotknowme，butIknowyou。Iamthatenemyofyourswhosworetorevengehimselfonyou，becauseyouexecutedhisbrotherandseizedhisproperty。Iknewyouhadgonealonetoseethehermit，andIresolvedtokillyouonyourwayback。Butthedaypassedandyoudidnotreturn。SoIcameoutfrommyambushtofindyou，andIcameuponyourbodyguard，andtheyrecognizedme，andwoundedme。Iescapedfromthem，butshouldhavebledtodeathhadyounotdressedmywound。Iwishedtokillyou，andyouhavesavedmylife。Now，ifIlive，andifyouwishit，Iwillserveyouasyourmostfaithfulslave，andwillbidmysonsdothesame。Forgiveme！’
TheKingwasverygladtohavemadepeacewithhisenemysoeasily，andtohavegainedhimforafriend，andhenotonlyforgavehim，butsaidhewouldsendhisservantsandhisownphysiciantoattendhim，andpromisedtorestorehisproperty。
Havingtakenleaveofthewoundedman，theKingwentoutintotheporchandlookedaroundforthehermit。Beforegoingawayhewishedoncemoretobegananswertothequestionshehadput。Thehermitwasoutside，onhisknees，sowingseedsinthebedsthathadbeendugthedaybefore。
TheKingapproachedhim，andsaid:
’Forthelasttime，Iprayyoutoanswermyquestions，wiseman。’
’Youhavealreadybeenanswered！’saidthehermitstillcrouchingonhisthinlegs，andlookingupattheKing，whostoodbeforehim。
’Howanswered？Whatdoyoumean？’askedtheKing。
’Doyounotsee，’repliedthehermit。’Ifyouhadnotpitiedmyweaknessyesterday，andhadnotdugthesebedsforme，buthadgoneyourway，thatmanwouldhaveattackedyou，andyouwouldhaverepentedofnothavingstayedwithme。Sothemostimportanttimewaswhenyouwerediggingthebeds；andIwasthemostimportantman；andtodomegoodwasyourmostimportantbusiness。Afterwards，whenthatmanrantous，themostimportanttimewaswhenyouwereattendingtohim，forifyouhadnotbounduphiswoundshewouldhavediedwithouthavingmadepeacewithyou。Sohewasthemostimportantman，andwhatyoudidforhimwasyourmostimportantbusiness。Rememberthen:
thereisonlyonetimethatisimportant——Now！Itisthemostimportanttimebecauseitistheonlytimewhenwehaveanypower。
Themostnecessarymanishewithwhomyouare，fornomanknowswhetherhewilleverhavedealingswithanyoneelse:
andthemostimportantaffairis，todohimgood，becauseforthatpurposealonewasmansentintothislife！’