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！’