In the city of Lucknow there once lived a clever jeweller who had his shop on the main street. It never failed to attract the attention of the passers-by because of the splendid displays in his shop windows.
One day the nawab sent word that he was desirous of purchasing a beautiful present for his wife, and ordered the jeweller to keep his best jewels for his inspection.
When the day finally arrived there was such an array of precious stones that even the shopkeeper's son had to shade his eyes from the sparkling and scintillating gems in front of him. After the Nawab had arrived and the usual salutations were over, the jeweller personally opened one glass case after another that his esteemed visitor might be able to choose his present. There were necklaces and pearls the size of marbles, and diamonds whose light could compete with the stars. There were rubies deeper than the colour of blood, and emeralds whose green ranged from the pale waters of the Indus to the deep green of the forests on its banks. Each jewel was exquisitely framed in gold and placed in a special brocade box.
Everybody in the shop started to feel that his time at least the honoured visitor would return without making any purchase, which would not encourage him to continue his patronage. Everybody except the jeweller of course, who seemed to take the indifference of his client to be quite a natural thing. He just went on extolling the virtues of his different possessions without a pause.
At last there was a cry of joy from the Nawab. "Ah!" said he. "Why did you hide this here? This is simply remarkable!"
The object he was holding up for everyone to see was nothing more than a coral rose in the form of a brooch, with petals studded with pearls and a stem of gold.
"Your Highness," said the jeweller, make a low bow, "in my humble opinion, this brooch, which does not cost more than a few thousand rupees, was hardly befitting present for a person like your esteemed wife. However, it only goes to prove that my honourable cIn the city of Lucknow there once lived a clever jeweller who had his shop on the main street. It never failed to attract the attention of the passers-by because of the splendid displays in his shop windows.
One day the nawab sent word that he was desirous of purchasing a beautiful present for his wife, and ordered the jeweller to keep his best jewels for his inspection.
When the day finally arrived there was such an array of precious stones that even the shopkeeper's son had to shade his eyes from the sparkling and scintillating gems in front of him. After the Nawab had arrived and the usual salutations were over, the jeweller personally opened one glass case after another that his esteemed visitor might be able to choose his present. There were necklaces and pearls the size of marbles, and diamonds whose light could compete with the stars. There were rubies deeper than the colour of blood, and emeralds whose green ranged from the pale waters of the Indus to the deep green of the forests on its banks. Each jewel was exquisitely framed in gold and placed in a special brocade box.
But the Nawab scarcely seemed to glance at them. He looked more bored than interested.
Everybody in the shop started to feel that his time at least the honoured visitor would return without making any purchase, which would not encourage him to continue his patronage. Everybody except the jeweller of course, who seemed to take the indifference of his client to be quite a natural thing. He just went on extolling the virtues of his different possessions without a pause.
At last there was a cry of joy from the Nawab. "Ah!" said he. "Why did you hide this here? This is simply remarkable!"
"Your Highness," said the jeweller, make a low bow, "in my humble opinion, this brooch, which does not cost more than a few thousand rupees, was hardly befitting present for a person like your esteemed wife. However, it only goes to prove that my honourable customer has excellent taste and is an appreciator of true craftsmanship."
So the brooch was purchased and there was great satisfaction on both sides.
When the Nawab departed, the shopkeeper's son said to the jeweller, "If you knew that this brooch was such a masterpiece, why did you not show it to your client first? He almost went away without purchasing anything!"
The jeweller smiled and shook his head. "When we enter a palace, is it the King, or his attendants that we see first? It is only when our appetite is satiated with "ustomer has excellent taste and is an appreciator of true craftsmanship."
So the brooch was purchased and there was great satisfaction on both sides.
When the Nawab departed, the shopkeeper's son said to the jeweller, "If you knew that this brooch was such a masterpiece, why did you not show it to your client first? He almost went away without purchasing anything!"
The jeweller smiled and shook his head. "When we enter a palace, is it the King, or his attendants that we see first? It is only when our appetite is satiated with too many good things that we can appreciate simpler fare, is it not? So do not worry, my son. No client ever leaves my shop without being pleased to discover the very thing that he wanted. As for that brooch being a masterpiece," he laughed, "why even a man living in the stone age could have produced something better. But the customer's choice must always be praised to the skies. Then I can charge my own price for it."
source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html
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