Microfiction: Some Merchants
Wise Merchant vs. The Fool
You're a fool, you will die.
Being First Means You're Last
"I'm going to travel the countryside first and sell my goods to all the people, so I can reap all the benefits and become rich," said the merchant who is later eaten by a demon. "Knock yourself out," said the wise merchant.
Bibliography
These two microfictions are based on one of the Jataka tales, called The Wise and The Foolish Merchant by Ellen C. Babbitt. Basically, two merchants are buying goods in a city with plans to travel across a desert and sell those goods to others that they pass by. They want to make a profit from doing this. The foolish merchant says he wants to go first, so he can sell all of his goods first, set his own prices, have fresh grass for his oxen, and drink from clean water. The wise merchant allows him to do so, because the wise merchant knows that his oxen will eat the fresh grown grass, prevent himself from digging wells, and be able to set his prices based off of what the foolish merchant sets his as. However, as the foolish merchant starts to cross the desert, he and his men are tricked by demons into emptying out their water jugs, leading them to dehydrate and die from the demons. The wise merchant comes across the demons, but knows they're demons because they don't cast a shadow. The wise merchant eventually takes what is left from the foolish merchant's wagon, travels across the desert, and makes his fortune. I decided to cut these down into short and precise stories that bluntly and humorously explain the thought process of both merchants.
You're a fool, you will die.
Being First Means You're Last
"I'm going to travel the countryside first and sell my goods to all the people, so I can reap all the benefits and become rich," said the merchant who is later eaten by a demon. "Knock yourself out," said the wise merchant.
Bibliography
These two microfictions are based on one of the Jataka tales, called The Wise and The Foolish Merchant by Ellen C. Babbitt. Basically, two merchants are buying goods in a city with plans to travel across a desert and sell those goods to others that they pass by. They want to make a profit from doing this. The foolish merchant says he wants to go first, so he can sell all of his goods first, set his own prices, have fresh grass for his oxen, and drink from clean water. The wise merchant allows him to do so, because the wise merchant knows that his oxen will eat the fresh grown grass, prevent himself from digging wells, and be able to set his prices based off of what the foolish merchant sets his as. However, as the foolish merchant starts to cross the desert, he and his men are tricked by demons into emptying out their water jugs, leading them to dehydrate and die from the demons. The wise merchant comes across the demons, but knows they're demons because they don't cast a shadow. The wise merchant eventually takes what is left from the foolish merchant's wagon, travels across the desert, and makes his fortune. I decided to cut these down into short and precise stories that bluntly and humorously explain the thought process of both merchants.
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| Desert Traveling |
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