Little Knowledge Is a Dangerous Thing

Once there were two brothers. By an unwritten agreement, the younger brother had to work on the farm and the elder brother in town, and after six months they had to swap. After six months the younger brother arrived at the business premises of the elder brother, expecting him to pack up and go to the farm. But the elder brother said, “Look, it took me time to build up this business in the town and human relationship is very important to conduct the business. Therefore, I suggest that you observe for three weeks how I manage my business, and then I will go to the farm. The younger brother said, “That is not in the contract, please pack up and go; human relationship is also required with the laborers at the farm.” However, he reluctantly agreed to observe for a week.

The next day, the first client entered and he burst out crying. The elder brother walked up to him and put his arm around him and asked what the matter was. The client said, “My grandmother passed away.” To pacify him, the elder brother said, “Your grandmother was my grandmother and everyone’s grandmother in this town. So your loss is my loss and, therefore, everyone’s loss in this town.” The client was happy at the thought that his grandmother was a highly respected lady and he felt consoled.

In the meantime, the younger brother wrote everything down, even the words spoken by his brother.

The following day, another client came and the moment he entered the business premises, he started crying. The elder brother went and put his arm around him and asked, “What’s the matter?” The client said, “My Uncle has passed away.” The elder brother pacified him by saying, “Your Uncle was my uncle and everyone’s Uncle in this town. So your loss is my loss and is everyone’s loss.” The client felt happy at the thought that everyone in the town loved his Uncle.

The younger brother wrote down everything, all the words spoken by the client and brother and he told his brother, “Look this is enough of your human relationship; the farm is being neglected, pack up and go, I can manage.” Very reluctantly the elder brother left.

The next morning, the younger brother was waiting for the first client and in the meantime, he learned all the words that his brother had spoken and he wished to adapt that according to the customer. Then a client came into the business premises and burst out crying. The younger brother looked at the notes quickly and hugged the client and asked him, “What’s the matter?” He said, “My wife has passed away.” The younger brother looked at his notes and said, “Your wife was my wife and was everyone’s wife in this town, so your loss is my loss and is everyone’s loss.”

Source: Sai Humor, pp. 88-90