Seventy Skill Are Less

Seventy skills are less

It is a matter of old times. In a certain place there lived a man. He had three hundred Ashrafis. One day the man called his only son, whose name was Ali, to him and said: Son You have become young and I have become old. I want to teach you the work of trade before I die. You go with a caravan of traders tomorrow. I give you one hundred Ashrafis. Do not spend this money on frivolous things by going to another city. Buy good things with it so that you can bring them here and sell them at a good price.

Ali Jan was only eighteen years old. He was a very good, intelligent and sensible boy. He had no interest in trade. He wanted to learn some skill with which he could earn a living by the strength of his own hands.

But when his old father asked him to take up business, he did not have the courage to argue with him. Finally, he took the ashrafis and the next day set off on a journey with a caravan of merchants. After many days, this caravan of merchants reached a city and stayed in a caravanserai. There was a big park in that city. That same night, Ali Jan went for a walk in that park and when he reached there, he saw that thousands of bulbs were lighting up. The whole park was shining like day. On one side, there was a building under the trees, which was open on all sides. Its floor was made of marble and many tall and thick pillars stood supporting the roof. The roof had paintings in different colors. A carpet is spread on the floor and on it are placed small tables studded with gold, silver and rubies, on which small objects of various shapes made of jewels are engraved. More than a hundred young men, dressed in the same clothes, are sitting around the tables, divided into groups of two, and are moving these engraved objects here and there. This place was separated from the rest of the park by a fence made of iron bars.

Ali Jan stood near the fence and watched this spectacle with great amazement. Several hours passed, but Ali Jan, standing like a statue, continued to watch this strange and poor spectacle.

Finally, a man who was looking after the park saw him and came to him and asked:

Sir Why are you standing here What are you wondering about

Who are these people and what are they doing Ali Jan asked enthusiastically.

These young people have been learning the art of chess for a whole month, the man explained.

Can I also enter this shrine What is the procedure Ali Jan asked.

The man replied:

I will have to pay a hundred ashrafis and thats it.

Ali Jan entered the chess school after paying a hundred Ashrafis. In a few days, he became so expert in playing chess that he started to surpass even the teachers. After a year, the chess training was completed and the young men left the school and started going to their respective homes. Ali Jan became sad and started thinking that where would I go now without money. The teacher took pity on him and gave him an Ashrafi and sent him home with a caravan.

Ali Jan returned home emptyhanded, which made his father very sad.

A year passed after that. One day, the father called Ali Jan to him again. He gave his son a lot of advice and gave him a hundred Ashrafis and sent him away with a