UNSOUGHT ADVICE
Those days Hoja Naziruddin`s business had fallen on bad
times. He found it hard to maintain himself and his family with the falling
income. But he was a confident man. He
knew that in business, fortunes could always turn and that he would soon be
doing brisk business and minting money.
Anyway he needed money urgently. There was no other way than
to borrow. He knew most of the rich persons in his town personally. So without
thinking much, he went to the house of a rich Amir who lived in the
neighborhood. Hoja was greeted graciously by the Amir and invited him to the
parlor.
Without any introduction, Hoja presented his problem. He
needed urgently a tidy sum of money and he would return it at the earliest
occasion. They had between themselves several money dealings and so Hoja did
not think it necessary to explain his need for the money.
But the shrewd Amir, already knew about Hoja`s failing
business and he was not sure if Hoja could repay him. Anyway he asked Hoja what
he needed the money for. Hoja felt irritated. He said he wanted to buy an
elephant and a nice one had arrived for sale and he had to buy it urgently.
Otherwise somebody will buy it off.
The Amir told Hoja , that it was not enough to buy the
elephant, but Hoja would have to shelter
it properly, employ somebody to look after it and also it needed loads
of food and Hoja would find it very difficult to manage all these with his
meager income.
Hearing the Amir, doling out advice, hoja was infuriated.
He
told the Amir that what he wanted was money and not advice. So saying Hoja
rushed out of the Amir`s palace.