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The precious thing

Came a time when the wanderer, whom some named founder of a kingdom and some despoiler of kingdoms, wished to give a precious item to those the wanderer hoped would value it and entrust it in turn to others, for its value lay in its sharing.

The first person the wanderer asked gave a shudder and stepped back, saying, "I dare not touch this great thing. Should it not be kept under lock and key? It is too precious for me."

The second person seized it with both hands, then hesitated, asking, "Am I also to be responsible for this item?"

"Yes," answered the wanderer, who desired neither crown nor kingdom, but who kept being placed upon the throne of law because none other would touch it, not though they held the titles and powers of prime ministers and had been granted no less authority. "Of course you may use it as you see fit, but you are responsible for how you use it."

At that the item was thrust back at the wanderer as abruptly as it was seized: "Take it back! I wish no such responsibility."

"You do not desire this item?"

"Of course I desire it! I claim it as my right. But I do not desire the responsibility that comes with it. Take it back, please, and guard it well. But let me write a letter upon it first. I must complain to the people of your guardianship since it does not satisfy me."

So the second person wrote many letters upon the item to those in that kingdom and in others, complaining how the precious item which was their clear right had been offered, yet not given freely; and the wanderer continued with the search.

A gleam came into the eyes of the third person asked: "By what right do you keep this item from me? You have no right to withhold it from me. Give it to me."

Confused, the wanderer wondered: But is that not exactly what I am trying to do? Then the wanderer looked more closely, and saw that another had already entrusted the item to this third person. And the wanderer thought back, and realised that every one of the persons spoken to already had the item, that the item had already been entrusted to each and every one of them long before ever the wanderer had approached them.

The wanderer said as much to the third person: "But you already have it!"

"How can I have it if you are trying to give it to me? How could another person have it if I have it? It is my right that I possess it. I demand that you give it to me."

"But you already have it ..."

"No, I don't - because you will not give it to me!"

And the third person stomped off in annoyance, telling anyone who would listen how the item was unjustly being withheld, and made many signs upon the item complaining how the precious item had been withheld, and even founded upon the item an entirely new kingdom specifically for that purpose. And others, becoming tired of all the signs, began to stop reading them, and some even threw away their own precious items to erase them.

And the wanderer watched all this in bemusement and not a little exhaustion, hoping that too many others would not themselves throw the precious item away in order to go seeking it ...

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