Many years ago, in a prosperous region of South Africa, there lived a wealthy landlord. He was also the chief of the area. There was no shortage of anything in his household. He owned vast lands along with several enormous palaces.
His farms were full of animals and birds. At home, he had servants, a few wives, and children. Anything he commanded would immediately appear before him. Yet, the landlord’s heart was never satisfied. He always felt that he was the saddest man in the world. Consequently, the smile of joy had faded from his face.
To rid himself of this sadness, one day he asked an elderly servant, “Tell me, I have so much wealth and riches, yet why can’t I be happy?”
The old servant thought for a while in silence. Finally, he said, “Master! Calmly look at the world and the household around you. When you sit in the courtyard, lift your gaze toward the empty sky. You will see the many forms of the sun’s bright light during the day. At night, you can enjoy the serene beauty of the moon and stars. You will realize how beautiful the world is. Seeing all this will bring peace and happiness to your heart.”
Hearing this, the landlord laughed dismissively. In a harsh voice, he told the old servant, “You are a fool! You have no understanding of happiness and peace. Every day I look at the sun, moon, and stars. Seeing them only makes me angry and envious, because I know that even if I wanted them, I could never possess them.”
The next day, the landlord asked an old minstrel about the secret of happiness. Enthusiastic and eager to teach him, the minstrel said, “Master! Have you ever formed a friendship with sweet music? If not, then start singing freely day and night, hum or chant songs aloud. Music is the guide to happiness and peace in life. Surely, it will bring joy to your heart.”
Hearing this, the landlord felt a surge of irritation. He scolded the minstrel, saying, “Keep your music! How naive you are! Even if one enjoys a song sometimes, who likes constant singing or listening day and night? It only annoys the singer and the listeners.”
Seeing the landlord’s anger, the minstrel fled. The landlord returned home, eating and drinking in a gloomy mood. At that time, a young messenger entered his house. The landlord asked him, “O boy! Can you find the secret of happiness for me?”
Understanding the situation, the young messenger replied, “Sir! In this world, even if many people have little help or resources, they are still happy at heart. Their joy lies in their simple clothing. If you could wear that same clothing, the happiness and peace in their hearts would fill your own. Then, happiness and peace would settle into your body and mind.”
Although the words seemed trivial, the landlord felt the boy had spoken truthfully. He then ordered his guards, “Go out immediately and search the entire area. Search thoroughly and bring a truly happy person to me.”
Obediently, the guards set out in search of a happy person. But finding a genuinely happy person in this world is no easy task. They searched every corner of every house.
As the saying goes, “With focus and purpose, one can reach the desired goal.” This bright truth cannot be ignored. While the other guards returned empty-handed, one guard finally found a happy man in a village. The man proudly said to the guard, “In this world, I am the happiest man. I have no wealth or riches. I am a simple poor man. I work from dawn to dusk. I sing freely, breathing deeply. I wander in the kingdom of happiness.”
The guard liked him at once. His job was done once he brought the man before the landlord. Thinking this, he took the man and presented him at the landlord’s house. The landlord, in the inner hall, was delighted to see a genuinely happy person. He went to the court, removed his own fine clothes, and said to the guard, “Bring him in!”
The guard quickly led the man into the landlord’s court. He was short and slightly hunched, with copper-colored skin, lightly dark, and had shiny white teeth. His smile radiated happiness. The landlord, busy removing his own clothes, had never seen such a smile before. At one moment, looking at the man’s garment, the landlord suddenly realized his face filled with uncontrollable laughter. That extraordinary laughter spread far and wide.
But why did the landlord laugh so heartily? The reason was simple: the guard had brought a happy man who had no clothing on his body.
(Based on a South African folk tale)