Combs
Long ago, in China there lived a big businessman whose business was to sell combs. Now that he was becoming old and about to retire, he wanted to place the business into wise and able hands.
So, he called forth his three sons and instructed them, that their assignment was to sell combs in the Buddhist monastery. The sons were shocked and confused because the monks in the monastery were bald and they never grew any hair. Anyhow, the three sons went about the job that was assigned to them.
After two days, the first son reported he had sold two combs. When the father asked how, he replied, that he instructed the monks that the comb would be a valuable tool for scratching their backs in case of itching.
The second son appeared later and told that he had sold ten combs by advising the monks that the combs would help their visitors and pilgrims to comb their hair before entering the monastery, as their hair might have ruffled during the journey to monastery.
Then the third son came out with a surprising sales figure of a thousand combs. The father filled with happiness and anxiety, asked him how he had achieved such a feat.
The third son replied, that he gave the monks an idea.The idea was, that if some of the teachings of Buddha were to be printed/embossed on the comb and given as a take away gift to the visitors and pilgrims; they will remember the teachings of Buddha on a daily basis while combing their hair.
This creative idea struck the deal.
The simple story above goes to show that, “ Where there is a WILL, there is always a way”