the prayer of the frog - 14

[Guest guest]

namaste.

 

Continuing with the series of excerpts from "The prayer of the

frog" by Anthony de Mello. The book can be obtained from the

publishers: The Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, Post Box 70, Anand,

Gujarat 388001, India.

 

 

Regards

Gummuluru Murthy

 

 

 

SERVICE

 

 

Once upon a time there was an inn called THE SILVER STAR. The

innkeeper was unable to make both ends meet even though he did

his very best to draw customers by making the inn comfortable,

the service cordial and the prices reasonable. So in despair

he consulted a sage.

 

After listening to his tale of woe the sage said, "It is very

simple. You must change the name of your inn."

 

"Impossible!" said the innkeeper. "It has been THE SILVER STAR

for generations and is well known all over the country."

 

"No," said the sage firmly. "You must now call it THE FIVE BELLS

and have a row of six bells hanging at the entrance."

 

"Six bells? But that's absurd. What good would that do?"

 

"Give it a try and see," said the sage with a smile.

 

Well, the innkeeper gave it a try. And this is what he saw.

Every traveller who passed by the inn walked in to point out

the mistake, each one believing that no one else had noticed

it. Once inside, they were impressed by the cordiality of the

service and stayed on to refresh themselves, thereby providing

the innkeeper with the fortune that he had been seeking in vain

for so long.

 

There are few things the ego delights in more than correcting

other people's mistakes.

 

 

 

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