A King once invited a valorous and ambitious peasant to his castle. And in it he showed the young subject his vast treasury room. To the surprise of the peasant, the King then said: "Anything in this treasury room that you want is yours. My only request is that you take only what you can carry with your own two hands."
Elated, the peasant immediately set to work roaming the vast chamber. First he found two plates of gold, which he hurriedly snatched up. Then he saw a sparkling gem, and after careful consideration, he decided to drop the plates and pick it up instead. Then he saw a mighty war helm, and had to think even longer and harder, before deciding to drop the gem and heft it into his arms.
On and on the young peasant went, taking ever longer with each treasure to decide what to drop and what to keep. Minutes stretched into hours. Or was it days? The peasant began to grow hungry, but anticipation of the next treasure kept him from thinking of satiation. Gradually he became ever weaker with fatigue. Finally, exhausted and disheartened, the peasant returned to the treasury door empty-handed, and told the King: "what you ask is not possible. Were I with none but my own two hands to be governed by covetous desire, I would be in this chamber for the rest of my days, if not for all of eternity!"
"Rightly so," The King replied. "And this treasury room would become both your prison and your eternal tomb, as it has for me. So savor your freedom, peasant, for it is the greatest treasure of all." And with that, the King gave the young man food and drink to regain his strength, and bid him a happy life.
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