Long ago, a rich man lived in a small village with his son. The father had to send his son to school far away from home.
"Son," he said, "you will receive a good education at this school."
So the son went away to study.
The father was very sad, but he believed it would be worth it. Someday his son would come back as a successful and well-educated man.
A few years later, the father became very sick. He called his servant, "Come here. I want you to write down my will. I might not be able to see my son again."
"Yes, master." The servant obeyed.
"To you, my servant, I will give all of my money and my lands. To my son, I will give one thing only, but he may choose what he will ask for. Please deliver this will to my son."
"Of course, master," said the servant.
Then the father died.
"Ha-ha! All he had is now mine." The servant laughed. He was so pleased that he hurried to the son and gave him the letter from his dead father.
"Oh no! Father!" cried the son.
Days passed, and the son was sad and puzzled. He did not understand why his father had left everything to the servant, but only one request to him. "Why did my father give everything to his servant? Why?"
The son consulted his wise teacher about this. "Teacher, I never hurt my father and always tried to obey him. I thought he loved me. But I guess he did not love me after all."
"Wait, don't think like that," answered the teacher. "He really was a very wise father!"
"What? I don't understand," said the son.
The teacher explained: "After your father died, you said that there was no one in the house besides the servant."
"Yes!" said the son.
"Then, after he died, what if the servant had run away with all of your father's treasures? Your father must have worried about this. So he told the servant that everything would belong to him. That way, his servant was pleased to come and tell you about your father's death."
"But what good does it do me? Father's servant owns everything now!" complained the son.
"Think about it a bit more," suggested the teacher. "Remember that every servant's possessions belong to his master. Doesn't your father's will say that you can ask for one thing?"
"Yes!"
"So ask your father's servant to be your servant. Then everything of your father's will belong to you!"
"Ah!" cried the son. "Now I understand how wise my father was! I must go back home right away." He thanked his teacher and left.
When he returned home, he met his father's servant. "I am here to make my one request," he said.
"Okay," replied the servant. "According to your father's will, you can ask for only one thing."
"My only request is that you serve me for the rest of your life."
"What? No way!" said the servant. But deep down inside his heart, the servant knew that a servant's possessions belong to his master. He could not refuse the son's request.
"Do not feel so sad," said the son. "I will share my wealth with you."
"Oh, thank you! I will serve you gladly!" replied the servant.
The son was proud to be the son of such a wise man. So he tried to become just like his father. He treated his servant very well. Eventually, the son also became a wise and successful businessman, just like his father.