JUST HOLD FAST TO ME

 
One day the emperor announced that he wished to make a show of the royal treasury. "I want my subjects to know just how much wealth I have," he declared.

"But sire," urged his courtiers, "what of the dangers? What about loss, or bandits? How can we be sure the treasure will be protected?"

"Nothing will happen," the emperor assured them. "It is my whim to do this and there is no danger. I myself will head the procession."

So the diamonds and rubies and gold and silver and pearls and precious stones and all the other treasures were loaded into large baskets which were hung on camels, one basket on each side. The camels made up a long procession, so great was the treasure, and at the head rode the king and his courtiers and guards and, of course, by his side, the faithful Ayaz.

Slowly the long caravan set off through the capital, and the citizens lined the streets to get a look at the treasure. But the emperor was not content with simply going through the main streets; he led the procession through all the little alleyways of the capital as well. These streets were so narrow that the baskets on the sides of the camels rubbed against the walls. Soon holes began to appear and gems and coins began to spill out on the roadside.

The king was at the head of the caravan and Ayaz was walking by his side. Suddenly he stopped and looked around. "Where are all the courtiers?" he asked Ayaz. "Nobody is following us anymore. Where are they all? Go and find out."

Ayaz left and he did not have far to go. Back a little distance he found all the courtiers and subjects fighting and squabbling over the treasure lying around.

When Ayaz returned and told the king what was happening, the emperor said, "But why don't you go back and try and pick up some of the treasure yourself? This is your opportunity to become rich. You don't have to stay by my side."

"To stay by your side and have you is my treasure," replied Ayaz. When the emperor returned to court, he used this incident to reveal the worth of Ayaz.

In the same way, Baba went on to tell us, "When you have Me, you have everything. What need have you for anything else? Just hold fast to Me with both hands."