THE
FIVE LAWS OF GOLD
I.
Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity to any man who will put by not
less than
one-tenth
of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.
II.
Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it
profitable
employment,
multiplying even as the flocks of the field.
III.
Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the
advice of men wise in its handling.
IV.
Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in businesses or purposes with
which
he
is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.
V.
Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth
the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own
inexperience and romantic desires in investment.
"
'These are the five laws of gold as written by my father. I do proclaim them as
of greater value than gold itself, as I will show by the continuance of my
tale.'
"He
again faced his father. 'I have told thee of the depth of poverty and despair
to which my inexperience brought me.
"
'However, there is no chain of disasters that will not come to an end. Mine
came when I secured employment managing a crew of slaves working upon the new
outer wall of the city. "
'Profiting
from my knowledge of the first law of gold, I saved a copper from my first
earnings, adding to it at every opportunity until I had a piece of silver. It
was a slow procedure, for one must live.
I
did spend grudgingly, I admit, because I was determined to earn back before the
ten years were over as much gold as you, my father, had given to me.
"
'One day the slave master, with whom I had become quite friendly, said to me:
"Thou art a thrifty youth who spends not wantonly what he earns. Hast thou
gold put by that is not earning?" "
'Yes,'
I replied, 'It is my greatest desire to accumulate gold to replace that which
my father gave to me and which I have lost.'
"
'Tis a worthy ambition, I will grant, and do you know that the gold which you
have saved can work for you and earn much more gold?"
"
'Alas! my experience has been bitter, for my father's gold has fled from me,
and I am in much fear lest my own do the same.'
"
'If thou hast confidence in me, I will give thee a lesson in the profitable
handling of gold," he replied. "Within a year the outer wall will be
complete and ready for the great gates of bronze that will be built at each
entrance to protect the city from the king's enemies.
In
all Nineveh there is not enough metal to make these gates and the king has not
thought to provide it. Here is my plan: A group of us will pool our gold and
send a caravan to the mines of copper and tin, which are distant, and bring to
Nineveh the metal for the gates. When the king says, 'Make the great gates,' we
alone can supply the metal and a rich price he will pay. If the king will not
buy from us, we will yet have the metal which can be sold for a fair
price."
"
'In his offer I recognized an opportunity to abide by the third law and invest
my savings under the guidance of wise men. Nor was I disappointed. Our pool was
a success, and my small store of gold was greatly increased by the transaction.
"
'In due time, I was accepted as a member of this same group in other ventures.
They were men wise in the profitable handling of gold. They talked over each
plan presented with great care, before entering upon it. They would take no
chance on losing their principal or tying it up in unprofitable investments
from which their gold could not be recovered. Such foolish things as the horse
race and the partnership into which I had entered with my inexperience would
have had scant consideration with them. They would have immediately pointed out
their weaknesses.
"
'Through my association with these men, I learned to safely invest gold to
bring profitable returns. As the years went on, my treasure increased more and
more rapidly. I not only made back as much as I lost, but much more.
"
'Through my misfortunes, my trials and my success, I have tested time and again
the wisdom of the five laws of gold, my father, and have proven them true in
every test. To him who is without knowledge of the five laws, gold comes not
often, and goeth away quickly. But to him who abide by the five laws, gold
comes and works as his dutiful slave.'
"Nomasir
ceased speaking and motioned to a slave in the back of the room. The slave
brought forward, one at a time, three heavy leather bags. One of these Nomasir
took and placed upon the floor before his father addressing him again:
"
'Thou didst give to me a bag of gold, Babylon gold. Behold in its place, I do
return to thee a bag of Nineveh gold of equal weight An equal exchange, as all
will agree.
"
'Thou didst give to me a clay tablet inscribed with wisdom. Behold, in its
stead, I do return two bags of gold.' So saying, he took from the slave the
other two bags and, likewise, placed them upon the floor before his father.
"
'This I do to prove to thee, my father, of how much greater value I consider
thy wisdom than thy gold. Yet, who can measure in bags of gold, the value of
wisdom? Without wisdom, gold is quickly lost by those who have it, but with
wisdom, gold can be secured by those who have it not, as these three bags of
gold do prove.
"
'It does, indeed, give to me the deepest satisfaction, my father, to stand
before thee and say that, because of thy wisdom, I have been able to become
rich and respected before men.'
"The
father placed his hand fondly upon the head of Nomasir. 'Thou hast learned well
thy lessons, and I am, indeed, fortunate to have a son to whom I may entrust my
wealth.'
"
Kalabab ceased his tale and looked critically at his listeners.
"What
means this to thee, this tale of Nomasir?" he continued.
"Who
amongst thee can go to thy father or to the father of thy wife and give an
account of wise handling of his earnings?
"What
would these venerable men think were you to say: 'I have traveled much and
learned much and labored much and earned much, yet alas, of gold I have little.
Some I spent wisely, some I spent foolishly and much I lost in unwise ways.'
"Dost
still think it but an inconsistency of fate that some men have much gold and
others have naught? Then you err.
"Men
have much gold when they know the five laws of gold and abide thereby.
"Because
I learned these five laws in my youth and abided by them, I have become a
wealthy merchant. Not by some strange magic did I accumulate my wealth.
"Wealth
that comes quickly goeth the same way.
"Wealth
that stayeth to give enjoyment and satisfaction to its owner comes gradually,
because it is a child born of knowledge and persistent purpose.
"To
earn wealth is but a slight burden upon the thoughtful man. Bearing the burden
consistently from year to year accomplishes the final purpose.
"The five laws
of gold offer to thee a rich reward for their observance. "Each of these
five laws is rich with meaning and lest thou overlook this in the briefness of
my tale, I will now repeat them. I do know them each by heart because in my
youth, I could see their value and would not be content until I knew them word
for word.
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