Once upon a time, a king was hunting with his companions when he stumbled upon a hermitage. There, he discovered a saint resting on the uneven, hard ground. He was astonished that anyone could find comfort in such discomfort. Filled with curiosity, he invited the saint to be his guest at the palace. The saint readily accepted, gathered all his belongings—no more than would fit in a small bag—and stepped into the king’s carriage.

Upon his arrival at the palace, the king arranged for the most luxurious suite and the finest meals for the saint, ensuring his servants attended him throughout the day. The king often joined the saint at mealtimes, inquiring whether he felt comfortable. However, beneath the veneer of this exquisite hospitality, the king felt challenged by the saint’s simplicity, peace, and contentment. To alleviate his sense of inadequacy, he secretly longed for the saint to admire his lavish lifestyle and acknowledge its relative superiority. Yet, all the king ever received from the saint was love and blessings, rather than the validation he craved. This gradually bred resentment within him as he began to question the wisdom of hosting someone he perceived as far beneath his stature and incapable of appreciating the value of what he possessed. One morning, while having breakfast, he asked the saint if he missed his hermitage, to which the saint replied, ‘No,’ further irritating the king.

After breakfast, the king tactfully conveyed to the saint that he believed the saint yearned for his hermitage, even if the latter did not admit it out of politeness. Thus, he had arranged for him to be taken back there. The saint gladly accepted, expressed his gratitude and boarded the carriage arranged to transport him back to his hermitage.

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