Greatest Salesman in the World text

Greatest Salesman in the World text tài liệu, giáo án, bài giảng , luận văn, luận án, đồ án, bài tập lớn về tất cả các l...

I was not delivered into this world in defeat, nor does failure course in myveins I am not a sheep waiting to

be prodded bymy shepherd I ama lion and I refuse to

talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep.

Theslaughterhouse of failure is notmydestiny.

I will presist until I succeed.

Fromthe ancient scroll marked III

inTHE GREATEST SALESMAN

IN THE WORLD

Askyour bookseller for thebooks you have missedTHECHRISTCOMMISSION

THEGIFTOF ACABAR(withBuddyKaye)

THEGREATEST MIRACLE INTHEWORLDTHE GREATEST SALESMANINTHEWORLDTHE GREATEST SECRETINTHEWORLDTHE GREATEST SUCCESSINTHEWORLD

OGMANDINO'S UNIVERSITYOF SUCCESS

W CIBMENT STONE

who has blendedlove, compassion, andauniquesystem of salesmanship into a living philosophy for success whichmotivatesand guides countless

thousands of individuals, each year, to discover greater happiness,goodmentalandphysical health,

peace of mind, powerandwealth*

"THE GREATEST SALESMAN IN

THE WORLD is one of the most inspiring,

up-lifting, and motivating books I have«ver read Ican well understandwhyithas had such asplen-did acceptance."

NormanVincent Peale

THE GBEATEST SALESMAN

"At last! A book on sales and salesmanship that

can be read and enjoyed by veteran and recruit

alike! I have just completed THE GREATEST

SALESMAN IN THE WORLD for the second

time—itwas too good for just one reading— and

inall sincerity, I say that it is themostreadable,

most constructive and most useful instrumentforthe teaching of sales as a profession that I have

everread"

F.W ErHgo,Manager

U.S Sales Training Parke, Davis&Company

"Ihavereadalmost everybookthathaseverbeen

written onsalesmanship, butIthinkOg Mandino

SALESMAN IN THE WORLD, No one who

fol-lows theseprinciples will everfail as a salesman,

and no onewilleverbe trulygreatwithoutthem;

but, the author has done more than present the

principles—he has woven them into the fabric

of one ofthemost fascinating stories Ihaveever

read,"

Paul J. Meyer, President Success Motivation institute, Xna

m THE WORLD

^veiy salesmanager should readTHE EST SALESMAN IN THE WORLD. It is a book

GREAT-tokeepatthebedside, oronthelivingroomtable

~a booktodipinto asneeded,to browseinnow

and then, to enjoyin small stimulating portions,,

It is abookforthehourandfortheyears,a book

to turn to over and over again, as to a friend,

a book of moral, spiritual and ethical guidance,

anunfailing source ofcomfortandinspiration,*

9

Lestet J Bradshaw, Jr.

Former Dean, Dale Carnegie Institute

of Effective Speaking&HumanRelations

SALES-MAN IN THE WORLD. Itis, withoutdoubt,thegreatest and the most touching story I have ever

read It is so goodthat there are two musts that

I would attach to its First, you must not lay it

down until you have finished it; and secondly,

every individual who sells anything, and thatincludes usall,mustreadit"

Robert B Hensley President, Life Insurance Co.

ofKentucky

THE GREATEST SALESMAN

"Og Mandino provocatively prods your attentioninto fascination as hemasterfullyrelateshis story.

THE GREATEST SALESMAN IN THE WORLD

is a book withemotional appealfor millions/'

RoyGarn, Executive Director Emotional Appeal Institute

"There are very few men who have the writing

talent with which Og Mandino has been blessed

The thoughts contained in this book symbolize

the importance of selling to the entire world's

existence."

Sol Polk, President Polk Bros., Inc.

€€

I havejust finished the uninterrupted reading of

THE GREATEST SALESMAN IN THE WORLD.

The plot is original and ingenious The style is

interestingandfascinating.Themessageismoving and inspiring.

"Every one of us isa salesman,no matter what

his occupation or profession Most of all, first he

Rabbi, Temple Sholom, Chicago

"Ilike thestory . Ilike the style Ilikethe

book Every salesman and members of hisfamily

should read it*

W Clement Stone, President

Combined Insurance Co. of America

IN THE WORLD by Og Mandinowillbecome a

classic. I have published hundreds of books over

the years but Og Mandino's powerful message found a place inmyinnermostbeing I am proud

to be the publisher of this book"

Frederick V Fell

Hafidlingeredbefore thebronze

mir-rorandstudiedhis reflectedimageinthe polishedmetal

"Only the eyes have retained their,youth," he

murmured as he turned away and moved slowly

across the spacious marble floor. He passed

be-tweenblackonyxcolumnsrisingtosupportceilingsburnished withsilverandgoldandhis aginglegs

THE GBEATEST SALESMANcarried him past tables carved from Cyprus andivory.

Tortoise shell gleamed from couches and

divans andthewalls,inlaidwith gems,shimmeredwith brocades of the most painstaking design

Hugepalmsgrewplacidly in bronzevessels

fram-ing a fountain of alabaster nymphs while flower

boxes, encrusted with gems, competedwith their

contentsforattention. Novisitor to Hafid'spalace

coulddoubtthathewas, indeed,a personofgreatwealth

gardenandenteredhiswarehousewhichextendedbeyond themansionfor fivehundredpaces Eras-

mus, his chiefbookkeeper, waiteduncertainlyjust

beyondthe entryway

"Greetings, sire."

Hafid nodded and continued on in silence.

Erasmusfollowed,hisfaceunableto disguisecern atthemaster'sunusualrequestfor a meeting

con-in this place Near the loading platforms Hafidpaused to watch goods beingremoved from bag-gage wagons and counted into separate stalls.

There were wools, fine linens, parchment,honey, carpets, and oil from Asia Minor; glass, figs, nuts, andbalsam fromhis own country; tex-

tiles and drugs from Palmyra; ginger, cinnamon,

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and precious stones from Arabia; corn, paper,

granite, alabaster, and basalt from Egypt;

tapes-tries from Babylon; paintings from Rome; andstatues from Greece The smell of balsam was

heavy in the air and Hafid's sensitive old nose

detected the presence of sweet plums, apples,

cheese, and ginger

FinallyheturnedtoErasmus "Oldfriend,how

much wealth is there now accumulated in our

treasury?*'

Erasmus paled, "Everything, master?*

Everything.''

"I have not studied the numbers recently-but

Iwouldestimate thereisin excess ofsevenmilliongoldtalents."

"And were all the goods in all my warehouses

would they bring?"

*Our inventory is not yet complete for this

season, sire, but I would calculate a minimum ofanother threemillion talents"

Hafid nodded, "Purchase no more goods stituteimmediately whateverplansarerequiredto

In-selleverythingthatismine andconvertallofitto

gold."

The bookkeeper's mouth opened but no sound

cameforth. Hefellback as if struckand whenfi~

-"

:

THE GREATEST SALESMAN

nalljrhe could speak, the words camewith effort

"I do not understand, sire. This has been ourmost profitable year Every emporium reports anincrease insalesover the previousseason.Eventhe

Romanlegions arenow ourcustomers fordidyounot sellthe Procurator in Jerusalem two hundredArabian stallions within the fortnight? Forgive

my boldness for seldom have I questioned your

orders but this command I cannot hend •

suf-ceived from me when you entered my employ

manyyearsago?"

Erasmusfrowned momentarilyandthenhisfacebrightened "I was enjoined by you to remove,each year, half the profit from our treasury and

dispense it to the poor."

"Did you not, at that time, consider me a

fool-ishmanofbusiness?"

1 had greatforebodings, $ire."

Hafid nodded and spread his arms toward theloading platforms "Will you now admit that

your concern was without ground?"

"Yes, sire."

"Then let me encourage you to maintain faith

4

IN THE WORLD

inthis decision untilIexplainmyplans I am now

anoldman and myneedsare simple.Sincemyloved Lisha hasbeentakenfrom me,aftersomany

be-years of happiness, it ismydesire to distribute all

ofmy wealth among the poorofthis city. I shall

keeponlyenoughtocompletemylifewithout

dis-comfort Besides disposingofourinventory,Iwishyoutoprepare the necessarydocumentswhichwilltransfer the ownership of every emporium to he

who now manages eachforme I alsowishyouto

distributefive thousandgold talentsto these

man-agers as a rewardfor their years of loyalty and sothattheymayrestock their shelves in any manner

that they desire/*

handsilencedhim."Doesthisassignmentseempleasant to you?"

un-The bookkeeper shook his head and attempted

to smile. "No, sire, it is onlythat I cannot

under-stand your reasoning Your words are those of a

man whose days are numbered."

It is your character, Erasmus, that your cernshouldbeformeinstead of yourself Haveye

con-no thoughts for your own future when our trade

empire is disbanded?"

"We have been comrades together for many

years How can I, now> think only of myself?"

Hafid embraced his old friend and replied, "It

THE GREATEST SALESMAN

isnotnecessary Iask thatyouimmediatelyferfiftythousandgoldtalentsto yourname andIbeg that you remain with me until a promise I

trans-made long ago is fulfilled. When that promise is

kept I will then bequeath this palace and house to you for I will then be ready to rejoinLisha."

ware-The old bookkeeper stared at his master

un-able to comprehendthewordsheard, 'fifty

thou-sand goldtalents,thepalace,thewarehouse .I

amnotdeserving *

Hafid nodded "I have always counted your

friendship as my greatest asset What I now

be-stow on youisoflittlemeasure comparedto yourunending loyalty. You have mastered the art of

living not for yourself alone, but for others, and

thisconcern hasstampedtheeabove all, asa man among men Now I urge you to hasten with the

consummationofmyplans Timeis themost

pre-cious commodity I possess and the hour glass of

mylife isnearlyfilled."

Erasmus turned his face to hide his tears. His

voicebroke asheasked,"And whatofyour

prom-ise, yet to keep? Although we have been as

brothers never have I heard you talk of such a

matter/*

Hafid foldedhis arms andsmiled "I will meet

e

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with you again when you have discharged my

commands of this morning Then I will disclose

a secretwhich Ihave sharedwith no one, except

my beloved wife, for over thirty years,"

Andsoit cametopass that aheavily

guarded caravan soon departed from Damascus

carrying certificates of ownership and gold for

those who managedeach ofHafid's trade

empor-iums From ObedinJoppatoReuel at Petra,each

of the tenmanagers received word ofHafid's

re-tirement and gift in stunned silence. Eventually,

after making its last stop at the emporium in

Antipatris, the caravan's mission was complete

The mostpowerfultrade empireofits timewas

nomore

His heart heavy with sadness, Erasmus sent

word to his master that the warehouse was now empty and the emporiums no longer bore the

proud banner of Hafid The messenger returned

witharequest thatErasmus meetwithhismaster

by the fountain in the peristyle, immediately

Hafid studied his friend's face and asked, "Is

it done?"

"It is done*

"Grieve not, kind friend, and follow me"

Only the sound of their sandals echoed in the

giant chamber as Hafid led Erasmus toward the

marblestairwayattherear. Hisstepsmomentarilyslowed as he neared a solitary murrhine vase on

a tall stand ofcitrus wood and he watchedas the

sunlight changed the glass from white to purple

His old face smiled

Then the two old friends began to climb theinner steps thatledto the roominside the palace

dome Erasmus took notice that thearmed guard,

always present at the foot of the steps, no longer

was there Finally they reached a landing andpaused since both were without breath from the

exertion ofthe climb Thentheycontinuedontoasecond landing and Hafid removed a small key fromhis belt. Heunlockedtheheavy oak doorand

THE GREATEST SALESMANleaned against it until it creaked inwards Eras-

mus hesitated until his master beckoned him side andthenhe steppedtimidlyintotheroomto

in-which noonehad beenallowedadmissionforover

three decades

Grey anddustylight seepeddown fromturretsabove and Erasmus gripped Hafid's armuntil his

eyes became accustomed to the semi-darkness

With a faint smile, Hafid watched as Erasmusturned slowly in a room that was bare exceptfor a small cedar chest spotlighted in a shaft of

sunlight in one corner

"Are you not disappointed, Erasmus?*

"Iknownotwhatto say, sire*

"Are you not disappointed in the furnishings?Certainly the contents of this room have been a

conversation piece among many Have you notwonderedorconcernedyourselfwiththe mystery

of what is contained here which I have guarded

so zealously for so long?*

Erasmus nodded, "It is true. There has been

much talk and many rumors through the years

as to what our master kept hidden here in 1$&

tower."

"Yes, myjriend, and most of them I have

heard It has been said that barrels of diamonds were here, and gold ingots* or wild animals, orrarebirds.OnceaPersianrug merchant hintedthat

IN THE WORLD

perhaps I maintained a small harem here Lishalaughed atthe thoughtofme with a collectionofconcubines But, as you can observe, there is

nothing here except a small chest Now, come

open Erasmus leaned forward and stared overHafid'sshoulderatthetrunk's contents Helooked

at Hafid and shook his head in bewildermentTherewasnothinginsidethe trunkbutscrolls

leather scrolls.

Hafid reached inside and gently removed one

of the rolls. Momentarily he clasped it to his

breastandclosedhiseyes.Aquietcalmnesssettled

overhis face,brushingawaythelinesof age.Then

herose to his feet andpointedtowardthe chest'Were this room filled to its beams with dia-monds, itsvalue could notsurpasswhatyoureyes

beholdinthissimplewoodenbox.Allthesuccess,

happiness, love, peace ofmind, and wealththat I

have enjoyed is directly traceable towhat is tained in these few scrolls. Mydebt to them and

con-to the wise one who entrusted them to my care

can neverberepaid."

THE GREATEST SALESMANFrightened by the tone in Hafid's voice Eras-

mussteppedback andasked, "Isthisthesecretto

which you havereferred?Is this chest connected

in some way with the promise you have yet to

keep?"

"Theanswer is 'yesf tobothofyour questions"

Erasmus passed his hand across his perspiring

forehead and looked at Hafid with disbelief.

"What is written on these scrolls that places

their value beyond that of diamonds?"

"AHbutoneof these scrollscontainaprinciple,

alaw, orafundamentaltruthwritten inauniquestyle to help the reader understand its meaning

To become a masterin the art of sales one must

learnandpracticethe secretofeachscroll When

onemasters theseprinciplesone hasthe powerto

accumulate all the wealth he desires "

Erasmus stared at the old scrolls with dismay

"As wealthy even, as you?"

"Farwealthier,if he chooses"

"You have stated that all but one of thesescrolls contain selling principles What is con-

tained on the last scroll?"

"The last scroll, as youcall it, isthe first scroll

which must beread, sinceeachisnumberedtobe

readinaspecialsequence.Andthefirst scroll

con-tains a secret which has been given to a mere

handfulof wisementhroughouthistory.The first

IN THE WORLD

scroll, intruth, teaches the most effective waytolearn what is written on the others."

It seems tobe ataskthatanyone can master*

"It is, indeed, a simple task provided one is

willing to paytheprice intimeandconcentration

untileachprinciplebecomes apartof one'sality; until eachprinciplebecomes ahabit in liv»

person-fog.*

ascroll Holdingitgentlybetweenhis fingers and

his thumb, he shook it toward Hafid "Forgive

me,master,butwhyis itthatyouhave not shared

these principles withothers, especiallythosewho

have labored long in your employ? You have

al-ways shown such generosity in all other matters,

how is it that all whohave sold foryou did not

receive the opportunity to read these words of

wisdom andthusbecomewealthytoo?Atthevery

least, allwould have been better sellers of goodswith such valuable knowledge,, Why have you

kept these principles to yourself for all theseyears?"

1 had no choice Many years ago when thesescrolls were entrusted to my care, Iwas made to

promise underoath, that I wouldsharetheir

con-tents with only one person I do not yet

under-stand the reasoning behind this strange request.However,Iwas commandedtoapplytheprinciples

THE GREATEST SALESMAN

of the scrolls tomy own life, untilone day one wouldappear who had needforthe help andguidance contained in these scrolls farmore than

some-Ididwhen Iwas ayouth Iwas toldthatthroughsome sign I would recognize the individual to

whomI wastopass the scrollseven thoughitwas

possible that the individual would notknow that

he was seeking the scrolls.

1 have waited patiently, and while I waited

I applied these principles as I was given

permis-sion to do With theirknowledge I became what

manycallthe greatest salesman in the worldjust

as he who bequeathedthesescrolls tome was claimedas thegreatestsalesmanof his time.Now,

ac-Erasmus, perhaps you will understand, at last,

why someofmyactionsthroughthe years seemed

peculiar andunworkable to you, yet they provedsuccessful Always were my deeds and decisionsguided by these scrolls; therefore, it was notthrough my wisdom that we acquired so many

gold talents. I was only the instrument of

command from his master Hafid replaced the

leather strappingonthe chest andthenstoodand walked to a small turret. He stepped through it

out onto the scaffold that surrounded the great

dome.

A wind from the Eastblew into the oldman's

face carryingwithitthe smellofthelakesandthe

desertbeyond He smiled ashe stoodhigh above

therooftops of Damascus andhisthoughts leapedbackwards throughtime

15

Three

It waswinter andthechillwasbitter

on the Mount of Olives From Jerusalem, across

the narrow cleft of the Kidron Valley, came thesmell of smoke, incense, and binning flesh from

theTemple anditsfoulnessmixedwiththe

turpen-tineodorofterebinthtrees onthemountain

On an open slope, only a short descent from

the village of Bethpage, slumbered the immense

trade caravan of Pathros of Palmyra* The hour

was late and even the great merchants favorite

stallionhad ceasedmunching onthelowpistachiobushes and settled down against a soft hedge oflaurel

Beyondthe long rowofsilent tents, strands of

thickhempcurledaroundfour ancientolivetrees.

They formed a square corral enclosing shapeless

forms of camels and asses huddled together to

draw warmth from each others body.Except for

two guards, patrolling near the baggage wagons,

the only movementin the camp was the tall and moving shadow outlined against the goafs hairwall of Pathos* great tent

Inside, Fathros paced angrily back and forth,

pausing occasionally to frown and shake hishead

atthe youthkneeling timidly nearthe tent ing Finally he lowered his ailing body to the

open-gold-woven rug and beckoned the lad to move

closer.

"Hafid, youhave alwaysbeenasmyown.I am

perplexed and puzzled by your strange requestAre you not content with your work?*

The bo/s eyes were fixed on the rug **No

THE GREATESTSALESMAN

"Then kindly repeatyour request Includealso,

in thy words, the reasoning behind such an

un-usual request"

"ft is my desire to become a seller of yourgoods instead of only your camel boy I wish tobecome as Hadad, Simon, Caleb, and the others

who depart from our baggage wagons with

ani-mals barely able to crawl from the weight of

your goodsand whoreturnwithgoldfortheeand

gold also for themselves I desire to improve my

lowlyposition inlife.As acamelboyIamnothing,

but as a salesman for you I can acquire wealthand success."

"How do you know this?"

"Often have I heard you say that no othertrade or profession has more opportunity for one

to risefrom poverty to great wealth thanthat ofsalesman."

Pathros began to nod but thought better of it

and continued to question the youth "Dost thoubelieve you are capable of performing as Hadad

and the other sellers?"

Hafid stared intently at the old man and

re-plied, "Many times have I overheard Caleb plain toyou aboutmisfortunesthataccountedfor

com-hislackofsales and manytimeshaveIheardyou remind himthatanyone couldsell allthegoodsinyour warehousewithinasmall passingoftimeifhe

3N THE WOBLD

but applied himself to learn the principles and

laws of selling If you believe that Caleb, whom

everyone calls a fool, can learn these principles,then cannot I also acquire this special knowJ-

edger

"If you should master these principles what

would be your goal in life?"

Hafidhesitated and then said,It hasbeen peated throughout the land that you are a greatsalesman Theworld has neverseenatradeempiresuch as you have built through your mastery ofsalesmanship My ambition is to become evengreater than you, the greatest merchant, thewealthiest man, and the greatest salesman in allthe world!"

re-Pathros leaned back and studied the young,darkface. Thesmellfrom the animalswas stillonhis clothesbuttheyouth displayed littlehumility

in hismanner.^And whatwillyou dowithall thisgreat wealth and the fearsome power that willsurelyaccompanyitF

"I willdoasyoudo Myfamilywillbeprovidedwith the finest of worldly goods and the rest Iwill share with those in need."

Pathrosshookhishead."Wealth,myson,shouldneverbeyourgoalinlife.Your wordsareeloquent

but they are mere words True wealth is of the

heartynot of the purse."

TBE GREATEST SALESMANHafid persisted, "Art thou not wealthy, sire?**

Theoldmansmiledat Hafid's boldness "Hafid,

so far asmaterialwealthisconcerned, thereisonly

one difference between myself and the lowliestbeggaroutside Herod's palace The beggarthinksonly of his next meal and I think only of the

mealthat willbemylast.No,myson,donotaspireforwealthandlabornot onlytoberich. Strivein-stead for happiness, to be loved and to love, and most important, to acquire peace of mind and

.serenity".

Hafid continued to persist. "But these things

are impossiblewithout gold.Who can liveinertywith peace of mind? How can onebe happy

pov-withanemptystomach?Howcan one demonstrate

love for one's family if he is unable to feed andclothe and house them? You, yourself, have said

that wealth is good when it brings joy to others

Whythenismyambitiontobe wealthynotagoodone? Povertymayfeeaprivilegeandevena wayof

lifeforthemonkinthedesert,forhehas only

him-selfto sustainand nonebuthisgod to please,but

Iconsiderpovertytobethemarkofalackof ity or a lack of ambition I am not deficient ineither of these qualities!"

abil-Pathros frowned, "Whathas causedthis sudden

outburstofambition?Youspeak ofprovidingfora

family yetyouhavenofamilylest itbeIwho have

IN THE WOBLD

adopted you since the pestilence removed thymother andfather."

Hafid's sun-darkened skin could not hide the

suddenflush inhischeeks."Whilewe encampedin

Hebronbefore journeying hereImetthedaughter

ofCalneh.She .she. ."

"Oh, ho, now the truth emergeth Love, not

noble ideals, has changed my camel boy into amightysoldierreadyto battlethe world.Calnehis

a very wealthy man. His daughter andla camelboy? Never! But his daughter and-a rich, young,and handsome merchant . ah, that is another

matter.Verywell,my youngsoldier,Iwillhelpyoubegin your career as a salesman."

The lad fell to his knees and grasped Pathros'robe "Sire, sire! HowcanIsay thewordsto show

mythanks?"

Pathros freed himself from Hafid's grip andstepped back "I would suggest you withhold thy

thanks for the present Whatever aid I give thee

will be as a grain ofsand comparedto the

moun-tains you must moveforyourself."

Hafid's joy immediately subsided as he asked,

"Will you not teach me the principles and laws

that will transform me into a great salesman?"

"I will not No more than I have made yourearly youth soft and easy through pampering I

have been criticized often for condemning my

THE GREATEST SALESMANadopted son to tibe life of a camelboy but Ibe-lieved that if the right fire was burning inside it

wouldeventuallyemerge and whenitdidyou wotdd befarmoreamanforyouryearsofdifficult tofl.Tonigjht,yourrequesthasmade me happyfor

the fire of ambition glows in your eyes and your

face shines with burningdesire. This is good and

my judgmentisvindicatedbutyou muststillprove

thatthereismorebehind yourwordsthanair."

Hafid was silent and the old man continued,

^First,you mustprovetome, and more important

toyourself,thatyoucan endurethelifeofa

sales-manforit isnotaneasylotyou havechosen Truly,

many times have you heard me say that the

re-wardsare greatifonesucceedsbuttherewardsaregreat onlybecausesofewsucceed Many succumb

to despair andfaflwithout realizing thatthey

al-readypossessallthetoolsneededtoacquire greatwealth* Many others face each obstacle in theirpath with fear and doubt and consider them asenemies when, in truth, these obstructions are

friends and helpers^ Obstacles are necessary for

success becausein selling, as in all careers of

im-portance,victory comes onlyaftermanystrugglesand countless defeats Yet each struggle, eachdefeat, sharpens your skills and strengths, yourcourageandyourendurance,yourabilityandyour

confidence and thus each obstacle is a

comrade-IN THE WOBED

in-arms forcingyou tobecome better «, • orquit.

Each rebuff is an opportunity to move forward;turn away from them, avoid them, and you throw

away your-future*

The youthnodded and made as ifto speakbut

the oldmanraised his hand andcontinued, thermore,you are embarkingon the loneliestpro-

"Fur-fession inthe world Eventhe despised tax

collec-tors return to their homes at sundown and the

legions ofRomehave abarracks tocallhome But you will witness many setting suns far from all

friends and loved ones Nothing can bring thehurtof lonelinessuponamanso swiftly as topass

a strange house in the dark and witness, in thelamplight from within, a familybreaking eveningbreadtogether

Itisin these periods of loneliness that tions will confrontthee,"Pathros continued."How

tempta-you meetthesetemptationswillgreatlyaffectyourcareer When you are on the road withonlyyouranimal it is a strange andoften frightening sensa-

tion. Often our perspectives and our values aretemporarily forgottenand we becomelikechildren,

longingfor the safetyand love of ourown What

we find as a substitute has ended the career of

manyincluding thousandswho wereconsideredtohave greatpotential in the artof selling. Further-

more,therewillbe noonetohumor youor console

THE GREATEST SALESMANyou when you have soldho goods; no one exceptthose who seek to separate you fromyour money

a fig and until you have been exposed toedge and experience you cannotbe ealleda sales-

knowl-man."

"Howshall Ibegin?"

In the morning you are to report to Silvio at

charge,oneofourfinestseamlessrobes.It iswoven

fromthehair ofagoataindwillwithstandeventheheaviestrainsandit is dyedredfrom theroots of

themadderplantso thatthecolor willalways hold

fast.Nearthehem youwill findsewn ontheinside,

asmall star. Thisis themarkofTolawhose guild

makesthefinestrobesinallthe world.Nexttothe

starismymark* acirclewithinasquare.Boththese

land and we have sold countless thousands o£theserobes.Ihavedealtwith theJewssolongthat

Ionlyknowtheirnameforsuch a garmentasthis.

It iscalledanabeyah

"Take the robe and a donkey and depart at

IN THE WORLD

dawnforBethlehem,thevillagewhichour caravanpassed through before arriving here None ofour

sellersevervisitthere.Theyreportthatit isa waste

of their time because the people are so poor, yet

manyyearsagoIsoldhundredsofrobesamongtheshepherds there Remain in Bethlehem until youhave soldthe robe."

Hafid nodded, attempting in vain to concealhisexcitement."Atwhatpriceshall I sellthe robe,master?"

"I will enter a charge of one silver denarius

againstyourname on myledger.When youreturn

youwillremit one silverdenarius tome Keepallthatyou receive in excess ofthis as yourcommis-

sion, so,infact,yousetthepriceof therobeself.You mayvisitthemarketplacewhichisatthesouth entry of townor you may wish to consider

your-callingoneachdwellinginthetownitself,ofwhich

Iamcertainthere areoverathousand Certainlyit

isconceivablethat one robe canbe sold there, do younot agree?"

Hafid nodded again, his mind already on the

morrow

Pathros placed his hand gently on the lad's

shoulder "I willplacenooneinyourposition untilyoureturn.Ifyoudiscoverthatyourstomachisnotforthis professionIwillunderstandand you must

not consideryourself in disgrace.Neverfeelshame

andfailingforhe who hasneverfailed

is he whohas nevertried UponyourreturnI will

question you at length concerning your ences.ThenI willdecidehowlshallproceedwith

experi-helpingyoutomakeyouroutlandishdreams come

true."

Hafid bowed and turned to leave but the old

man was not finished. "Son, there is one preceptthatyou must rememberasyoubeginthisnewlife.

Keep it always in your mind and you will

over-comeseeminglyimpossibleobstacles that aretain to confront you as they do everyone with

cer-ambition."

Hafidwaited,'Yes,sirer

"Failure will never overtake you if your minationto succeedis strongenough."

deter-Pathros stepped dose to the youth "Do you

comprehendthe fullmeaningofmywords?"'Yes, site."

"Then repeat them to meP

"Failure will never overtake me if my deter*

initiationto succeedisstrong enough"

26

Four

Hafidpushedasidethehalf-eaten loaf

ofbreadandconsideredhisunhappyfate.

Tomor-row would behisfourthdayinBethlehem andthe

singlered robe that hehad carried so confidently

away fromthecaravanwasstillinthepack onthe

backof his animal,now tetheredto a stake inthe

cave behindthe inn.

He heardnot the noise that surrounded himinthe overcrowded dining hall as hescowled at his

unfinished meal Doubts that have assailed every

seller since the beginning of timepassed throughhis mind:

"Why will the people not listen to my story?

How does one commandtheir attention? Why dotheyclose theirdoorbeforeIhavesaidfivewords?

Why do they lose interest in my talk and walk away? Iseveryonepoor inthistown? Whatcan Isaywhentheytellmethey like therobebutcan-

not afford it? Why do so many tell me to return

atalaterdate?How do otherssellwhenIcannot?

Whatis thisfear thatseizesme when I approach

a closed door and how can I overcome it?Is my

price not inline with the other sellers?"

He shook his head in disgust at his failure.

Perhaps this was notthe life forhim Perhaps he

should remain a camel boy and continue earningonly coppers for each day's labor As a seller of

goodshe wouldindeedbefortunateifhereturned

to the caravan with any profit at all. What had

Pathros called him? A young soldier? He wished,

momentarily,thathe were backwithhis animals

Then his thoughts turned to Lisha and to herstern father, Calneh, and the doubts quickly left

hismind Tonighthe wouldagainsleepinthehills

to conservehis fundsand tomorrow he would selltherobe Furthermore, he would speak with sucheloquencethattherobewouldbringa goodprice