An old spider believed himself the wisest of his whole tribe. He knew how man built bridges and dams. He was even good at spinning, weaving and knitting. Nevertheless, he kept all his knowledge to himself without making the least bit known to anybody.
One day, he made up his mind to have the wisdom of the whole world collected, stored up in an earthen pot and kept all to himself.
He went roaming far and wide picking up bit by bit all the wisdom of the world until his pot was nearly full to the brim. He decided to hang it on top of the tallest tree on earth. As he was climbing up to the top of the tree with the pot firmly secured under his belly, he said to himself proudly, “Now, just see who dare come so high for this pot!” It wasn’t an easy job, for sure! The pot under his belly was always in his way and it constantly threatened to slip off and break to pieces.
A tiny little spider who had been watching him puffing up laboriously with his burden said at last, “Old Uncle, it’s hard work climbing up like that, isn’t it? Don’t you think it would be easier to carry the pot on your back?”
The old spider put the pot on his back accordingly. With all his limbs free, he climbed up with great ease.
All of a sudden, he stopped. He stared at the tiny little spider blankly and murmured to himself, “Why, how’s that! I’ve collected all the wisdom in the world into this pot, yet why can’t I hit upon an easier way to carry it up to the tree top?”
Blind with fury, he dashed the pot onto the ground. It was broken to pieces. Instantly, the freed wisdom spread out all over the place.
People from everywhere came in great hurry, each picking up a bit of wisdom. That’s why wisdom is never stored in a single house but it is found in every cottage. There’s no one but has a spark of wisdom in him. However, if there are still fools in the world, it is only because they are too lazy even to stoop down to pick up the pieces of the broken pot.
“I’ll never do to cudgel one’s brains alone!” This has become a proverb among the people of that locality.
