The value of a dhoti
There was a businessman who owned a secondhand shop where he used to sell clothes, mostly dhotis and punjabis. He would buy secondhand clothes and then re-sell them at a higher price. One day a man came to sell him a dhoti. The dhoti was all wrapped up in a towel. Before taking the dhoti out of the towel, the man said, “Please tell me how much you charge for a new dhoti.”The businessman said, “Did you not see the sign above my shop that says ‘secondhand’? I can sell you a very nice secondhand dhoti, but I do not know the price of a new dhoti. If you are looking for a new dhoti, you have come to the wrong place.”
The customer said, “I find it very hard to believe that you do not know the price of a new dhoti. You may not buy or sell them, but are you sure you do not know?”
The shopkeeper said, “Actually I do know.”
“Then how much does a new dhoti cost?” asked the customer.
The shopkeeper said, “It is 20 rupees for a new one. When I buy a secondhand dhoti, I usually pay 5 rupees and then sell it for 10 rupees. I have a very good selection of secondhand dhotis, but you will not find a new dhoti here.”
The customer said, “As a matter of fact, I have not come here to buy a new dhoti. I asked you the price just out of curiosity. And I am very glad that you have told me that the cost of a new dhoti is 20 rupees.”
“So what have you come here for?” asked the shopkeeper, who was beginning to grow a little suspicious.
“First, let me clarify what you have told me,” said the man. “You buy dhotis for 5 rupees and you sell them for 10 rupees?”
“Yes,” said the shopkeeper uneasily.
The man said, “All right, then can you give me 5 rupees for this one?” He unwrapped the dhoti that he was carrying in the towel and placed it on the counter.
The shopkeeper cried, “Five rupees? I cannot give you 5 rupees for this ancient relic! The border has completely faded! You do not have to unfold it. I can see at once that it is not in good condition at all. Had it been in good condition, I would have handed you 5 rupees immediately. And I could have sold it for 10 rupees without any difficulty. But in this case it is impossible. For a dhoti like this, the most I can give you is 2 1/2 rupees.”
The man said, “Two and a half rupees! Oh no, it is worth much more than that. Look at it carefully and see for yourself.”
The shopkeeper unfolded the dhoti and held it up, only to discover that worms had enjoyed a feast on this garment. There were a number of places where the worms had eaten right through the fabric. Furthermore, it was quite stained. “This kind of dhoti I do not want!” he exclaimed. “I am prepared to offer you 2 rupees, but no more. If you do not want to sell it for 2 rupees, then get out of my sight. Do not waste my time anymore!”
The customer did not seem at all upset. He continued to remain very calm. “Only 2 rupees?” he asked.
The shopkeeper said, “Yes, 2 rupees,” and he took the coins out of a small bag and handed them to the man.
The man said, “The money from the sale of the dhoti is yours, not mine.”
“How can it be my money?” the shopkeeper asked. “I have agreed to buy your dhoti, even though it is in such bad condition. Now, for God’s sake, just take the money and go. All this talk is only confusing me!”
The man said, “Listen to me. You have a big shop. This particular dhoti was hanging near the door. On the way in, I just grabbed it and wrapped it in a towel. I stole it from you. If I had not stolen it, you would have sold it to some innocent person for 10 rupees. Now you are prepared to offer only 2 rupees because you see for yourself that it is stained, the border has faded and worms have eaten into the fabric. The true value of this dhoti is 2 rupees, not 10 rupees. You are such a rogue! For years and years you have been deceiving people, but you cannot deceive people forever. Sooner or later, you are bound to be exposed. In this case, it was you yourself who said that this dhoti could not be worth more than 2 rupees. So, you keep the money. You deserve it!”