The Great Wise Man

There was a great wise man who lived in a tiny village in Tibet. He was constantly sought out for his wisdom by the villagers. He was very kind and patient.

His neighbors had a very beautiful unmarried daughter. She was in love with the butcher's son but saw him in secret as she knew her parents wouldn't approve. One day her parents noticed that she was expecting a child. They flew into a rage as they saw this as a disgrace on their family. They demanded to know who the father was but she refused to tell them as she wanted to protect the boy she loved from her parent's wrath. They continued for hours to badger her, she stared out the window, not answering. Through her tears she noticed the great wise man pass by. Instantly so she blurted out "It was the wise man!"

The parents became so distraught they decided to confront the wise man. That night they went to his house, banged on his door and when the wise man opened the old creaking wooden door the neighbors screamed at him, "You impregnated our daughter!" The wise man replied "Is that so?" "Yes," they insisted "and YOU will need to care for this child!" The wise man replied "Is that so?"

When the daughter gave birth the parents tore the child from her arms and stomped over to the wise mans house. "Here is the child you created, this boy is your responsibility now!" The wise man replied "Is that so?"

The wise man gave the infant boy all the loving care and attention possible. He showed the child great affection. About a year later the butcher died and his son inherited the lucrative butcher shop. The neighbors daughter found the courage to tell her parents that she was in love and was marrying the butcher. She then told them the truth about the baby and told them she wanted her son back.

The neighbors were mortified but the went to the wise man humbly and apologetically and they explained the situation. The wise man replied "Is that so?" Then the most difficult task of all, they told him he needed to return the baby. The wise man replied "Is that so?"

The moral of the story: It only matters as much as you say it does,
whatever it is!