Long ago, people lived much longer than they do today. Once, a king was more than a 1,000 years old. One day, he told the royal barber, “If you see any grey hair on my head, you must tell me immediately!” The barber agreed. When the king was 1,500 years old, the royal barber said, “I see one grey hair on your head.” On hearing this, the king called his eldest son and made him the king. His ministers were surprised and asked him why he was retiring. The king held up the grey hair and said, “I have realized that this grey hair shows that death is approaching fast. I have wasted my precious life in seeking the pleasures of wealth and comfort. Now, I will meditate and attain wisdom.” He went into the forest and meditated hard. He became a great sage.
The King’s Grey Hair
