The Book of Salamat

Author Unknown

Our story begins with two neighbors. Although they were poor, they took pride in their gardens. Their yards bloomed with different kinds of vegetables all year round.

The first gardener would sell his harvest and keep the money all to himself, while his next-door neighbor would give away most of his vegetables and was happy when his friends would say, "Salamat." 

"Fool!" his selfish neighbor told him one day, "You work so hard under the sun to grow your vegetables. If I were you, I'd sell then and build and keep the money. Look at me, I will be able to build a big house next year with my money." 

The generous gardener just smiled and continued working on his yard. He was actually having difficulty saving money for repairing his home for the rainy season, but, he found this word of thanks more precious than money. Salamat, salamat, salamat... he noted each line of thanks in a book every night.

The greedy man soon earned enough money to build a large house made of stone and wood. He looked from his window his neighbor's tiny nipa hut. He heard about the good man's book and laughed. 

"Let's see that crazy old fool eat his book of salamat," he said to himself. He then called out to his neighbor... "Hey there, friend, don't you wish you had a house as beautiful as mine?" he asked, "I've even hired a gardener to care for my plants!" "You have quite a big house," his humble neighbor answered, "but I'm happy enough here." 

Months passed and the rains came. It was then the good man realized he truly needed money to fix his hut. He spotted his book of salamat and had a bright idea. The next morning...

"Salamat for sale! Who wants to buy my book of salamat?" 

The townsfolk saw the gardener selling his book and thought he had gone crazy. Yet, he went all around the village offering his book of salamat to any buyer. Word spread and reached the sultan's palace.

"What's that man selling?" the Sultan asked his guards. He had never heard of anyone selling such and thought that he must have heard wrong; that the gardener was selling salabat -- ginger tea, or samat -- betel leaf. "Bring him to me, " His Majesty commanded. And the gardener was summoned. "I'm selling a book of salamat, Your Majesty," the man explained. He opened his book and the Sultan saw the word salamat written all over. The words were written in clear, fine and honest handwriting. "This man is no fool!" the Sultan said to himself.

"How much do you want for this book, my good man?" the Sultan finally asked. "I shall sell my book for whatever it will weigh in gold," the gardener answered humbly. His Majesty then told his court attendants to bring forth his weighing scale. The Sultan placed the bool on one scale and a piece of gold on the other. The book was heavier. He placed another piece of gold, but, the book was still heavier. No matter how much gold the Sultan placed upon the scale, the book still weighed heavier! Until the Sultan brought out a bag of gold and said, "There, old man, take your money and leave me in peace!"

And the gardener happily left and was able to build himself a bigger house than his neighbor's in several days' time. His neighbor got so jealous! He thought of a plan to get richer.

After learning about his neighbor's good fortune, he immediately bought a thicker and heavier book and hurriedly filled it with the word salamat. Following what his good neighbor did, the greedy man asked to be paid as much as the book will weigh in gold. The Sultan placed a bag of gold on the scale but, the bag was heavier. He then removed half of the gold. The bag was still heavier. Finally, some gold dust was left on the bag. Alas! it was still heavier. 

"How can that be?" the gardener said, "My book is gigantic! And I labored for two weeks writing that word salamat over and over again!" 

"Aha!" exclaimed His Majesty, "Poor man, you may spend a lifetime writing down the word, but if it doesn't come straight from the hearts of grateful men, it is meaningless." And to the dismay of the selfish man, the wise Sultan ordered his guards to take him outside to be punished in front of the people.