The Parasol of Contentment

Once, there was a man who worked as a street seller. Every day, he walked up and down the busy city streets, selling things. As he walked, he saw rich people in fancy clothes, surrounded by guards. He saw strong warriors with faces that told stories of faraway places. Sometimes, he even smelled sweet perfume from unseen ladies in golden carriages that passed by.

Seeing all these things made him feel unhappy and jealous. Every evening, he argued with his wife, feeling upset and restless. His wife, tired of the arguments, would often cry.

One morning, after another argument, his wife looked in the mirror and saw little red lines in her eyes. She turned to her husband and said, "You need to buy a parasol!"

"Why should I buy a parasol?" he asked.

"Because the sun is making you angry," she replied. "The bright sunlight makes you restless, and that’s why we argue. It’s also why my eyes are red."

The man thought about his wife’s words as he walked that day. He noticed how hot the sun felt and how it seemed to rise from the ground in waves. "Maybe she's right," he thought. So, he went to the part of the city where people sold different things.

As he walked, he heard sellers shouting to get people to buy their goods. Then, he heard a loud voice say, "Buy a parasol! We have all kinds! Each one brings you the sky you love most!"

The man was curious and went to the parasol seller. The parasol seller was a serious-looking man, surrounded by many parasols. The man asked, "What do you mean by a parasol that gives the sky I love most?"

The parasol seller smiled and said, "These parasols may look the same, but each one has a special sky painted inside. Open one and see."

The man picked up a parasol and opened it. Inside, he saw a beautiful summer sky with soft white clouds. It felt like he was standing under a perfect sky.

"As long as you carry this parasol," said the parasol seller, "you will feel happy, as if the summer sky is always above you."

The man liked this, but he said, "I argue with my wife because of the sun's heat. I’m not sure a summer sky will help."

The parasol seller replied, "Then choose another sky. I have many."

He opened another parasol. This one showed a calm, gray winter sky. The parasol seller said, "This sky will make you feel peaceful, like being wrapped in a soft blanket."

But the man found this sky too sad. He opened another parasol and saw the sky at early morning, before the sun rose. He opened another and saw a sky with tall grass, like lying in a field looking up at the clouds. Each parasol showed a different sky, but none felt right to him. He even opened one with a full moon in the night sky, with the songs of lovers. Still, none of the parasols seemed right.

Finally, the parasol seller said, "I have one last parasol. Maybe this one will bring you peace."

The man opened the last parasol and saw a sky with wild geese flying in the shape of a V across a quiet autumn sky. Something about the geese made him feel a deep longing for faraway places. With no other choice, he took this parasol home.

With this new parasol, the man walked the streets. He saw the same rich people, the same warriors, and the same carriages. But instead of feeling unhappy or jealous, he looked at the geese painted inside the parasol. His eyes followed their flight, and he thought, “Not everything beautiful is something you can have.” The geese, flying freely toward distant places, made him realize that peace comes from letting go of envy. As he watched them, his heart felt lighter and calmer.

When he returned home that evening, he didn’t argue with his wife. Instead, he spoke kindly to her. From that day on, they lived more peacefully. Whenever either of them felt restless, they would open the parasol, look at the geese, and feel their worries float away. The parasol with the sky and geese helped them find joy in their own lives, far from the noise of the city.