One day a young man came to the Master and said:

- I came to you because I feel so miserable and worthless that I don't want to live. Everyone around me says I'm a loser, a slob and an idiot. Please, Master, help me!

The master glimpsed the young man and answered hurriedly:

- I'm sorry, but I'm very busy at the moment and I can't help you in any way. I have some very important business to attend to," he added after a moment's hesitation, "but if you will help me with my business, I will be happy to help you with yours.

- With... pleasure, Master," he muttered, bitterly noticing that he was once again being sidelined.
- All right," said the Master and removed a small ring with a beautiful stone from his left little finger.

- Take your horse and ride to the market square! I need to sell this ring as soon as possible to pay off my debt. Try to get more for it, and don't settle for less than a gold coin! So go and come back as soon as you can! The young man took the ring and rode away. He took the ring and galloped away. When he arrived at the market he offered it to the traders who at first were looking at it with interest.

But as soon as they heard about the gold coin, they lost interest in the ring. Some laughed openly in his face, others turned away, and only one elderly merchant kindly explained to him that a gold coin was too high a price for such a ring, and that it could only be bought in copper, or at the very least in silver.

The young man was very upset when he heard the old man's words, for he remembered the Master's injunction not to lower the price below a gold coin. After going round the market and offering the ring to a good hundred people, the young man saddled his horse again and rode back. He was very discouraged by the failure and went to see the Master.

- Master, I could not do your bidding," he said sadly. - At best I could get a couple of silver coins for the ring, but you didn't tell me to settle for less than a gold coin! That ring is not worth that much.

- You have just said some very important words, son! - The Master replied. - Before trying to sell a ring, it's a good idea to establish its true value! Who better to do that than a jeweler? Why don't you go and ask the goldsmith how much he can offer us for the ring? Whatever he tells you, don't sell it, come back to me. The young man got back on his horse and rode off to the jeweller.

The jeweller looked at the ring through a magnifying glass for a long time, then weighed it on a small scale and finally turned to the young man:

- Tell the Master that I can't give him more than fifty-eight gold coins right now. But if he gives me time, I will buy the ring for seventy, given the urgency of the deal.

- Seventy coins?! - the young man laughed happily, thanked the jeweller and went back to the master.

- Sit down here," said the Master as he listened to the young man's animated story. And know, my son, that you are that ring. Precious and unique! And only a true expert can judge you. So why do you go around the market expecting the first person to do it?