In the Arabian deserts, merchants used to travel on camels, carrying goods from one town to another, usually in large caravans. One day, a merchant was traveling with one such caravan when he came across a learned man, who approached him.
“Greetings, my good man, where are you coming from and where are you headed?” the learned man asked.
The merchant responded to the stranger candidly, whereupon he was asked about the load he was carrying.
“I've got one sack filled with wheat and the other with pebbles,” he said proudly.
“Why pebbles?”
“For balance, of course. Why else?”
“Why don't you fill the other sack with half of the wheat rather than burden your camel with pebbles? This way, the poor beast's load will be half as heavy.”
“Well done, my good man,” exclaimed the merchant with surprise. “What a brilliant idea! Now tell me, being as clever as you are, instead of riding on a horse or a camel, why are you walking this rough route, torturing yourself?
The merchant dismounted from his camel to offer the wise man a ride, as he felt sorry for him, but first he thought to ask him a few personal questions.
“So, tell me, being so wise, would you happen to be a governor or a minister?”
“Oh no, I'm neither a governor nor a minister. Just take a look at my clothes! I'm no one, just one of the common folk.”
“But you must own a few camels and cows at least, being as clever as you are.”
“No cows nor any camels.”
“You must own a shop then. What do you sell?”
“I own no shop nor have any goods to sell.”
“But you're an insightful and intelligent man; in fact, you're probably an alchemist who can turn base metals into gold. Your knowledge is invaluable. Be honest, tell me the truth, how much money have you got on you?”
“My dear fellow, I haven't got a bean in the world. I walk barefoot and suffer constantly from hunger, hoping to come across people who might take pity on me and offer me a slice of dry bread,” confessed the wise man. “My intelligence and insight have only brought me trouble and suffering.”
“Go away!” screamed the merchant suddenly. “Get out of my sight before your cursed intelligence rubs off on me, too. Your knowledge will only bear disaster for anyone you encounter, so get going before I kick you unconscious! I'll keep my sacks as they are, thank you very much. I'd much rather carry a sackful of pebbles than listen to your miserable, useless advice. If you could benefit from your own knowledge, you already would have done so. So, go on and get lost, you miserable creature.”
The merchant quickly mounted his camel, whipped and kicked her mightily, and urged her to speed away as quickly as possible from the supposedly wise man.