Once upon a time, a tradesman led a caravan to another country to sell his goods. They reached the edge of a scorching desert, where daytime sand was as hot as charcoal. Unable to travel by day, they hired a guide to navigate by the stars and journey only at night.
One night, the overfed guide dozed off. The bullocks, unable to read the stars, wandered in a wide circle, leading the caravan back to their starting point by morning. With their water gone and the crossing incomplete, the travelers despaired, blaming their leaders.
The tradesman, however, refused to give up. He knew losing courage would doom them all. While pacing, he spotted a small clump of grass—a sign of possible water. He urged his companions to dig at that spot. They dug until they hit a large stone and wanted to quit, but the tradesman encouraged them to persist.
He listened at the stone and heard flowing water. He then asked a boy to strike the rock with a heavy hammer. To everyone's amazement, the rock split, and a mighty stream of water gushed forth. The travelers were saved. They refreshed themselves, raised a high banner to mark the new spring for others, and safely completed their journey.