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 became as hot as charcoal, impassable for man or beast. The leader hired a desert guide to navigate by the stars, allowing them to travel only at night.
A few nights into the journey, after their meal, the 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 depleted and spirits broken, the travelers despaired and blamed their leaders.
The tradesman, however, refused to give up. He knew that losing courage would doom them all. While pacing, he spotted a small clump of grass. Realizing plants cannot survive without water, he urged his companions to dig at that spot.
They dug until they hit a large stone. Discouraged, they wanted to quit, but the tradesman insisted they persevere. He listened at the stone and heard flowing water. He then instructed a boy to strike the rock with a heavy hammer. To everyone's astonishment, the rock split, and a mighty stream of water gushed forth.
Overjoyed, they drank, bathed, and replenished their supplies. Before departing, they raised a high banner to guide other travelers to the new spring. They then continued safely on their journey.
The moral is: Don't give up too easily; keep trying until you reach your goal.