The Alchemist (Coelho)

The shopkeeper

The king tells Santiago a story about a shopkeeper who sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world. Summarize the story and explain its message.

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The boy in the fable is told to walk about the castle and warned not to spill a drop of oil from the spoon he carried with him. The boy was so terrified he'd spill the oil that he never took the opportunity to see either the castle or its great wealth. When the boy is sent out the second time, he is told to pay attention to the things around him, while still carrying the spoon and oil. Unfortunately, he became so enamored of the sights around him that he forgot to take care and spilled the oil.