The One-of-a-kind Ring

King Solomon, the wisest man in the world, had a servant that was his favorite. Why? Because anything he asked him to do he did perfectly. But the other servants in the palace got very jealous. The wise king knew that the jealousy is very bad and he had to do something about it. So the king decided that he would give this servant a job that is impossible to do. The king thought that the servant will not succeed, he will put him down in front of all the other servants, it will make everybody equal and there will be no jealousy in the palace.

So the king called the servant, one month before "Pesah holiday" and he made up a story. He told the servant that he heard about a special ring that when you wear it when you are sad you become happy and when you wear it when you are happy you become sad. The king said: "I want it. Can you get it?"
"Did I ever disappoint you? " said the servant; "Of course I can get it!"
"Very well" said the king, "bring it to me in 'Pesah' evening."
"'Pesah'?" asked the servant " it is one month away, I can get it to you in couple days."
"No, no" said the king, "bring it to me as a present from you, for 'Pesah' and give it to me at the "Seder" dinner in front of everybody."
"Yes, my king" said the servant.

The servant took a group of people, divided them to four different groups and sent one to the North, one to the South, one to the East, and one to the West, telling them "go on the way, stop anyone you meet, and ask him about the ring. If he knows something or heard something or knows somebody who heard or knows something, come back to me, with the information, so we can take directions and get the ring for the king".

After two-three days the first mission came back but "Nada" (of course, the king made up the story and there was no such ring). The second mission came back and again "Nothing", third mission, fourth mission and three weeks had passed and the servant got "zipo". He got so nervous. The "Seder" is one week away, and he must find the ring. He started searching for the ring on his own and started walking from place to place, from town to town, from village to village, door to door, house to house, didn't sleep, didn't eat, asked everyone he met and, nothing ("nada").

The night before the "Seder" he came back to Jerusalem but he was ashamed to come to the palace, everybody was talking about him and he was walking around the streets like "meshugi" (crazy). Eventually he found himself in the poorest neighborhood of the city and there in a small alley he saw a petit, tiny little shop with an old man inside, a jeweler. So he was thinking to himself "if I can't get the ring maybe this old man can make it. I have nothing to lose, I will give it a try."

He went into the shop and said to the old man: "The king wants a ring that when you are wearing it when you are sad you become happy but when you are wearing it when you are happy you become sad. Can you make such a ring?" The old man thought for a second then he said: "Sure, it's a piece of cake". He took one of the rings he had on the table and engraved on it something in Hebrew. The servant was only a slave and he didn't know how to read, but he had nothing to lose so he took the ring.

Everybody knows about the story and they want to see what will happen. Everybody is happy they are smiling, singing, telling jokes. The king at the head of the table with a big smile on his face. Except the servant, he is in the corner shaking praying, maybe the king forgot. But the king didn't forget he was waiting especially for that moment. Then the king pointed at him showing him to come over with his finger. Silence. Everybody got closer to listen and see what happens. The servant was terrified, he came to the king shaking his eyes on the ground.

The king smiled and said: "Did you get the ring?"
The servant was so afraid he was whispering with a broken voice: "I hope so my king…"
"I can't hear you!" said the king.
"I hope so," said the servant louder.
"Hand it over," said the king. He gave him the ring with a shaking hand. The king took it with a big smile, he put the ring on read what was written on it. Then the face of the king turned over and he become sad. When the servant saw that the king was sad he realized that he got the right ring, and smiled. And on the ring there was a simple sentence in Hebrew "Gam Ze Ya-avor". Which means: "This too shall pass".

You can find this story, and others here, and can even download an mp3 of Baruch telling it, which is even better.

(via My Wife)