An artist from Xiangyang trembled with fear. He was given an impossible task to draw; to with his brush paint an impossible creature that no myths had mention of, no eyes had laid upon and no words could describe it. Yet he was poor, and desperate and hence he spent an entire day seeking the Sage of the Sleeping Dragon Ridge. And when he found the Sage, he prostrated himself before the great Sage, begging him for his help.
“Get up,” the sage said while sipping tea, “What is the task that troubled you so?”
In hurried tones, the artist described the creature which his patron had commanded him to draw. “It is to be a bird, but not with the shape of a bird; be like a dragon, but does not have the resemblance of one. It is to be as huge as a giant but not too colossal. It must be filled with vibrant colors, but cannot have any colors known to man. What is this creature; how could anyone possibly draw it?”
Laughingly, the Sleeping Dragon Sage put down his tea cup and whispered such a such plan into the artist’s ears. The artist looked more troubled, but agreed to the Sage’s plan, and leave.
A week later, the artist returned, joyfully with many gifts for the Sage. “Your plan was superb, master! Your foresight inhuman, your way mysterious. Tell me, how do you know it would turn out this way?”
“It is really simple,” the Sleeping Dragon Sage replied, “You could draw anything and your patron will be pleased, for his commands to you simply depicts that he himself had no idea what he wanted. Hence upon seeing the first painting which you have produced, he would readily accept it.”
“But why did you insist that I received the 10,000 taels immediately?” the artist asked.
“Such a man is fickled minded and have no idea where he is going. He himself does not even know what creature he needed for his game. He would say yes now only to say no three days later. Hurriedly pack your belongings and move to Chaisang straight away. This way he will bother you no more.”
Thoughts of the Day: Be it life or game development, it’s better to know what you want, than what you don’t want.
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