Vanity came to the wise man and said:
-Let's be friends! I’ll do whatever you want for you then!
- And what will you do for me? — the wise man asked, taking his time to answer.
— I’ll help you become a candidate of science!
- And then?
- Then - a doctor!
- Let's say. And then?
- Then you will become a professor, academician! Everyone will praise you, call you great...
- And then?
- Like what, you’ll grow old!
-And then? Well, my fame will live after me for ten years. But in a hundred years, hardly anyone will remember my name! And in a thousand years? In a million? So what can you give me?
Vanity looked at the wise man, sighed... and went to look for someone who would make friends with him, without thinking about it!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru