Regret

"You realise the regret that's going to be experienced by these people when it comes to be?"

"Yes", I said.

"And you're not going to do anything about it? You're not going to give them a hint, a clue, an idea of what is really happening?"

"No".

"Why not? Surely they deserve it?"

"Fate will put a diamond at your feet, but it won't pick it up for you. It'll expect you to take the trouble."

"Hmm .. I see. By the way, that's not original, is it?"

"No", I smiled, "It's from the Hitopadesa."

[Penguin carries good, modern translations of the Hitopadesa (A N Haksar), Panchatantra and Kathasaritasagar, which are worth reading again, if only to read them as they were written, and not as they are presented to children.]